Week 18 - Roland Garros, Paris, France

[RainerShuttle]

Day 2 Review[/u]

from ATPtennis.com

Sampras and Federer fall; Argetines advance

Roger Federer and Pete Sampras became the first seeded players to lose at Roland Garros this year when they were beaten by Gaston Gaudio and Jan-Michael Gambill respectively. Argentine qualifier Gaudio showed his superior clay court ability to comfortably see off the challenge of third seed Federer on Chatrier, while at the same time Gambill battled back from two sets down to oust fellow American Sampras on Lenglen. Although neither result was a great surprise, both seeds will be disappointed to have beaten at such an early stage at the first Slam of the season.

Gaudio will now play fellow qualifier Marcos Baghdatis after the Cypriot won a four set battle with big-serving Swede Joachim Johansson on Court 1. Both Gaudio and Baghdatis are relative newcomers to the tour but both have displayed excellent play on clay so far and their match on Thursday should be high quality.

Two other Argentines progressed through to round two today, with Franco Squillari defeating Rainer Schuettler in the first match of the day on Chatrier and David Nalbandian seeing off home favourite Sebastien Grosjean in four sets. Nalbandian's win means there will only be one Frenchman into the second round of Roland Garros.

Whereas Federer and Sampras lost, there were no such problems for fifth seed Manuel Santana or second seed Andrew Murray who both advanced in straight sets over Andre Agassi and Robby Ginepri respectively, while Spaniard Albert Costa won the longest match of the day, defeating compatriot Carlos Moya in five sets.

Results at a glance[/u]

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) def. Roger Federer (SUI) (3) 7-6 (4) 6-4 7-5

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) (Q) def. Joachim Johansson (SWE) 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-2[/b]

Franco Squillari (ARG) def. Rainer Schuettler (DEU) 6-1 6-1 1-6 6-4

Jan-Michael Gambill (USA) def. Pete Sampras (USA) (6) 5-7 5-7 7-5 7-5 6-4

Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) def. Andre Agassi (USA) 6-4 6-4 6-3

Albert Costa (ESP) def. Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-4 1-6 7-5 5-7 6-2

David Nalbandian (ARG) def. Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-4

Andrew Murray (GBR) (2) def. Robby Ginepri (USA) 7-6 (4) 6-1 6-2


Singles Draw Updated[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Thomas Enqvist (SWE) vs Guillermo Coria (ARG) (8)
Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) vs Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs Tim Henman (GBR) (4)

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) (Q)
Franco Squillari (ARG) vs Jan-Michael Gambill (USA)
Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) vs Albert Costa (ESP)
David Nalbandian (ARG) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)

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Order Of Play[/u]

Wednesday June 1st[/u]


Court Philippe Chatrier[/u]

Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs Tim Henman (GBR) (4)

R.Schuettler & J.Johansson vs J-M.Gambill (USA) & R.Ginepri (USA)

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) vs Richard Gasquet (FRA)


Court Suzanne Lenglen[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Thomas Enqvist (SWE) vs Guillermo Coria (ARG) (8)

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) vs G.Gaudio (ARG) & O.Patience (FRA)


Court 1[/u]

T.Enqvist (SWE) & C.Rochus vs F.Volandri (ITA) & C.Moya (ESP)

K.Alami (MAR) & R.Gasquet (FRA) vs T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2)

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Head-To-Head[/u]

R16[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) 0-0 Rafael Nadal (ESP)
-No Previous Meetings-

Thomas Enqvist (SWE) 0-0 Guillermo Coria (ARG)
-No Previous Meetings-

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 1-0 Richard Gasquet (FRA)
-Week 17 - Internationaler Raffeisen Grand Prix, St Poelten, Austria - Clay - R16 - Kuerten def. Gasquet 6-3 4-6 6-4

Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 1-2 Tim Henman (GBR)
-Week 9 - NASDAQ-100 Open, Miami, USA - Hard - R32 - Henman def. Ferrero 6-3 5-7 7-5
-Week 12 - Masters Series Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay - R16 - Henman def. Ferrero 7-6 (1) 2-6 6-4
-Week 13 - Open Seat Godó 2005, Barcelona, Spain - Clay - QF - Ferrero def. Henman 6-3 6-3

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 0-0 Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
-No Previous Meetings-

Franco Squillari (ARG) 0-0 Jan-Michael Gambill (USA)
-No Previous Meetings-

Manuel Santana (ESP) 1-0 Albert Costa (ESP)
-Week 12 - Masters Series Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay - QF - Santana def. Costa 6-4 6-7 (6) 6-4

David Nalbandian (ARG) 0-1 Andrew Murray (GBR)
-Week 10 - Grand Prix Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco - Clay - R16 - Murray def. Nalbandian 2-6 6-1 6-3

[Bruce]

Enqvist took revenge from Jarkko ;D
My players are 1-1 in their particular head to head.

