World number two Andy Murray avoided a huge first-round upset at the French Open on Tuesday, but Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber crashed out after losing to Kiki Bertens.
Murray, a three-time Roland Garros semi-finalist, recovered from a two-set deficit to overcome 37-year-old Radek Stepanek 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The second seed had been trailing by two sets to one but up a break in the fourth when play was suspended on Monday due to darkness.
The Scot duly returned to complete the job after making the crucial breakthrough at 5-all in the decider to set up a second-round encounter with 164th-ranked French wildcard Mathias Bourgue.
"He's always been extremely difficult to play," said Murray after a ninth career comeback from two sets down. "He was playing drop shots, hitting the ball very flat, it was very difficult to get into a rhythm. That's credit to him and the way he played."
While Murray toiled, there were no such problems for nine-time champion Rafael Nadal who extended his record at Roland Garros to 71 wins against just two losses.
The fourth-seeded Spaniard made quick work of 100th-ranked Sam Groth, taming the Australian's powerful serve with eight breaks in a resounding 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 win.
However, Kerber became the tournament's first major casualty as Dutchwoman Bertens consigned the German third seed to a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 defeat.Novak Djokovic launched his bid with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Taiwan’s world number world number 95 Lu Yen-Hsun.
Fifth seed Victoria Azarenka was knocked out when she was forced to retire from her opening round tie with a knee injury.
Former world number one and two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka went down 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 4-0 to Italy's world number 118 Karin Knapp.
Seventh seed Tomas Berdych cruised to a straight-sets win over Canada's Vasek Pospisil.
Austria's Dominic Thiem struggled initially against Inigo Cervantes, but the 13th seed rallied to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 victory.
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