French Open: Colin Fleming wins Britons' doubles battle

Fleming represented Great Britain alongside Jamie Murray in March

Britain's Colin Fleming, playing alongside Germany's Philipp Marx, beat compatriot and former partner Ken Skupski in the first round of the men's doubles at the French Open.

Fleming and Marx overcame Skupski and Slovak Igor Zelenay 6-4 6-4.

Scot Fleming, who is 65th in the doubles rankings, has played with several partners in 2011 although he is playing with Marx for the first time.

Jamie Murray, playing with Australia's Chris Guccione, also advanced.

The duo clawed their way back from a set down to beat the all-French pairing of Jeremy chardy and Arnaud Clement 4-6 6-3 6-2.

Fleming and Skupski, who beat world number ones Bob and Mike Bryan at Queens in 2009, ended their two-year partnership in October after a string of indifferent results.

Zelenay and Guccione had also previously played together, and Fleming believes the pairs' prior knowledge of each other's games made for an interesting tactical battle.

"Ken and I know each other's games inside out so we both had that going for us," he said.

"Our partners know each other inside out too.

"I suppose it was quite a level playing field from that perspective but it was a decent level of match and I'm just pleased to have come through it."