Having left the blue clay behind, world number one Novak Djokovic bounced back to winning ways in Rome on Tuesday.
The Serb was among the biggest critics of the courts in Madrid last week where he was beaten in the quarter-finals by Janko Tipsarevic.
But with the more familiar red clay back under his feet, Djokovic impressed as he saw off Bernard Tomic 6-3 6-3.
Top seed Djokovic raced out of the blocks and quickly established a 5-1 lead.
Tomic retrieved one of the breaks but was unable to level the set. The rising Australian star put up a better fight in the second but never seriously looked like beating the defending champion.
Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was also a comfortable winner, ousting Viktor Troicki, a man who had beaten him in three of four previous meetings, 6-2 6-3.
The in-form Juan Martin Del Potro had more of a battle, eventually seeing off Michael Llodra 7-5 3-6 6-4 with victory secured with a break of serve in the final game.
Earlier, David Ferrer came out on top in the all-Spanish duel against Fernando Verdasco and won in straight sets to progress to the third round.
The sixth seed triumphed in just under two hours after he claimed the second set on a tie-break to beat Verdasco 6-3 7-6 (7/3).
It was the second time Ferrer had beaten his 28-year-old compatriot this year after he defeated him in the final in Acapulco to claim the second of his claycourt title of the season. He also won in Buenos Aires.
GIlles Simon, Juan Moncao and Richard Gasquet were other seeds to win in the first round.
The highest seed to fall on Tuesday was number 13, Gael Monfils. He lost in the second round to former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The Spaniard's victory gave him back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
