A cute drop shot from the back of the court leaves Watson chasing fresh air and from the brink Zahlavova rises. Well, she nips ahead to 15-30. Nice variety from Watson, though, on the next point as she drags her opponent closer to the net, shuffling her from side to side until Zahlavova can take no more and nets. To 30-30 we go, but Zahlavova soon drops another point and screams "I want too much". The lights go out. The Czech miscues a simple overhead and Watson marches on.

Zahlavova's second ace of the match gets her out of trouble and moves the game along to 30-30, but Watson is driving her to distraction. A gutsy shoulder-high forehand volley into the corner from the Brit earns her a break point and Watson confidently seals the deal, mixing it up from the baseline until Zahlavova nets.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"'Britain leads!' bellowed one joker after Watson won the first point, and the British number two didn't relinquish the advantage. A five-minute wobble aside it was solid stuff, her forehand particularly impressive. She even threw in a fake smash along the way, and to cap it all there's a first glimmer of sunshine."

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Nicely done from Watson, she was really dictating the play from the first point to the last. You look at her ranking now and based on her form, she's probably going to be the British number one at the end of the grass-court season, with Laura Robson currently out injured."

Watson sticking to the baseline and she doesn't have to do much more because Zahlavova's game is unravelling. The Brit pounces on some meek Zahlavova play with a forehand winner - her ninth of the match. Then the Czech balloons a return wide. She will be hoping all engines will start firing in the second set.

Image source, Getty Images

There's an official looking on from the sidelines dressed as a tent, which suggests the threat of rain still lurks. The Czech might soon be starting a rain dance in the hope of ruining Watson's momentum. She screams and shouts as she comes off worse in a 20-shot rally for 30-30, but doesn't quite stamp her feet. Somehow she scrambles over the line., with an overhead and a forehand volley doing the job.

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"You feel that what you have with Watson is a player who made her name with the excellence of her backhand and speed and balance of her footwork and what she has done is mastered the attacking forehand in recent years. If you're playing against her, if you're an elite player you might have the power to push her back and wear her down but for the middle-ranked players, there is not an obvious weakness to go at. She's really got the complete game."

A backhand winner into the corner is followed by a lovely forehand winner into the same corner for a 40-0 lead and Watson holds to love as an out-of-sorts Zahlavova screws her return into the tramlines. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Image source, Getty Images

Magnifique! Watson passes Zahlavova with a fabulous forehand down the line on the opening point, which has the crowd purring in approval. Errors continuing to blight Zahlavova's game and, you sense, the red mist is not too far away.

Watson nets a forehand after a lengthy baseline slug-fest to give her opponent hope at 30-30, but Zahlavova goes long once more, gifting the Brit a break point. The 28-year-old surrenders with a whimper, a double fault undoing all the good work of the previous game.

Watson winning the baseline battle, pulling her opponent this way and that, as if she were controlling her by a piece of string. A visit to the net pays dividends for Zahlavova, but Watson craftily ensuring most of the play is conducted from the baseline.

The British number two thinks she has sealed the deal with an irretrievable volley, but her foot tickled the net so onwards we go. Could that be a crucial miss? Zahlavova reins Watson in to deuce, but the Czech falters with an ugly return. Advantage. Then Deuce. Then break point Zahlavova, but the 28-year-old botches a simple overhead and Watson ROARS.

Some concern as Zahlavova falls to the canvas and, looking distressed, holds her ankle, but she is soon back on her feet and ruining Watson's game plan. A second break point comes her way and Watson falters, with a wild forehand going long.

For those of you who don't know Zahlavova well, I can tell you she won the US Open junior girls' singles title in 2009. Her father goes by the name of Jindrich and her mother is called Ilona. Her sister, Ivona, studies law in America. All useful information, I'm sure you agree. The Czech notches three quick points for a 40-0 lead, but ruins a perfect game by dumping a forehand into the tape. Watson wild on the next return, though, and it's a hold to love.

Some slapstick from Watson as she misses a simple overhead, but she manages to quickly quickly retreat, and with her back to the court, throws over a tame overhead backhand. Luckily for the Brit, Zahlavova is a tad too hasty and plonks her response into the tramlines. Giggles from the crowd. A beaming smile from Watson. She got away with that one.

To 40-30 we progress, but the game quickly ends thanks to a fine first serve which forces Zahlavova to return long.

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"She really deserves the 2-0 lead. The attitude is spot on, she looks so comfortable and happy. The best example of that was when she made a bizarre mistake on the second point of the match, smiled and hit a winner on next point. It shows how comfortable she is feeling."

Image source, Getty Images

A healthy crowd on Court Six, and by that I mean they're out in force, rather than eating quinoa. Aggression from Watson from the baseline and the Brit is fired up for this dual. Watson dragging her opponent from side to side, before a fabulous forehand down the line leaves Zahlavova swishing at red dust. Two break points to Watson.

The Czech varies play nicely on the next point, coming to the tape and her backhand volley holds firm. One break point gone and the second vanishes, too, as Watson's forehand drifts into the tramlines.

The Czech falters once more, though, netting under pressure and Watson has a third break point and she makes the most of this opportunity - a series of thumping blows from the back of the court and her opponent crumbles.

A confident start by Watson as she opens with two easy points - make that three easy points as a booming first serve has her opponent immediately on the back foot and all Zahlavova can do is eventually find the tape. Another duff backhand from the Czech and Watson holds to love.

The players have finished mucking about and are undertaking some last-minute preparations before starting this first-round contest. We're seconds away. Let's have some fun.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"It's another cool, damp, overcast day in the French capital and we're back on Court Six to see if Heather Watson can outdo James Ward's good effort here yesterday. Locals seems to be outnumbered by Brits at the moment, unless "parky" is a French word I'm unfamiliar with."

"I think before I was a counter-puncher," says Watson, now a more aggressive player after overcoming illness and injury over the last year. "At important moments I'd wait for my opponent to miss, or hope for them to miss.

"Now, as soon as I see a short ball, I want to win the point. I'll be making more unforced errors but I'm making a lot more winners. It's a lot more fun playing like this."

Like her compatriot James Ward, Watson has come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw but, unlike Ward, she has more hope of progressing in the tournament. The rejuvenated 22-year-old, ranked 92 in the world, will face the world number 63 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in confident mood.

Heather Watson's skirt is fluttering in the breeze which suggests conditions are far from perfect on Court Six. The Briton smiling, though, as she walks to the net for the coin toss. But Barbora Zahlavova Strycova comes out on top of that particular battle and the pair jog towards the baseline to begin their warm up.