Associated Press
PARIS ó Apart from some jitters in his first service game, Andy Murray had little trouble beating Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday in his opening match at the French Open.
Murray, who has reached only one clay-court semifinal in his career, was broken in the first game of the match, but then dominated Chela with 55 winners and 10 aces.
Defending champion Ana Ivanovic struggled on the important points in the opening match on center court before beating Sara Errani of Italy 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the women’s draw.
Ivo Karlovic set a tour-level record for aces with 55 in his 6-7 (1), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt.
The previous mark for aces in a French Open match was 37, held by Andy Roddick.
“To play him on any surface, he’s so dangerous,” Hewitt said of Karlovic. “(He served) a lot of unreturnables with that as well.”
How could a player who compiles 55 aces possibly lose?
“Don’t know,” was Hewitt’s simple reply.
Karlovic was similarly befuddled, saying: “It is difficult to explain.”
Marat Safin, another of the eight former Grand Slam singles champions, a beat Alexandre Sidorenko of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
No. 16 Ameila Mauresmo and No. 19 Kaia Kanepi were the seeded women who lost, while Karlovic was the only seeded man who departed.