Everybody´s invited to S.Lenglen to cheer for Thomas in his match vs Coria.

[Laury]

I think I will always send my points via email!
Go Nalbandian!!

[RainerShuttle]

Day 3 Review[/u]

from ATPtennis.com

Coria and Henman bow out while Muster edges five-set classic

Eight seed Guillermo Coria saw his hopes of the Roland Garros title ended after a surprise four set loss to Swede Thomas Enqvist on Court Suzanne Leglen in day 3 of this year's event. Enqvist displayed greater consistency with his shots while Coria's usual reliability deserted him as his number of unforced errors increased. The lower ranked Swede survived a fourth set blip, when it seemed the eighth seed was finally finding his game, to claim his biggest win of the season and progress to the quarter finals.

In the quarters, Enqvist will face world number 1 Thomas Muster who emerged victorious after a five hour marathon with young Spaniard Rafael Nadal on Lenglen. Msuter looked to be having an easy day at the office when he cruised through the first set without dropping a game, but Nadal hit back to take sets two and three and leaving the Austrian on the brink of defeat. The top seed regrouped, however, and eventually scraped through 14-12 in the fifth, displaying his championship credentials once more.

On an eventful day of tennis, No. 4 seed Tim Henman also crashed out, comfortably beaten in straight sets by Hamburg champion Juan Carlos Ferrero. Ferrero just missed out on a seeding place at Roland Garros, but showed why he is seen as a major contender for the title here as he dismantled Henman's game in the opening match on Chatrier, cruising to a quarter final meetig with Brazilian seventh seed Gustavo Kuerten. This match was made after Kuerten won a second successive five set battle, this time eliminating the lone surviving Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Meanwhile, the doubles draw got underway today and there were wins for Schuettler and Johansson, Volandri and Moya, Henman and Murray and third seeds Ferrero and Federer

Day 3 results at a glance[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) def. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-0 1-6 3-6 6-4 14-12

Thomas Enqvist (SWE) def. Guillermo Coria (ARG) (8) 6-4 7-5 2-6 7-6 (3)

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) def. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 5-7 6-1 3-6 7-5 7-5

Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) def. Tim Henman (GBR) (4) 7-6 (5) 6-3 7-5

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) def. G.Gaudio (ARG) & O.Patience (FRA) 6-7 (4) 7-5 6-4 6-2

R.Schuettler (DEU) & J.Johansson (SWE) def. J-M.Gambill (USA) & R.Ginepri (USA) 6-4 7-5 6-4

F.Volandri (ITA) & C.Moya (ESP) def. T.Enqvist (SWE) & C.Rochus (BEL) 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-1

T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2) def. R.Gasquet (FRA) & K.Alami (MAR) 0-6 6-0 6-0 3-6 6-3

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Order of Play[/u]

Thursday June 2nd[/u]


Court Philippe Chatrier[/u]

A.Costa (ESP) & G.Coria (ARG) (1) vs P.Rafter (AUS) & A.Roddick (USA)

Franco Squillari (ARG) vs Jan-Michael Gambill (USA)

Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) vs Albert Costa (ESP)


Court Suzanne Lenglen[/u]

David Nalbandian (ARG) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) (Q)

R.Nadal (ESP) & M.Baghdatis (CYP) vs F.Squillari (ARG) & D.Nalbandian (ARG) (4)


Court 1[/u]

M.Santana (ESP) & A.Agassi (USA) vs J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS)

T.Dent (USA) & J.Blake (USA) vs G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA)

[RainerShuttle]

Day 4 Review[/u]

from ATPtennis.com

Favourites roll through

The two seeded players in action on day four of this year's event advanced to the quarter finals, however with varying degrees of ease. Second seed Andrew Murray was first out on Lenglen, taking on Argentine David Nalbandian. The Brit was soon in trouble, losing the first set and going a break down in the second, before recovering to take sets two and three. However, Nalbandian stormed back to take the fourth but faltered in the decider as Murray finally clinched his place in the quarter finals.

There, Murray will face fifth seed Manuel Santana, who recovered from a poor start to knock out fellow Spaniard Albert Costa in four sets. Their match on Chatrier included some high quality tennis, with both men claiming clay to be their best surface, but it was the Rome champion Santana who won the key points to progress to the quarters.

In the battle of the qualifiers, Gaston Gaudio made it through in three tough sets against young Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. With a place in the quarter finals up for the grabs for the winner, it was unsurprising that both men started off very tentatively. Indeed, the two matched each other almost stroke for stroke throughout the match-up but Gaudio was able to raise his game at crucial points to take the match and advance to the quarters.

