TENNIS in DEPTH.

Andy Murray battled back from two sets down to beat Richard Gasquet in the first round of the French Open.

Gasquet proved every bit as tough an opening opponent as predicted but as the Frenchman tired, the Scot got stronger, sealing a 4-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-2 6-1 victory in four hours and four minutes.

Murray must now recover sufficiently to take on old foe Juan Igancio Chela of Argentina in the second round, but the manner of his win on Court Suzanne Lenglen should aid the recovery process.

Gasquet had arrived in Paris on the back of a 10-match unbeaten run on clay and he picked up where he had left off when beating world number nine Fernando Verdasco in Nice on Saturday. His request to the Tournament Director for an additional day of rest was declined, and it probably cost him the match.

Three break points went begging as early as game four, one wasted with a poor drop shot, but when Gasquet fended off a break point himself with an ace in game seven and followed up with a gorgeous backhand down the line it was clear he was the man in charge.

Murray was outplayed in the first 2 sets and should take very little satisfaction from his performance today. He cut a frustrated figure for much of the opening set and a poor volley and a double-fault saw him facing set point in game 10 – at which point he chose to serve-volley for the first time in the match, the volley ending up in the net.

Gasquet had the first opportunity in the second set but played a bizarre forehand slice that floated long at break point in game four, while Murray could only watch as yet another blistering backhand flew past him when the Scot had his chance in the following game.

Murray’s frustration with himself deepened considerably when he double-faulted to hand Gasquet break point in game five but he got out of trouble with a succession of rasping forehands.

Gasquet retained the initiative, however, and came desperately close to a two-set lead when a running forehand pass went just long on set point at 6-5, but after twice letting two-point leads slip in the ensuing tie-break he wrapped it up with a cross-court forehand and a sharp half-volley.

Gasquet required treatment at both the start and end of a fourth set that would not be such a battle – Murray rattling through it in half an hour with two breaks as the Gasquet backhands began to miss their target, while the physically stronger Briton started to dictate matters from inside the baseline.

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