METZ, France(AP) Former champion Ivan Ljubicic barely got past qualifier Sebastien de Chaunac 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the first round of the of the Open de Moselle on Tuesday.
The eighth-seeded Ljubicic, who won the title in 2005, hit 21 aces to set up a match with Janko Tipsarevic.
The Serbian beat 2003 winner Arnaud Clement of France 6-4, 6-4, breaking his serve once in each set and winning 80 percent of his service points without allowing any break opportunities.
Richard Gasquet saved two break points at 5-5 in the third set to outlast Michael Berrer 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5).
The Frenchman is trying to rediscover his form after the International Tennis Federation banned him for two and a half months for testing positive for cocaine at a tournament in Miami in March. Gasquet said he inadvertently ingested the drug by kissing a woman in a nightclub.
Gasquet will next face Christophe Rochus, who edged fifth-seeded Fabrice Santoro 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Sixth-seeded Benjamin Becker was also ousted, as Evgeny Korolev converted all of his four break chances to win 6-2, 6-3.
Denis Istomin defeated Andrey Golubev 6-2, 6-4, Marc Gicquel cruised past Roman Valent 6-3, 6-1, and qualifier Thierry Ascione upset Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Mannarino, a semifinalist last year, has been suffering for three weeks from a knee inflammation and will no longer play this year to let his injury heal.