PARIS (AP) _ Venus Williams advanced to the second round of the French Open by beating French teenager Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-3 Monday on a damp court after another long rain delay.

Williams, who lost to sister Serena in the 2002 final at Roland Garros, survived a pair of breaks in the first set and another in the second on centre court.

``I had some chances to really take the match, but she always came back,'' said Williams, a five-time Grand Slam champion.

Williams faced 10 break points in the match, including at least one in seven of the first eight games.

``Sometimes the first round can be like that,'' said Williams, who was playing in her first Grand Slam tournament since last July, when she lost in the third round at Wimbledon. ``I definitely was really clear, especially toward the end, on how I wanted to execute.''

Cornet, a 17-year-old wildcard, had more support from the French crowd throughout the match, but it was Williams that won most of the big points.

``I went onto court without pressure, with no complex,'' Cornet said. ``I started the match very well. I have no regrets, she is a great champion.''

It was second straight day of rain at the French Open, but this time the delay lasted only about three hours. That was still enough to postpone at least 22 matches, including those involving No. 4 Jelena Jankovic, No. 6 Nicole Vaidisova, and No. 15 David Nalbandian.

Fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko also advanced, easily beating Stefano Galvani of Italy, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 as the rain returned.

Later Monday, 10-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was to play against Michael Russell, with 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero and No. 5 Fernando Gonzalez also in action.

On Sunday, only seven of the 24 scheduled matches began because of about 5{ hours of rain, and Justine Henin and Serena Williams had to wait through the delay to reach the second round.

Williams struggled before her match was stopped, and Henin struggled before her match started.

``I was playing more patient and I was doing what I've been practising,'' said Williams, who eventually beat Bulgarian teenager Tsvetana Pironkova 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. ``I guess it just didn't work out in the first set.''

Williams, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, was broken four times in the first set, and again in the opening game of the second. But she then won 12 of the final 13 games.

Henin, however, had little trouble beating Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-4, 6-3. But she was annoyed by both starting a Grand Slam tournament on a Sunday and by the rain delay.

``The weather is appalling, and it's going to be the same throughout the weeks,'' said Henin, who is trying to win her third straight French Open title and fourth overall.

Sunday's early sunshine gave way to overcast skies just before play started at 11 a.m. About an hour into the opening six matches, play was called with only Marat Safin having earned a win _ he beat Fernando Vicente of Spain 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.

Henin was next up on centre court, but she had to wait out the showers before playing.

``Winning today is all that counts,'' Henin said. ``It was a bit tiring to play in these weather conditions.''

The top-ranked Belgian will face Tamira Paszek of Austria, who was one game away from the second round when rain halted her match. She returned to the court and beat Aiko Nakamura of Japan 6-4, 6-0.

If Henin and Williams keep winning, they'll face each other in the quarter-finals _ in what would be a rematch of their contentious 2003 meeting at Roland Garros.

In the semifinals that year, Henin beat Williams in three sets. Henin's victory sent her on the way to the first of her five Grand Slam titles, while Williams' loss ended a 33-match winning streak at majors.

They have played twice since, though not in France. Williams won both matches, including the final in March at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Henin, however, was looking no further than her match against Paszek, who took her to three sets earlier this year in Dubai.

``In Dubai it was a different situation, a different type of surface,'' Henin said. ``But I can tell you that Paszek is very talented. She's a winner.''

Also, Safin's younger sister, Dinara Safina, defeated Yuliana Fedak of Ukraine 7-5, 6-4. On the men's side, Potito Starace of Italy beat Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (5), and Janko Tipsarevic defeated Dusan Vemic 7-6 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in an all-Serb match.