In the quarters, it will be an all-Argentine affair as Franco Squillari survived a fourth set lapse to end the challenge of the last American in the draw Jan-Michael Gambill and book a date with Gaudio. Gambill had eliminated the sixth seeded Sampras in the first round but found it much tougher against the clay-loving Squillari, who dominated the match from the baseline.

Meanwhile in doubles, top seeds Coria and Costa advanced, along with Kuerten and Srichaphan and Nieminen and Kafelnikov, but fourth seeds Nalbandian and Squillari became the first seeded team to bow out, losing in four sets to Nadal and Baghdatis.

Tomorrow promises to be an outstanding day of tennis with all the quarter finals from the singles and doubles events taking place.

Day 4 Results at a glance[/u]

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) def. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) (Q) 7-6 (2) 7-5 7-6 (0)

Franco Squillari (ARG) def. Jan-Michael Gambill (USA) 6-1 6-1 4-6 7-5

Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) def. Albert Costa (ESP) 1-6 6-3 6-3 6-3

Andrew Murray (GBR) (2) def. David Nalbandian (ARG) 3-6 6-4 6-1 3-6 6-1

A.Costa (ESP) & G.Coria (ARG) (1) def. P.Rafter (AUS) & A.Roddick (USA) 6-0 6-2 6-0

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) def. T.Dent (USA) & J.Blake (USA) 6-1 6-3 5-7 6-2

J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS) def. M.Santana (ESP) & A.Agassi (USA) 7-6 (2) 6-0 6-0

R.Nadal (ESP) & M.Baghdatis (CYP) def. F.Squillari ARG) & D.Nalbandian (ARG) (4) 0-6 6-4 6-0 6-3


Singles Draw Updated[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Thomas Enqvist (SWE)
Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) vs Franco Squillari (ARG)
Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)


Doubles Draw Updated[/u]

A.Costa (ESP) & G.Coria (ARG) (1) vs G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA)
J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS) vs R.Nadal (ESP) & M.Baghdatis (CYP)
J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) vs R.Schuettler (DEU) & J.Johansson (SWE)
F.Volandri (ITA) & C.Moya (ESP) vs T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2)

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Order Of Play[/u]

Friday June 3rd[/u]


Court Philippe Chatrier[/u]

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) vs Franco Squillari (ARG)

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Thomas Enqvist (SWE)

A.Costa (ESP) & G.Coria (ARG) (1) vs G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA)


Court Suzanne Lenglen[/u]

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)

Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) vs R.Schuettler (DEU) & J.Johansson (SWE)


Court 1[/u]

F.Volandri (ITA) & C.Moya (ESP) vs T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2)

J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS) vs R.Nadal ESP) & M.Baghdatis (CYP)

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Head-To-Head[/u]

Quarter Finals[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) 1-0 Thomas Enqvist (SWE)
-Week 2 - BellSouth Open by Rosen, Vina Del Mar, Chile - Clay - QF - Muster def. Enqvist 0-6 6-0 6-0

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 1-0 Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
-Week 5 - Brasil Open, Costa do Sauipe, Brazil - Clay - R16 - Kuerten def. Ferrero 6-3 0-6 6-1

Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 0-0 Franco Squillari (ARG)
-No Previous Meetings-

Manuel Santana (ESP) 0-0 Andrew Murray (GBR)
-No Previous Metings-

[mickrob]

touth day for Andy 2 games on the trot but he will give it is all ;D

[RainerShuttle]

Day 5 Review[/u]

from ATPtennis.com

Muster, Kuerten, Squillari, Murray advance to semis

The semi final line-up for the first slam of the year was set on Friday, as the top players all showed their form. First through was the only unseeded player left in the draw Franco Squillari who edged out compatriot Gaston Gaudio in four sets. For Gaudio, who had to qualify for the main draw, a run to the quarters has been perhaps more than he could have hoped, but that will not stop him feeling a little disappointed at his failure to progress any further. However, Squillari showed his experience to oust the qualifier and achieve his best result of the year, regardless of whether he wins his semi or not.

In the semis, Squillari will face second seed Andrew Murray who pulled off a surprise, knocking out Rome champion Manuel Santanap in a thrilling five set encounter. Santana will be bitterly disappointed with his failure to advance further as many people felt a Santana-Muster final was lilkely. However, Murray countinued his fine run of form on clay, a run which has seen him reach two straight finals, and will next face Squillari for a chance to make it three in a row.

Top seed Thomas Muster dispatched name-sake Thomas Enqvist in four sets to maintain his favourite status and reach the semis. Although he dropped the second set 1-6 to Enqvist, Muster bounced back well to defeat Swede, who had stunned eighth seed Coria in the previous round. For a place in the final, Muster will now face seventh seed Gustavo Kuerten who won his third straight five setter, this time over Hamburg winner Juan Carlos Ferrero. The match between Muster and Kuerten tomorrow should be explposive to say the least as Kuerten is the only man to have beaten Muster twice on clay this year.

