TENNIS in DEPTH.

Reigning champion Svetlana Kuznetsova held on by her fingernails at the French Open on Wednesday, saving four match points against Germany’s Andrea Petkovic to keep alive her hopes of defending the title.

The Russian sixth seed was on the brink when Petkovic served at 5-4, 40-0 in the second set of a rain-interrupted scrap on Court One but survived to win 4-6 7-5 6-4.

Petkovic’s nerves got the better of her as she wasted all her match points with unforced errors and Kuznetsova, who had been woefully off from, took full advantage.

Kuznetsova also wobbled serving at 5-3 in the decider as Petkovic broke back but sealed victory on her fourth match point in the next game when her opponent drilled a backhand long.

Aravane Rezai battled past German Angelique Kerber to book her place in the third round of the French Open with a 6-2 2-6 6-3 win on Wednesday.

The 15th-seeded Rezai took control of the match but suffered a dip in concentration as play resumed following a rain break, allowing Kerber back into the contest.

Rezai, who beat Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams earlier this month to win the Madrid Open, eventually prevailed on her first match point with a backhand winner after one hour and 43 minutes.

She will next face the Russian 19th seed Nadia Petrova for a place in the fourth round.

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