Tennis: Gritty Rusedski battles through

Greg Rusedski called on all his powers of grit and determination this afternoon to join Tim Henman in the second round of the French Open.

The British number two brushed aside the potentially potent challenge of Spanish clay-court specialist Albert Portas to surge to a 6-4 7-5 6-1 victory - a straightforward scoreline which hid the courage and resolve Rusedski demonstrated in a quite bizarre second set.

It seemed Portas was certain to level the match at one set each when he raced into a 5-0 lead with a succession of booming top-spin forehands.

Many players would have given up the set, conserving their energies for the battle that lay ahead. Such thoughts, however, are not in the Rusedski nature and he set about hauling himself into the set with rapid footwork and commendable court-craft.

It paid off quite spectacularly, the big left-hander reeling off seven consecutive games to win a set which had seemed hopeless.

The fightback broke the heart of Portas who had been in the form of his life coming into this match having just won the first title of his career in Hamburg.

And while Rusedski showed guts and a considerable improvement in his knowledge of a surface which has always bemused him in the past, the Spaniard might well have waved his white bandana in surrender such was his abject capitulation.

Rusedski now plays the winner of Fabrice Santoro and qualifier Marc-Kevin Goellner in the second round on Thursday.