The 29-year-old Argentinian was hit with a two-year drug ban in August 2005 which was eventually reduced to 15 months on appeal.

While he was out, his ranking slipped to 514 from a career high of eight and his return to this year's French Open marks his first Grand Slam appearance for two years.

"It's great to be back and playing a Grand Slam after my suspension," said Canas who has battled his way back to 22 in the world and is seeded 19 here.

On Tuesday, he opened his campaign with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 win over Romania's Victor Hanescu.

"I always knew I would play again at a Grand Slam tournament. I just didn't know when. So I'm happy to be able to play at the level of a Grand Slam again."

Canas, who was suspended from the sport after testing positive for a banned diuretic he was given in a medicine by staff at the Mexican Open in February 2005, has enjoyed a formidable 2007.

He started the year at 148 in the world, captured his eighth career title at Costa de Sauipe in Brazil before beating world number one Roger Federer at back-to-back Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami.

He went on to make the final in Florida where he lost to Serbia's Novak Djokovic and on clay in Barcelona where he was beaten in straight sets by French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

Canas, a quarter-finalist here in 2000 and 2005, said he wasn't upset by having his match against Hanescu moved out to Court 16 which nestles in the far corner of the vast Roland Garros complex.

"I don't care," he said.

"I prefer to play in the big stadiums but I knew there were a lot of matches to be played today because of the rain on the first two days.

"They have to put the top seeds on the big courts as well as the French guys. My court was still full of people. Hopefully, they will put me on a bigger court for the second round."

Canas will take on Italy's Simone Bolelli for a place in the third round.

Bolelli beat 2003 runner-up Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to book his place on the next round.