Paris: Top seed Novak Djokovic launched his bid for a first French Open title with a routine victory as Andy Murray battled through to round two on Tuesday, while Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber crashed out.
Djokovic, a three-time Roland Garros finalist, faced little resistance from Taiwan's world number 95 Lu Yen-Hsun as he eased to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory. The Serb, bidding to become just the eighth man to secure a career Grand Slam, needed just 90 minutes on Court Phillipe Chatrier to book a second-round encounter with Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis.
However, Murray was forced to recover from a two-set deficit to overcome 37-year-old Radek Stepanek 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in a match lasting three hours 41 minutes in total.
The second seed had been trailing by two sets to one but up a break in the fourth when play was suspended on Monday due to darkness. The Scot duly returned to complete the job after making the crucial breakthrough at 5-all in the decider to set up a second-round encounter with 164th-ranked French wildcard Mathias Bourgue.
"He's always been extremely difficult to play," said Murray after a ninth career comeback from two sets down. "He was playing drop shots, hitting the ball very flat, it was very difficult to get into a rhythm. That's credit to him and the way he played."
While Murray toiled, there were no such problems for nine-time champion Rafael Nadal who extended his record at Roland Garros to 71 wins against just two losses.
The fourth-seeded Spaniard made quick work of 100th-ranked Sam Groth, taming the Australian's powerful serve with eight breaks in a resounding 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 win.
However, Kerber became the tournament's first major casualty as Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens consigned the German third seed to a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 defeat. "The first rounds are always tough in the tournament, especially for me, but, yeah, what can I say? It happens," lamented Kerber, who was hampered by an ongoing shoulder problem.
"She's a tough opponent. I was ready. But, yeah, at the end she made the important points."
Isner, Tomic march ahead
Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, a former French Open semi-finalist, cruised to a straight-sets win over Canada's Vasek Pospisil.
John Isner fired 40 aces to advance 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (14/12), 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 over Australian John Millman, while Bernard Tomic put recent struggles behind him to dispatch American Brian Baker in three sets.
Seven-time major winner Venus Williams, who lost the 2002 final to sister Serena, edged out Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), while 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic held off French wildcard Oceane Dodin in three sets.
Former runner-up Sam Stosur overcame Misaki Doi of Japan 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, but Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 champion, bowed out in straight sets to French 26th seed Kristina Mladenovic.
Key Results:
Men: Tomas Berdych bt Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-2, 6-1; Bernard Tomic bt Brian Baker 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Borna Coric bt Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-1, 6-3; Andy Murray bt Radek Stepanek 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5; Lucas Pouille (29) bt Julien Benneteau 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4); John Isner bt John Millman 6-7 (4) 7-6 (12), 7-6 (7), 7-5; Rafael Nadal bt Sam Groth 6-1, 6-1, 6-1; Dominic Thiem (13) bt Inigo Cervantes 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1; Feliciano Lopez bt Thomas Fabbiano 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2;
Women: Kiki Bertens bt Angelique Kerber 6-2, 3-6, 6-3; Alize Cornet bt Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-0; Tatjana Maria bt Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Carla Suarez Navarro bt Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Dominika Cibulkova bt Zheng Saisai, China, 6-3, 6-1; Eugenie Bouchard bt Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-2; Ekaterina Makarova bt Varvara Lepchenko 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Sam Stosur bt Misaki Doi 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Timea Bacsinszky bt Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-3, 6-1
