Leander Paes and the Czech Republic's Martin Damm launched their 2007 season on a winning note.

They scored an easy victory over Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui and Sultan Khalfan of the host country in the first round of the US $1 million Qatar Open.

Paes and Damm beat the wild card pair 6-2, 6-1.

The Indo-Czech combination, who triumphed at the US Open last year, will next meet the winner of the match between Belgians Christophe Rochus and Kristof Vliegen and Spaniards Nicolas Almagro and Alberto Martin.