Safin dumped out of French Open

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) Marat Safin's French Open came to a drizzly end today when the 22nd seed was beaten 6-4 6-4 7-5 in the second round by Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic.

The Russian former world number one, who boasts US and Australian Open titles, surrendered an early lead on his way to losing the first set on another grey day in the French capital.

Fighting to find his best form, he lost the next set as steady rain fell on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Safin looked set to mount a comeback when he carved out two break points at 4-4 in the third set but sent a tame volley into the net on the first with the court gaping and was passed by an angled backhand on the second.

The 27-year-old, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2002, hung on grimly but Tipsarevic earned two match points with a clever drop shot with Safin serving at 5-6.

Tipsarevic, who had only once reached the third round of grand slam, repeated the trick on the following point before pummelling a backhand which Safin volleyed wide.

REUTERS AKD BD1832