Meanwhile, on the doubles courts, advancing to the semis were Henman and Murray, Ferrero and Federer, Nieminen and Enqvist and Kuerten and Srichaphan, who stunned top seeds Costa and Coria

Results at a glance[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) def. Thomas Enqvist (SWE) 7-6 (5) 1-6 7-6 (2) 6-1

Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) def. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 6-2 3-6 1-6 7-5 7-5

Franco Squillari (ARG) def. Gaston Gaudio (ARG) (Q) 6-1 7-6 (7) 3-6 6-3

Andrew Murray (GBR) (2) def. Manuel Santana (ESP) (5) 3-6 6-4 6-4 1-6 7-5

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) def. A.Costa (ESP) & G.Coria (ARG) (1) 0-6 7-6 (7) 0-6 6-4 7-5

J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS) def. R.Nadal (ESP) & M.Baghdatis (CYP) 6-1 6-3 6-7 (4) 1-6 10-8

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) def. R.Schuettler (DEU) & J.Johansson (SWE) 5-7 6-0 6-4 7-5

T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2) def. F.Volandri (ITA) & C.Moya (ESP) 0-6 7-6 (2) 6-0 0-6 6-0


Singles Draw Updated[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7)
Franco Squillari (ARG) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)


Doubles Draw Updated[/u]

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) vs J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS)
J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) vs T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2)

[RainerShuttle]

Order of Play[/u]

Saturday June 4th[/u]


Court Philippe Chatrier[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7)

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) vs T.Henman (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2)


Court Suzanne Lenglen[/u]

Franco Squillari (ARG) vs Andrew Murray (GBR) (2)

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) vs J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS)

[RainerShuttle]

Head-To-Head[/u]

Semi Finals[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) 3-2 Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)
-Week 3 - ATP Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Clay - QF - Muster def. Kuerten 1-6 6-0 7-5
-Week 5 - Brasil Open, Costa do Sauipe, Brazil - Clay - SF - Kuerten def. Muster 7-5 0-6 6-1
-Week 8 - Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, Acapulco, Mexico - Clay - SF - Kuerten def. Muster 7-5 0-6 6-1
-Week 12 - Masters Series Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay - SF - Muster def. Kuerten 6-4 1-6 6-1
-Week 13 - Open Seat Godó 2005, Barcelona, Spain - Clay - SF - Muster def. Kuerten 6-4 6-7 (6) 7-6 (2)

Franco Squillari (ARG) 1-0 Andrew Murray (GBR)
-Week 10 - Grand Prix Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco - Clay - SF - Squillari def. Murray 6-4 7-6 (7)

[RainerShuttle]

Day 6 Review[/u]

from ATPtennis.com

Muster and Squillari to meet in Roland Garros final

The final of this year's French Open was set today with top seed Thomas Muster and unseeded Argentine Franco Squillari winning their respective semi finals. Muster was able to fight past Gustavo Kuerten, a man who has previously given the Austrian plenty of trouble this season, while Squillari stunned second seed Andrew Murray in four.

Muster's match against Kuerten was certainly high quality, with both men displaying why they are considered two of the greatest clay courters in the modern game. However Muster, who has five clay titles to his name this year already, came out on top and will go into the final full of confidence and as the favourite.

Squillari will certainly be quietly confident for the final however as he eliminated second seed Murray with a simply excellent performance. Murray was coming off a great win over Manuel Santana in the quarter finals but came out flat as Squillari dominated from the baseline as well as the occasional foray to the net. The Brit simply had no answer to his opponent's precision, and slipped out 6-3 in the fourth. What is clear, though, is that the match between Muster and Squillari tomorrow should be a cracker.

The doubles final was also set with the duo of Kuerten and Srichaphan set to battle third seeds Ferrero and Federer tomorrow.

Results at a glance[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) def. Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) (7) 6-4 1-6 6-0 6-3

Franco Squillari (ARG) def. Andrew Murray (GBR) (2) 6-1 7-5 1-6 6-3

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) def. J.Nieminen (FIN) & Y.Kafelnikov (RUS) 7-5 0-6 0-6 7-5 6-2

J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3) def. T.Henman (GBR) (GBR) & A.Murray (GBR) (2) 7-6 (1) 6-4 3-6 6-2


Singles Draw Updated[/u]

Thomas Muster (AUT) (1) vs Franco Squillari (ARG)


Doubles Draw Updated[/u]

G.Kuerten (BRA) & P.Srichaphan (THA) vs J.C.Ferrero (ESP) & R.Federer (SUI) (3)