ImagoThe 30-year-old Mahut beat his 34-year-old compatriot 6-3 6-4 to earn a second round match against another Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Russia's Nikolay Davydenko continued the good form he showed in pushing Roger Federer all the way in their ATP Rotterdam semi-final last week, brushing aside Germany's Andreas Beck to win 6-1 7-5.
Italian qualifier Albano Olivetti provided the day's plucky underdog story, the world number 388 beating German world number 92 Matthias Bachinger 6-4 6-3 to earn a second round match against Mardy Fish.
Fifth seed Richard Gasquet cruised into the second round with a 6-0 6-2 win over Japan's Go Soeda, while Karol Beck knocked out France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6(2) 2-6 6-3.
Russia's Igor Junitsyn beat Spanish qualifier Roberto Bautista 6-4 6-4 to make the second round, while another qualifier, Belgium's David Goffin, got a spot in the second round when France's Adrian Mannarino was forced to retire while trailing 6-2 1-0.
