Top seed Andy Roddick opened his Paris Masters campaign with a 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory over Taylor Dent in an all-American second round match on Wednesday.
The battle between two of the hardest servers on the circuit was decided when Dent double-faulted on the first match point after two hours 18 minutes of high-voltage tennis.
"I feel like Taylor might have actually played the better match tonight," said Roddick.
"I didn't really take my chance, he kind of gave it to me. This is one of those where I feel fortunate to have gotten through."
World number three Roddick, the only top-six player in the draw after a string of high-profile casualties, will meet Slovakian 16th seed Dominik Hrbaty in the third round after he beat French lucky loser Jean-Rene Lisnard 6-3, 6-3.
Both players held serve in a tight first set until Roddick broke Dent to lead 5-4 and serve for the set, which he took with a service winner after 49 minutes.
The second set was devoid of a single break point and a tiebreak was needed, which Dent won 7-2 courtesy of an unforced error from his compatriot.
Another tiebreak was looming in the deciding set when Roddick earned two match points with a sharp backhand volley.
One was all he needed with Dent showing signs of nerves at the worst possible moment.
Roddick, who has already secured a Masters Cup spot, is chasing his sixth title of the year after winning the Lyon Grand Prix on Sunday.
"It would be great to win here but I just want to keep playing well and build some momentum going into the Masters Cup," he said.
WINNING START
Argentine Gaston Gaudio also made a winning start, beating local favourite Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 7-5.
Seventh seed Gaudio, who has fond memories of Paris having won the French Open last year, showed more composure when it mattered to move past wildcard Santoro and stay on course for a place in the Masters Cup.
Gaudio is one of several players fighting in the French capital for the last tickets to the eight-strong season finale from November 13 in Shanghai.
Six players have already earned their place but one of them, Russian Marat Safin, has pulled out because of knee injury, which means three places are still up for grabs.
Gaudio goes on to meet American Robby Ginepri, the 12th seed, who was made to work hard by Spaniard Fernando Verdasco before prevailing 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
Fellow Argentine David Nalbandian's slim chances of reaching Shanghai were sunk late on, however, the fifth seed suffering a 6-4, 6-3 defeat by Germany's Tommy Haas.
Eleventh-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzales also dropped out of the equation when he was beaten by the last remaining Frenchman in the draw Paul Henri Mathieu 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.
Swede Thomas Johansson, seeded ninth, did keep his own Masters Cup hopes alive by crushing Belgian qualifier Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 6-2.
