Sam battles into third round
Stosur … overcame a strong recovery from Kirilenko. Pic: Reuters Sam battles into third round 
From Valkerie Mangnall in Paris, France
Former Australian Captain May 31, 2007
SAMANTHA Stosur fought back after a rain delay to win through to the third round at the French Open with a 6-1 3-6 7-5 victory over Maria Kirilenko today.
Stosur, the No.27 seed from Australia, was by far the better
player in the first set and she was a break up in the second bracket before the world No.44 from Russia clawed her way back into the match.
But the Queenslander made a crucial break immediately after the rain break to draw level at 4-4 in the decider, and she was then able to hold on for a victory that sets her up for a third-round encounter with either No.6 seed Nicole Vaidisova from the Czech Republic or Akgul Amanmuradova from Uzbekistan.
Stosur won the first game on serve to love before racing to a 4-0 lead in the opening set.
She saved two break points in the fifth game, each time hitting a sharp forehand while approaching the net, before holding serve with an ace.
Kirilenko finally held serve in the sixth game, but Stosur claimed the set by winning the next game to love.
Stosur appeared on a mission to finish the match as quickly as possible with the rain that severely disrupted the first two days of the tournament beginning to fall again.
She went a break up in the second set, but the Russian finally seemed to find her rhythm , when she broke to draw level at 3-3.
Kirilenko won her next service game to love and converted the second of three break points in the next game to take the lead 5-3 before squaring the ledger by winning the next game to love.
Stosur saved a break point in the opening game of the deciding bracket but Kirilenko finally got her nose in front when the Australian hit a backhand long in the fifth game.
The Australian just managed to hold serve in the seventh game before a sharp forehand volley gave her two break points in the eighth.
Kirilenko saved the first with a backhand volley immediately but the court was then hit by a heavy downpour, prompting the players to sprint off the court while the covers were rolled out.
Stosur converted her second break point to level the score at 4-4 immediately after the re-start, with Kirilenko hitting a forehand into the net., but she was still shaky and struggled to hold her next service game.
The games then went on serve before Stosur recovered from 0-30 in the decider, with Kirilenko making a double fault before hitting a smash into the net.
Kirilenko saved one match point but then gifted Stosur the victory on the second, hitting a forehand volley into the net.
AAP