Double Grand Slam champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov took a hammering from a qualifier (ranked 196th in the world) from Croatia yesterday to crash out of the $2.45 million Monte Carlo Open and then said he couldn't care less.

The 1996 French Open winner, and this year's Australian Open holder, went down 6-1, 6-2 in his opening match against 20-year-old Ivan Ljubicic, an occasional practise partner.

"My main goal is in five weeks at the French," said the world number two, who could have taken over the top spot held by Pete Sampras had he reached the semi-finals.

"I don't care how I play at other tournaments, I have to focus on the Grand Slams. This is an adjustment period before the French."

Kafelnikov added: "I can't expect to win many matches without having played for nine months on clay. This was not a match at all."

The defeat took only 38 minutes on a day when rain delayed the start of play for much of the morning.

There were mixed results in the second round for two other French Open trophy holders. Thomas Muster from Austria was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by Karim Alami, while Gustavo Kuerten, the 13th seed, overcame his own poor serve in the final set to mount a comeback against Czech Bohdan Ulihrach 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4.

Eighth seeded Greg Rusedski could only laugh it off after taking a 6-2, 6-2 defeat, going out in his first clay match of a short season to Czech Jiri Novak.

"I'm not really expected to win on clay," said the serve-and-volley king with the biggest serve in the game. "But why not get out there and try?

"I just think of this as preparation for Wimbledon. I cannot get any worse on the stuff, maybe I can get better. Next week is a new one in Hamburg, I actually won a match there last year."

Australian fifth seed Mark Philippoussis squeezed in a final game as raindrops fell briefly, to defeat Ramon Delgado of Paraguay 76 (7/4), 6-3.