The two players had previously met at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last month, where Raonic dispatched of Cecchinato in straight sets.

It appeared that their first round tie, at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, was heading in the same direction when the Canadian player claimed the opening set 6-4.

Inspired by a home crowd, Cecchinato rallied in the second set to claim a crucial break of serve and force the match into a decider.

Despite forcing 11 break points during the match, Cecchinato was to be left frustrated as Raonic held his nerve to claim a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.

The Canadian will now face Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, who eased to victory in his opening match of the clay court tournament against Italy’s Salvatore Caruso.

Kyrgios, who has laughed off suggestions that he risks missing out on representing his country at this year’s Olympics if his behaviour fails to improve, impressed en-route to a 6-1, 6-2 triumph.

"I'm confident going forward, but at the same time Raonic's got one of the best serves in the world," Kyrgios told the ATP’s website afterwards.

"If he's having a lights-out day when he does everything, you can't really do too much.

“I'm going to go out there and do what I have been doing and just compete.”

France’s Richard Gasquet continued his unbeaten record against his compatriot Julien Benneteau by earning a 6-3, 6-0 win in their clash to set up a tie against Italy’s Andreas Seppi, who beat Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 7-6, 7-6.

The majority of the top seeds, including yesterday’s Madrid Open winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia, will begin their campaigns in the second round.

Fourteenth seed Sara Errani of Italy saw her women's tournament come to a quick end, after she was beaten 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 by Britain’s Heather Watson.

Watson will now take on the Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova, who defeated home hope Karin Knapp 6-2, 6-2.

There was further Czech success over Italian opposition with Lucie Safarova overcoming 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone, 6-3, 6-2.