Tennis/French Open: The only American male hope left in the draw, Andy Roddick, went off like a series of percussion grenades on Court Suzanne Lenglen last night, his big wind-up forehand knocking back Argentinian Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-4 in the first two sets.

But Roddick's high-velocity game fell short as the match turned into a survival of the fittest.

In the end the 62nd-ranked player in the world had more in the tank as Roddick failed to find depth to his ground strokes and consistency. Acasuso took the third set 6-4, the fourth 6-3 and finally the fifth 8-6 as the match became a three-hour 21 minute endurance test.

Both Roddick and Acasuso called on the physiotherapist in the fifth set. Roddick had the backs of his calves massaged while Acasuso's thigh was treated before drawing gasps from the crowd as he unfailingly hit the American with penetrating back-hand winners.

Roddick, putting forehands into the net or long, was also more often than not passed when he tried to command the net. He created many of his own problems but so too was Acasuso's dipping back-hand working close to perfection.

"He pretty much started going for broke on a lot of shots and started making them. I had my chance late in the third set, had a couple of real good looks and didn't take them," said Roddick. "I was as prepared as I've ever been coming here. It's frustrating for me at times but I'm not going to give up playing on it (clay). I think I had the better of him for the better part of three sets."

A huge upset, the defeat of the former US Open champion, represents a depressing week for American tennis. Andre Agassi, the only other genuine US hope, limped out earlier in the week with an inflamed nerve in his back. But Roland Garros has never represented positive memories for the second-seed Roddick. Since making it to the third round here in 2001 in his first run at the tournament, the 22-year-old has won only two matches despite the fact his results on clay have been otherwise good.

But his last win in Houston in April of this year marked the beginning of his tournament form taking a nosedive, losing in the round of 16 in Rome and in the first round in Hamburg. "I hate it (losing). It's terrible. I think it stinks," added Roddick.

Acasuso had never before progressed beyond the second round in 15 previous grand slam tournaments. In his four efforts at both the US Open and Wimbledon he has lost in the first round; his best on clay was making the second round in 2001.