Andy Roddick lost his famous serve seven times but was still able to post a four-set win to reach the last 32 of the French Open.
The American, who holds the world record for service speed at 155mph, emerged a 6-3 5-7 6-4 6-2 winner from his clash with unheralded Slovenian Blaz Kavcic.
On a damp day in Paris, conditions were heavy and Roddick admitted afterwards it was a struggle.
"It was brutal for me out there," he said. "I couldn't get my serve to go anywhere and the ball was just sitting up.
"I woke up this morning, looked out my window, and knew that it was going to be a long one.''
The clay shows little respect to Roddick's fearsome delivery at the best of times and the man who held serve for 37 consecutive games in last year's Wimbledon final was broken in only his third service game of this match.
However, with Kavcic's delivery also coming under constant threat, Roddick was able to take the opening set.
It was 5-5 in the second set when rain arrived to interrupt and when the players resumed it was Kavcic who was able to settle first, breaking serve and squaring the contest.
Roddick, who had been taken the distance in his first match, appeared keen to wrap this one up quicker when he secured a double break to lead 3-0 in the third and although his opponent was able to retrieve one break, the sixth seed managed to clinch the set.
With Kavcic's resolve broken, the fourth set saw Roddick move comfortably on to victory and a place in round three where he will play Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili.
Andy Roddick lost his famous serve seven times but was still able to post a four-set win to reach the last 32 of the French Open.
The American, who holds the world record for service speed at 155mph, emerged a 6-3 5-7 6-4 6-2 winner from his clash with unheralded Slovenian Blaz Kavcic.
On a damp day in Paris, conditions were heavy and Roddick admitted afterwards it was a struggle.
"It was brutal for me out there," he said. "I couldn't get my serve to go anywhere and the ball was just sitting up.
"I woke up this morning, looked out my window, and knew that it was going to be a long one.''
The clay shows little respect to Roddick's fearsome delivery at the best of times and the man who held serve for 37 consecutive games in last year's Wimbledon final was broken in only his third service game of this match.
However, with Kavcic's delivery also coming under constant threat, Roddick was able to take the opening set.
It was 5-5 in the second set when rain arrived to interrupt and when the players resumed it was Kavcic who was able to settle first, breaking serve and squaring the contest.
Roddick, who had been taken the distance in his first match, appeared keen to wrap this one up quicker when he secured a double break to lead 3-0 in the third and although his opponent was able to retrieve one break, the sixth seed managed to clinch the set.
With Kavcic's resolve broken, the fourth set saw Roddick move comfortably on to victory and a place in round three where he will play Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili.
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