Mauresmo Wins Through After Tough Battle

When Amélie Mauresmo made her French Open debut in 1995 as a 15-year-old of outstanding promise and title potential the expectations were as light as crepe suzette, only gradually to become an unbearable weight. Yesterday they almost sucked her under.

Mauresmo struggled horribly against Olga Savchuk, a 20-year-old Ukrainian of the biff-and-bash eastern European brand of tennis. When Mauresmo, all poise, athleticism and balance, strayed in line or angle, the ball was clumped past her with uncompromising power. Roland Garros gritted its teeth, and great was the relief when she eventually won 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

Rain dominated the day but before the first delay there was enough time for the fourth seed, Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, the beaten finalist in 2006, to win her opening match 6-2, 6-3 against Aiko Nakamura of Japan on court No1.

Andy Murray will play his second-round match against José Acasuso of Argentina late this afternoon. "You don't want to face a Spanish guy or an Argentinian early at the French Open because they know exactly what is going on out there," said Alex Corretja, twice a runner-up here, who has been at Murray's side since the clay-court season began last month.

Corretja added: "Acasuso is the sort of guy who can hit the ball very hard from the baseline, forehand or backhand or serve. I'd say it is one of the toughest draws Andy could have faced in the second round."

Murray's brother, Jamie, here to play doubles and mixed doubles, confirmed he has asked for a wild card into the Wimbledon singles. The LTA's policy is to recommend them only for players with a world ranking of 250 or better but, while he is unranked, the elder Murray did win the mixed doubles title in SW19 last year.