Rain delays French Open start

Paris - Light rain delayed the start of French Open first-round action on Tuesday as impatient spectators were blocked from the Roland Garros courts on yet another gloomy Parisian day.

The sun made a brief appearance on Monday as all matches went to completion, but the expected return of rain forced organisers to delay the start of play by one hour, with no tie starting before 11:00 on Tuesday.

Rain is forecast until mid-afternoon as temperature are set to barely reach 16 degrees Celsius.

Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, the 13th seed, was set to open proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier against Belarussian Olga Govortsova with world number one Novak Djokovic scheduled next against Belgium's David Goffin.