Roddick, Henin race

The Australian Open's top seeds led from the front on Monday, Andy Roddick and Justine Henin-Hardenne both posting impressive first-round victories at the season's first Grand Slam.

The world number ones faced very different challenges at a sunny Melbourne Park but the outcome was the same.

While Henin-Hardenne destroyed 15-year-old Australian wildcard Olivia Lukaszewicz 6-0, 6-0 at barely a canter, Roddick heaved aside burly Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 6-2, 7-5, 7-6.

The comprehensive manner of the American world number one's victory against a player regarded as one of the most dangerous non-seeds in the Open's 128-man draw serves as notice that he is peaking at the right time.

A more powerful Henin-Hardenne did not face such stern opposition against her overawed opponent and barely put a foot wrong during the 46-minute match.

Sixth seed Rainer Schuettler, on the other hand, will have even less confidence after a disappointing loss to Sweden's Robin Soderling.

A surprise runner-up to Andre Agassi here last year, Schuettler let slip a two-set lead before exiting 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

Another former finalist left the tournament on day one but Carlos Moya had not even had a chance to hit a ball.

The Spaniard, runner-up in 1997, pulled out of his first round match with James Blake with an ankle injury.

Schuettler and Moya were joined at the exit by Russian seeds Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova, who were also both early casualties in Melbourne.

Seventh seed Dementieva slumped to Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro 6-1, 6-4 while 10th seed Petrova lost to Hungarian Aniko Kapros 6-3, 6-3.

A dejected Dementieva, who also lost in the first round last year said: "Maybe I should not play the Australian Open next season because I never play well here.

Vera Zvonareva and Svetlana Kuznetsova fared better in a mixed start for the Russians.

Eleventh seed Zvonareva pounded Czech Zuzana Ondraskova 6-3, 6-1 and 30th seed Kuznetsova breezed past American Shenay Perry 6-3, 6-3.

Fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo swept past Taiwanese Chuang Chia-Jung for the loss of just one game and fifth seed Lindsay Davenport wiped Ruxandra Dragomir 6-2, 6-3.