Stanislas Wawrinka is through to the second round of the Italian Open for the 13th time in his career after a straightforward 6-2 6-4 win over Ilya Ivashka.
The 38-year-old hit 26 winners and saved one break point to secure a comfortable victory.
The Swiss, who is the oldest player in the Rome draw, will play 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.
“I was ready for it. I am playing well. It was a good first match and I am really happy to get through again,” Wawrinka said.
“I have been working hard to get to this level. This year I am playing much better, but I need to win more matches.
“That is what I am missing a bit, the confidence to win more matches. But in general the level is great.”
It was a day to forget for Kyle Edmund as he struggles to build any form in 2023 after an almost two-year lay-off.
He has now lost nine main-draw matches in a row after falling to a 6-1 6-3 defeat to French qualifier Alexandre Muller.
Muller will now play another Briton – Cameron Norrie – in the second round.
Richard Gasquet broke his racquet in frustration during his defeat to China’s Yibing Wu in the first round.
Wu won the match 3-6 6-3 6-2 in one hour and 57 minutes.
Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry has set up a second-round meeting against Novak Djokovic after he defeated Frenchman Luca Van Assche 7-6(7) 6-3 on his Rome debut.
Alexander Bublik battled through to the second round after beating Pedro Martinez 6-3 7-6. He will face USA’s Ben Shelton next.
Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis is also through after his opponent Jaume Munar was forced to retire at 4-2 down in the first set with an injury.
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