Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (right) shares a laugh with a ballboy during his French tennis Open first round match in Paris yesterday. (AFP)

AFP/Paris

Defending champion Rafael Nadal stormed to his 60th win at the French Open yesterday, shrugging off the controversy over his demotion from Roland Garros’s showpiece court.

The world number one cruised to a 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 win over US wildcard Robby Ginepri, the world 279 and former top 30 player who has not won a match on tour all year.

Nadal kicked off his campaign for a ninth French Open title on the secondary Suzanne Lenglen court while title rival Novak Djokovic and Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka were handed top billing on the main Philippe Chatrier arena.

It was a decision blasted as “bizarre” by one fellow professional even though Nadal himself had criticised the state of the newly-laid clay on Chatrier after a weekend practice session.

Despite the controversy, it was business as usual for Nadal who is bidding to become the first man in history to win five consecutive Roland Garros titles.

He fired 27 winners past Ginepri, a semi-finalist at the 2005 US Open whose challenge was undone by 41 unforced errors and by offering up 19 break points.

Nadal goes on to face either Paul-Henri Mathieu of France or highly-rated Dominic Thiem of Austria.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s second seed Djokovic opened his bid for a maiden French Open title with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 first round win over Portugal’s Joao Sousa.

“I played for most of the match quite solid. The end of the match was not so nice from my side because I dropped my serve twice,” said Djokovic.

“It was very heavy conditions. The court is not that great, or in a great condition at this moment.

“But of course, considering the amount of the rain that we had in last four or five days, it is not easy for people to maintain the court in the right state. They are doing their best,” he added in reference to the Philippe Chatrier centre court. 

Djokovic continued to add to the controversy by saying the court had worsened over the first two days of the tournament. 

“In my opinion there are a few times today they maybe should have covered the court earlier,” continued Djokovic. 

“I think the chair umpire should have made a decision earlier to take us off the court and cover the court. I’m talking for the court’s sake, you know, for a good condition, because there was a lot of rain.

“I know that on clay, of course, we can play with a certain level of rain, but still it’s not that great for the court’s condition.”

The Serb, who is coming off a stellar showing in Rome where he defeated Nadal, following earlier victories in 2014 at Indian Wells and Miami, converted eight of 15 break points. 

He also rained down eight aces behind a first serve percentage of just under 70 per cent in a match that lasted 1hr 46 minutes. 

The former world number one now faces French hope Jeremy Chardy for a place in the last 32. 

“Playing a French tennis player in France, we all know how challenging that is,” he said. “He had a big win against (Roger) Federer in Rome, so I’m sure he’s very motivated to play his best.”

Six-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic is only missing the Roland Garros title to complete his set of all four majors and began in style with a confident showing.

During a match interrupted by rain, the 27-year-old Belgrade native was at his charismatic best on and off the court as he even had time to chat extensively with a ball boy during a brief rain delay. 

He offered the young lad a drink and clinked bottles with him as the crowd roared their approval.