Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz's inefficiency on break-point opportunities almost cost him dear in his clash against compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round at the French Open, but the 19-year-old battled back from match point down to prevail 6-1 6-7 (7-9) 5-7 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in a match lasting over four hours and a half hours.
Alcaraz, who is now unbeaten for 12 straight matches after bagging back-to-back titles in Barcelona and Madrid going into Roland Garros, had looked unflustered by the blustery conditions on Simonne Mathieu Court with a near flawless performance in the first set.
The 34-year-old Ramos-Vinolas, a claycourt specialist and quarter-finalist in Paris six years ago, had no response to Alcaraz's explosive power and accuracy.
The teenager's serve proved equally devastating as he gave away just three points in his service games in the first set.
His veteran opponent, however, was far from done, putting up a stronger fight as unforced errors started creeping into Alcaraz's game, including a forehand that sailed wide on Ramos-Vinolas's set point.
With his opponent now clearly unsettled having lost his earlier momentum and composure, Ramos-Vinolas moved Alcaraz around and broke him to go 2-1 up in the third set.
Alcaraz was paying the price for his unforced errors and his 44th, a simple volley into the net, handed Ramos-Vinolas a break to go 6-5 up and he held serve to lead 2-1.
Facing the prospect of a shock exit, Alcaraz survived a match point at 5-4 before forcing a fifth set.
He again had to work his way back from 0-3 to level before finishing Ramos-Vinolas off with an ace on his first match point. However, converting just eight of 31 break points will leave the rising star with plenty of food for thought.
"I feel tired but I mean it was a great battle against a great player," Alcaraz said afterwards. "I knew it would be a top match. We fought until the last point. I am so happy with the performance today."
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Alexander Zverev overcame a woeful start to reach the third round, saving a match point of his own in a 2-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 7-5 victory over up-and-coming Argentine Sebastian Baez.
The German third seed survived a late fightback from the world number 36 and screamed his lungs out when Baez sent a forehand wide on match point.
It was the fifth year in a row that Zverev, who achieved his best result at Roland Garros when he reached the semi-finals last year, had to go through a five-setter in one of the opening two rounds.
World number one Novak Djokovic completed a solid 6-2 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory over Slovakia's Alex Molcan to keep his title defence and quest for a record-equalling 21st major on track.
With Djokovic unable to defend his Australian Open title due to his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19, Spaniard Rafa Nadal broke a three-way tie for the most grand slam titles with the Serb and Roger Federer by winning the Melbourne Park major at the start of the year.
Yet a successful rerun of his 2021 Roland Garros campaign, when he beat 13-time French Open winner Nadal in the semi-finals, will lift Djokovic alongside his great rival.
On a blustery day on Court Suzanne Lenglen, the 35-year-old Djokovic cruised through the opening two sets, breaking Molcan's serve three times without giving the Slovakian a single opportunity on his own delivery.
The 24-year-old Molcan, trained by Djokovic's former long-time coach Marian Vajda, was ranked 255th when he went down in straight sets to Djokovic in their only previous meeting in Belgrade last May, but since then the left-hander has climbed to a career-high ranking of 38th.
With nothing to lose, Molcan opened up his shoulders in the third set and with some aggressive all-court hitting managed to cancel out Djokovic's early advantage to force a tiebreak.
But Djokovic then managed to go up a gear and converted his second match point when the left-hander found the net with a return.
Rafael Nadal remains on course for a blockbuster quarter-final against Djokovic.
The 13-time champion showed no signs of the recent recurrence of a foot injury as he swatted aside France's Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-1 6-4 in the night match.
