The 26-year-old managed to avoid the 6-0, 6-0 humiliation she suffered at the hands of Dinara Safina in 2009. But she nevertheless proved no match for 14th seed Flavia Pennetta, who cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win on Court One at the French Open.
The signs were ominous when the British No 3 dropped serve in the opening game. Two games later, she won her first French Open game at the 15th attempt and came close to levelling when she had break point in the fourth.
But her Italian opponent saved that comfortably and continued to punish Keothavong every time the later conceded break point.
The Brit improved at the start of the second set, twice holding serve. But she collapsed again, losing the next four games and saving only one of five break points in the match overall.
Keothavong was philosophical about her defeat, joking her whitewash against Safina had crossed her mind.
"I don't think today's match was particularly bad," she said. "But, yeah, once I got on the scoreboard, I had a little chuckle to myself.
"She's a tough opponent and she's done well here in the past. I think she had to play well against me to win the way she did today."
Keothavong, who recently spent six months out with a serious knee injury, was confident of an improved grasscourt season this summer, adding: "I think going into last year's grasscourt season, I think what happened here last year hit me quite hard.
"I don't think I handled it particularly well in hindsight. This year is a completely different year. I feel like I'm in good shape.
"And having missed six months, I guess you look at things in a different kind of perspective."
Elsewhere in the women's tournament, defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova reeled off 11 of the last 12 games to move into the French Open second round with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Romania's Sorana Cirstea.
Also through is Argentine Gisela Dulko who beat No 10 Victoria Azarenka of Russia 6-1, 6-2.
No 15-seeded Aravane Rezai of France, coming off a victory over Venus Williams in the Madrid final, beat Canadian qualifier Heidi El Tabakh 6-1, 6-1.
Varvara Lepchenko won an all-American matchup, ending a streak of seven consecutive losses in Grand Slam matches by beating wild card Christina McHale 7-5, 6-3.
The signs were ominous when the British No 3 dropped serve in the opening game. Two games later, she won her first French Open game at the 15th attempt and came close to levelling when she had break point in the fourth.
But her Italian opponent saved that comfortably and continued to punish Keothavong every time the later conceded break point.
The Brit improved at the start of the second set, twice holding serve. But she collapsed again, losing the next four games and saving only one of five break points in the match overall.
Keothavong was philosophical about her defeat, joking her whitewash against Safina had crossed her mind.
"I don't think today's match was particularly bad," she said. "But, yeah, once I got on the scoreboard, I had a little chuckle to myself.
"She's a tough opponent and she's done well here in the past. I think she had to play well against me to win the way she did today."
Keothavong, who recently spent six months out with a serious knee injury, was confident of an improved grasscourt season this summer, adding: "I think going into last year's grasscourt season, I think what happened here last year hit me quite hard.
"I don't think I handled it particularly well in hindsight. This year is a completely different year. I feel like I'm in good shape.
"And having missed six months, I guess you look at things in a different kind of perspective."
Elsewhere in the women's tournament, defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova reeled off 11 of the last 12 games to move into the French Open second round with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Romania's Sorana Cirstea.
Also through is Argentine Gisela Dulko who beat No 10 Victoria Azarenka of Russia 6-1, 6-2.
No 15-seeded Aravane Rezai of France, coming off a victory over Venus Williams in the Madrid final, beat Canadian qualifier Heidi El Tabakh 6-1, 6-1.
Varvara Lepchenko won an all-American matchup, ending a streak of seven consecutive losses in Grand Slam matches by beating wild card Christina McHale 7-5, 6-3.
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