Nadal needs five sets to reach 2nd round

PARIS -- It's newsworthy enough when anyone manages to win a set against Rafael Nadal at any stage of the French Open -- let alone two sets in the first round.

So a buzz built at Roland Garros yesterday when unseeded American John Isner pulled ahead of five-time champion Nadal by unfurling his 6-9 frame to pound serves at upward of 140 mph, pushing up to the net for volleys, and generally making the Spaniard uncomfortable for stretches.

"Quite clearly," Nadal acknowledged later, "this is a match that I could have lost."

In the end, he did not. Stretched to five sets for the first time in 40 career French Open matches, Nadal came back to emerge with a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-4 victory and reach the second round.

"Really, what it came down to is the way he played in the fourth and fifth sets," Isner said. "I haven't seen tennis like that, ever."

It was the most riveting match of a day that featured reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters' first appearance at the French Open since 2006, a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Anastasiya Yakimova. Also advancing were Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Andy Murray, Robin Soderling and Sam Querrey.

Two seeded women lost: No. 20 Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, was eliminated, 7-6 (3), 0-6, 6-2, by Johanna Larsson of Sweden, and No. 22 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia was beaten, 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-2, by Vania King of the United States. No. 11 Nicolas Almagro departed with a five-set loss to Lukasz Kubot of Poland.

All seemed rather ho-hum when Nadal was leading Isner by a set and a break at 4-2 in the second. But Isner broke back to 4-all and suddenly, a tight match ensued.

"That's when I started to sort of believe a little bit more," Isner said, "and started to play with more confidence and strut around more out there."

Even Nadal was a bit worried. So was Toni Nadal, Rafael's coach and uncle, who said he felt "very, very nervous because losing in the first round is not too good for us."

But his nephew steeled himself, and made zero unforced errors in the fourth set, while Isner made 12. Nadal broke Isner for a 2-1 edge in the set, calling that "the turning point."

Nadal broke for a 2-1 lead in the fifth set, too, thanks in part to a cross-court backhand return winner, a forehand return winner, and a backhand return at the feet of the net-charging Isner.

"Fantastic game for me," Nadal said. "I played my best game of the match."

Isner saved one match point while down 5-3. In the next game, four hours into the match, and with Nadal serving at 5-4, they played a 25-stroke point at 30-all. It was a classic clay-court point, carried out from the baseline, and Isner hung right in there until Nadal whipped a forehand winner.

Isner paused beside the green courtside advertising signs, leaned over and put his hands on his knees.

"That's one of the reasons why he does what he does," Isner said. "I mean, he just outlasted me there."

One point later, the match was over.