Paris - Argentine Juan Martin del Potro survived an injury scare to book his place in the second round of the French Open with a 6-2 6-7 6-2 6-1 win against Spain's Albert Montanes on Sunday.
The ninth-seeded Del Potro, a Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2009, received treatment on a sore left knee at the end of the second set before motoring through to prevail with a service winner on his first match point.
The 2009 U.S. Open champion started brightly, sprinkling the court with forehand winners to open a 6-2 4-2 lead before seizing up as claycourt specialist Montanes fought back to take the second set tiebreak 7-5.
Del Potro, however, regrouped after the trainer strapped his left knee to set up a second-round meeting with Frenchman Edouard Roger Vasselin.– Reuters