Paris - Andy Murray had to play through a hot patch from Italian Potito Starace, requiring three match points to finally escape with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory into the third round of the French Open. The Scot third seed was joined as a winnerby Chile's number 12 Fernando Gonzalez, who rolled Rui Machado of Portugal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Murray went through in two hours, 40 minutes in his first meeting with number 104 Starace, who rarely strays from the surface. Murray's performance equalled his best-ever at Roland Garros.
He broke six times with 54 winners as he recovered as Starace threatened to make a match of it on a chilly Day 4 in Paris with a second-set threat and more success in the third until the Scot reined him in.
Four-time champion Rafael Nadal could set a record for the number of successive matches won at the event if he beats Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili later.
By winning a 30th consecutive match, the Spaniard would eclipse Chris Evert's mark of 29 which the American set between 1974-81. She did not compete at Roland Garros in 1976-78.
Women's top seed Dinara Safina was untroubled as she defeated fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 6-1. Ninth-seeded Miami champion Victoria Azarenka took out Kristina Barrois 7-6 (7-1), 7-5.
"It was a pretty good start for the tournament," said the 2008 finalist against Ana Ivanovic. "I think I just played good game today, good enough to win.
"She's still young, and I think she respects me too much," said the 23-year-old who came to Paris with clay titles in Rome and Madrid.
