Ivanovic scrapes past Errani in first round

Holder Ana Ivanovic [ Images ] was made to sweat much more than expected in a 7-6, 6-3 victory over unheralded Italian Sara Errani to reach the second round of the French Open [ Images ] on Sunday.

The eighth-seeded Serb needed two hours and two minutes to break the resilience of world number 44 Errani to set up a meeting with either France's [ Images ] Camille Pin or Tamarine Tamasugarn.

"I expected a tough match. I knew I would have to work hard for my points today, and I'm very happy I did that," Ivanovic told reporters.

"I kept my composure even when I was making a few mistakes."

Ivanovic, who had only won two matches on clay this season before arriving at Roland Garros [ Images ], threw away 10 break points in the first set and was stretched into a tiebreak which she claimed after 72 minutes.

Errani lost focus in the tiebreak after contesting a call and she paid for it by allowing Ivanovic to move 5-2 up and clinch it 7-3.

Ivanovic staved off four break points in her opening service game of the second set before moving 5-1 up and although Errani pulled a break back, the 21-year-old Serb wrapped up the win on her third match point with a smash.

The former world number one, who did not play last week's Madrid Open because of a knee injury, said she had put the problem behind her despite having her right knee taped.

"I think last year's US Open [ Images ] was a great experience for me, I played when I wasn't fit enough to play and I kept thinking about my injury through the matches," she said.

"It was not going well. Before my matches, before I stepped on court, I was thinking, am I fit enough to play? And I felt fit enough, so I just put it out of my mind, and I don't want to think about it."

Ivanovic added that playing on a sunsoaked Centre Court brought back sweet memories from last year's final, when she beat Russian Dinara Safina [ Images ] for her first grand slam title.

"This morning when I was warming up they were playing highlights on the big screen. It's always good to see, and you always get a little bit excited watching that," she said.