ROTTERDAM: Robin Soderling shrugged off a slow start, firing 26 races as he lifted his game to earn a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Frenchman Florent Serra this morning and reach the second round of the Rotterdam Open.

Robin Soderling

The Swede showed no signs of the elbow complaint which knocked him out of the Australian Open first round. But the third seed admitted that he could have used a quicker start.

"The first match of the week is always the most difficult for me," said the 2009 Roland Garros finalist. "I could have had a better start.

"But my game got better and better. I know I can play a lot better. I'm satisfied with the win but not really with my form."

The victory was the first of the season for Soderling after losses in Chennai and Melbourne last month. Soderling cranked up his huge serve, which apart from his numerous aces also saw him break his opponent's serve three times.

The world No 8 finally sealed victory with an easy third set in a match that lasted an hour and three-quarters. Soderling dropped the first set on an early break but turned the tables after fighting through the second and sweeping the third against his 60th-ranked opponent.

German Florian Mayer got stuck into an opening-day marathon, requiring almost three hours to advance over Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (8-6).

The marathon took up most of the afternoon inside the Ahoy stadium in contrast to the day's opening contest when Italy's Andreas Seppi defeated Swiss qualifier Stephane Bohli 6-1, 7-5 in a shade less than 90 minutes.

The 63rd-ranked Mayer, who lost in the Australian Open third round to US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, admitted: "I had chances in the second set (match point) and led 3-0 in the third. "I couldn't hold onto to either one. In the end I was just lucky to win."

Holder Andy Murray, still stung after losing to Roger Federer eight days ago in the Australian Open final, is not playing this week while 2009 losing finalist Rafael Nadal is resting his right knee until a likely return scheduled for mid-March at Indian Wells.