PARIS -- As Andy Roddick points out, even the Los Angeles Lakers sometimes lose.
"Which means I definitely can lose a few," Roddick said with a laugh.
Still looking for a Grand Slam title, Roddick lost in the opening round of the French Open for the second consecutive year Tuesday. Sargis Sargsian beat him 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Seeded sixth, Roddick struggled with his serve, faced 20 break points and mounted a belated rally in the final set that fizzled.
What went wrong?
"I don't know if we have that much time," he said. "It started unraveling in the second set, and got out of hand in the third set, and got even more out of hand in the fourth set."
Touted for several years as the next American men's Grand Slam champion, Roddick has advanced beyond the third round only three times in 10 major events.
He has lost in the first or second round six times this year. He also made the semifinals at the Australian Open, reached three finals and won the Raiffeisen Grand Prix in Austria on Saturday.
"It's between the ears, man," Roddick said. "I know I have the ability to play really good tennis. It has just been peaks and valleys. I don't know how much of an explanation there is for it."
HINGIS RETURNS
Martina Hingis made a French Open comeback, but only as a spectator.
Hingis, who has said her career is probably over because of persistent injuries, visited Roland Garros to take in some of the first-round action.
Watching is the extent of her involvement with tennis these days. She spends much of her time skiing, horseback riding and studying English, said Lisa Chaffey, a representative with Octagon, Hingis' management company.
"At this time she's happy with what she's doing in her life," Chaffey said Tuesday. "She's enjoying her time."
The winner of five Grand Slam titles, Hingis recently bought a new horse and has competed in small equestrian events, Chaffey said. She's also taking an English class in Zurich.
Chaffey said it's premature to list Hingis as retired.
"You can say that in the next six to 12 months, she can't envision herself being back on the tour," she said. "But we're not ready to make a retirement announcement. Who's to say, when you have a 22-year-old on your hands?"
Hingis said earlier this year she was ready to retire after operations to her ankles in 2001 and 2002.
MORARIU WINS
Corina Morariu returned to tennis with a victory.
Playing her first match of the year after rotator cuff surgery, the American beat Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 Tuesday to reach the second round of the French Open.
Morariu's previous major match was in September at the U.S. Open, when she returned to Grand Slam action less than 1 1/2 years after starting treatment for leukemia. She lost to Serena Williams.
"I didn't think that I'd ever be back here," a teary Morariu said that night. "There are days when you feel so bad, and things get so difficult, that you don't think you'll be able to do the things you used to."
Morariu, who teamed with Lindsay Davenport to win the 1999 Wimbledon doubles title, was diagnosed with leukemia in May 2001 and had aggressive chemotherapy for several months.
Her previous Grand Slam match victory also came at the French Open. She beat Maria Alejandra Vento of Venezuela in the first round on May 31, 2000.
BALL SPIN
Players say the balls at the French Open are heavier this year, which could be a disadvantage for those who hit hardest.
Tournament organizers attribute any difference to wet, humid weather before the event, which moistened the surface of the clay courts, slowing the pace of shots.
Stephane Simian, the tournament's sports director, said the same balls were used last year, and Roland Garros has used the same supplier for five years.
"It's the same rubber, it's the same felt," Simian said Tuesday. "It's exactly the same."
To make sure, several balls used during the first round were forwarded to the company for testing, Simian said.
Top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, 2001 women's champion Jennifer Capriati and 1999 men's champion Andre Agassi are among the many players who say they notice a difference.
"The balls are much heavier than I remember them ever being," said Agassi, making his 15th appearance at Roland Garros. "It's not ideal."
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