Fifth seed Zverev survives first-round scare in Paris

AFP  |  Paris 

German fifth seed blew a two-set lead before edging out in a decider to reach the second round of on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old, bidding to become the first German man to win since Henner in 1937, claimed a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 victory in the longest match of the tournament so far at four hours and 11 minutes.

will face Swedish for a place in the last 32.

The world number five, who had struggled this season before winning the title last weekend, reached his only Grand Slam quarter-final in 12 months ago. He also won three five-set matches in 2018 before his last-eight loss to eventual runner-up

blew a double-break lead against Millman before taking the opening set in a tie-break, and looked to be cruising to victory after claiming the second.

But Australian Millman, who stunned at last year's US Open, stepped up his game, racing through the third set, before forcing a decider in another breaker having fought back from 4-2 down in the fourth.

Zverev finally crawled over the line on Court Philippe Chatrier, though, breaking in the eighth game of the final set and serving out victory on his first match point.

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First Published: Tue, May 28 2019. 19:25 IST