PARIS — Maybe this is progress for Andy Roddick on clay: He lost serve seven times Thursday and still won.
On a rainy, chilly day at Roland Garros, Roddick endured two delays and difficult conditions to defeat Blaz Kavcic 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
The damp weather took some zip off Roddick’s biggest weapon, and for much of the match he was dueling from the baseline on his worst surface. But Roddick has become a more patient player in recent months, and he willingly settled into rallies that often lasted more than two dozen shots.
“It was brutal for me out there,” he said. “I couldn’t get my serve to go anywhere.”
Ana Ivanovic hit another low in her slide since winning the French Open two years ago, losing in the second round to No. 28 Alisa Kleybanova 6-3, 6-0.
A former No. 1 player, Ivanovic was unseeded because she’s ranked only 42nd. The defeat marked her earliest exit in six trips to the French Open.
“It was a combination of a few things,” Ivanovic said. “I don’t think I played that bad, actually. For a while, I think she didn’t miss a ball at all.”
The match lasted barely an hour.
AT A GLANCE
A look at the French Open on Thursday:
Stat of the day: 38 — aces hit by American John Isner in his 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7), 6-4 win over Marco Chiudinelli.
Quote of the day: “You know how they say, ‘Sport doesn’t build character; it shows it,’ ” — Ana Ivanovic, taking a swipe at Jelena Jankovic, who mocked Ivanovic’s trademark fist pump when they played in Madrid earlier this month. Ivanovic lost to Alisa Kleybanova on Thursday.
On court today: MEN — No. 2 Rafael Nadal vs. Horacio Zeballos; No. 3 Novak Djokovic vs. Kei Nishikori; No. 4 Andy Murray vs. No. 25 Marcos Baghdatis. WOMEN — No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Julia Goerges; No. 2 Venus Williams vs. No. 26 Dominika Cibulkova; No. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. No. 30 Maria Kirilenko; No. 12 Maria Sharapova vs. Kirsten Flipkens; No. 22 Justine Henin vs. Klara Zakopalova.
Today’s TV: Tennis Channel — 3-10 a.m.; ESPN2 — 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
