Stanislas Wawrinka was forced to come from behind to win his opening match at the French Open with a 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Lukas Rosol in the first round.
Just two days after winning a title in his native Switzerland for the first time with a 6-4 7-6 (13-11) win over Marin Cilic in the Geneva Open final, Wawrinka was pushed to the limit by Czech outsider Rosol, a figure he beat in Geneva on Friday, and a player who stunned Rafael Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon four years ago.
But this time there was to be no giant-killing act by world number 59 Rosol, who led 1-0 and 2-1 in a match that was a test of Wawrinka's nerve as much as his character in avoiding becoming one of the few Grand Slam champions to suffer the ignominy of losing in the opening match of the defence of their title.
Lew Hoad was the last defending champion to lose his opening match at a Grand Slam tournament in 1957, but that was 11 years before tennis turned professional.
"Thankfully, that's still the case," said Wawrinka, who shocked Novak Djokovic in last year's final.
"But it's never the best to start with a five-set match and not play your best tennis.
"Today, I'm really happy with the way I found a solution. It's a really good victory."
Wawrinka will face Taro Daniel of Japan in the second round.
Wawrinka threw in 46 unforced errors, 17 coming from his usually destructive backhand side.
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka vs Czech Republic's Lukas Rosol - Reuters
The Swiss needed to save two break points early in the fourth set as Rosol eyed a shock on a similar scale to his victory over Nadal.
Wawrinka is bidding for a third Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros to go with his 2014 Australian Open win and last year's French success, but he was almost ousted by a figure who has never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam.
From then on he managed to regain some control and a searing backhand set up an early and decisive break in the fifth set.
Rosol saved one match point at 3-5 and another when Wawrinka missed an easy forehand but the relieved Swiss tucked away a volley to progress to the second round.
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