Rafael Nadal Survives French Open 2011 Match Against John Isner In Five Sets

French Open 2011 results from Day 3 at Roland Garros, which saw the undisputed champion of clay taken to a five-setter, a pair of seeded upsets in the women’s field, and a few surprises from the American players.

• No. 1 Rafael Nadal def. John Isner, 6-4 6-7(2) 6-7(2) 6-2 6-4.
The outcome was expected; the process, anything but. An unseeded American took the World No. 1 to an epic five-setter in what’s indisputably the highlight of the first round, and that Isner did this on clay is story enough in itself. Next in line for the Rafa buzzsaw: Spanish compatriot Pablo Andujar.

• No. 5 Robin Söderling def. Ryan Harrison, 6-1 7-6(5) 6-3 7-5.
The fluff-haired American wasn’t even supposed to make it this far after losing in the qualifying rounds, but an injury to Söderling’s slated opponent, Benjamin Becker, put Harrison in the Swede’s sights. He did a yeoman’s job, too, taking the 5-seed to a four-setter. Next up for our favorite grizzled tennis pro is Spain’s Albert Ramos.

• No. 4 Andy Murray def. Eric Prodon, 6-4 6-1 6-3.
Murray had his serve broken twice, but appears to be largely unhampered by injury, and has another unranked player, Italian Simone Bolelli, waiting in his cupcake quarter.

• Johanna Larsson def. No. 20 Ana Ivanovic, 7-6(3) 0-6 6-2.
This one stands out perhaps more than it otherwise would thanks to such a quiet first round in the women’s draw. Ivanovic is used to being upset at the most inopportune times, but today’s play handed her a much-deserved result.

• No. 6 Li Na def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3.
Our favorite interview subject on the women’s side advances to take on Spain’s Silvia Soler-Espinosa.

• No. 24 Jarmila Gajdosova def. Virginie Razzano, 6-3 6-1.
The upset most dearly wished for by any onlooker with a beating heart was not to be, as the grieving Razzano fell in straight sets just eight days after the death of her coach and fiancé. Gajdosova draws Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues in Round 2.

• No. 7 Maria Sharapova def. Mirjana Lucic, 6-3 6-0.
This was even less of a match than the box score makes it look. Next up for the resurgent Sharapova: France’s Caroline Garcia.

• No. 24 Sam Querrey def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4.
It’s the first-ever singles win at this tournament for the American, who’ll face the not-insignificant Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in Round 2.

• Vania King def. No. 22 Dominika Cibulkova, 6-7(10) 6-3 6-2.
It seems to be a day for U.S. upsets, and this one actually got seen through. An All-American second-round match could be in the offing, if Sloane Stephens can get past Great Britain’s Elena Baltacha later this afternoon.

Elsewhere at Roland Garros, No. 8 Jurgen Melzer defeated Andreas Beck, 6-3 6-4 6-2, No. 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov defeated Rainer Schuettler, 6-3 6-3 6-1, and unseeded Americans Ryan Sweeting and Tim Smyczek were defeated in their first-round matches by Andreas Haider-Maurer and Juan Ignacio Chela.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream for more match results from Day 3 of the French Open 2011. View live scores at Roland Garros’ official website, and watch matches online at ESPN3.