LONDON — French Open runner-up David Ferrer overcame a second-set slump and a scary late fall to beat Martin Alund of Argentina 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 Tuesday in the first round of Wimbledon.

Coming off his first Grand Slam final, the fourth-seeded Spaniard looked in danger of following his countryman Rafael Nadal out of the tournament as Alund won the second set and pushed hard in the third. But Ferrer broke for a 6-5 lead and then went 5-1 up in the fourth. He had an injury scare at 3-1, however, when he fell to the ground and grimaced in pain after his left foot slid backward awkwardly on the grass. Ferrer eventually got back up, and went on to break Alund's serve again.

He served out the match with an ace.