A three and half hour delay caused by a violent thunderstorm caused all the courts to be used to make up time today. But the final match was done just before midnight. The day saw the top seeded Agassi eliminated, Sampras and Rafter avoiding upset bids, and great action all over the grounds. Let's get to the meat of the matter!
Sampras dodges a bullet, Agassi takes one in the back
The top two seeds faced major French scares today. Second seed Pete Sampras was able to squeak out a third set tie-break over a serve-volleying 20-year-old French qualifier named Michael Llodra, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). But France had the last word on centre court when the bandana-wearing left-hander from L'Hexagone, Jérôme Golmard, out-tiebreaked the sore-backed top seed Andre Agassi, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6).
Sampras accurately said he played "only two loose games" against the inspired Llodra, and they almost cost him the match. In the first set, he suffered the set's only break in game 11 by losing his serve at love. And he lost his serve in game 5 of the third set by double-faulting twice when up a break. But Pete gave full credit to his lanky, baby-faced opponent. "He's got a huge serve, first and second serve. I give him credit. He came out, worked really hard on my service games and served great."
The game Frenchman held his nerve despite a few wobbles to force the decisive tie-break. Here is how it went:
- 0-0, PS serving: PS feathers a stylish forehand drop volley that ML can't quite run down
- 0-1 ML: big second serve winner to the backhand side
- 1-1 ML: ML hits a backhand drop shot from mid-court. PS reaches it but nets his backhand
- 1-2 PS: serve down the middle and overhead winner (non-leaping) by PS
- 2-2 PS: wide serve and perfect backhand volley by PS
- 2-3 ML: ML comes in behind a second serve but nets a routine backhand volley, PS is up a mini-break
- 2-4 ML: PS cracks a cross-court forehand return that ML can't handle, PS now up two mini-breaks
- 5-2 PS: ML's huge forehand return puts PS in trouble, PS sends his second volley long, ML gets one of the mini-breaks back
- 5-3 PS: service winner wide sets up match point
- 3-6 ML: ace wide, but still match point
- 4-6 ML: off an ML half volley, PS nails a splendid backhand crosscourt pass. Game, set and match, Sampras.
Pete survives to see the second round, where he will face a nightmare from his past, Karim Alami. The athletic Moroccan launched his career by beating Sampras in Qatar in 1995 when he was ranked 201. At that time Karim was the lowest-ranked player to beat a number one in the open era, a record that still stands.
As for Pete's Nike stablemate Agassi, he appeared flat-footed and out of sorts against the talented Golmard. Andre's forehand errors were frequent, as were double faults (9 in total, including one on set point that lost him the third set tie-break).
In the second set, Golmard flashed some excellent attacking tennis as well as a splendid forehand pass to break Agassi at 5-5. Serving for the match at 6-5, the Frenchman got tentative and nervous, and was broken at 15-40 by a big Agassi return at his feet that was too hot to handle. Andre let loose a primal scream and shot a withering glare at his opponent ? "I was thinking a had a little momentum going into the tie-breaker" ? and still had a chance to force a third set. Here is a rundown of the nervo
usly played second set tie-break:
- 0-0, AA serving: big JG crosscourt forehand winner
- 1-0 JG: service winner to AA's forehand
- 2-0 JG: AA's shot hits the tape and jumps over, JG runs it down and sends a backhand right back to AA, who sends a fairly routine backhand wide
- 0-3 AA: double fault!
- 0-4 AA: ace down the middle
- 4-1 JG: AA follows a backhand approach with a forehand volley winner
- 4-2 JG: JG's approach is too short, AA nails the forehand pass, we're back on serve and AA is pumped!
- 3-4 AA: Oops, AA steers a horrible backhand volley wide
- 3-5 AA: AA hits a mid-court forehand winner
- 5-4 JG: service winner
- 6-4 JG: match point, but JG whiffs on a big AA forehand
- 5-6 AA: AA controls the point with forehand, JG defensive lob lands long
- 6-6 AA: AA seems slow to move for a JG backhand up the line, and can't return it
- 7-6 JG: match point number three is the charm. AA sends a forehand long after a good JG forehand deep in the corner. Steffi Graf looks pretty sour, as if she has just devoured 10 lemons, as her man is out in round one.
Agassi laid the blame for his defeat squarely on his back, reportedly injured in an automobile accident in Las Vegas two weeks ago. "Obviously it wasn't ready for the pounding, because I certainly felt it stiffen up. I just wasn't able to be at my best today and that's the problem." Golmard, who was defeated easily by Agassi at Wimbledon in June, will take it: "I need a few days, maybe weeks to enjoy this victory," said the beaming Frenchman. "It's unbelievable because I never thought in my mind I'd b
eat the number one in the world. I need to speak with my parents to share this with them." Golmard's second round opponent will be the young Thai qualifier Paradorn Srichaphan, who swept aside Chris Woodruff today in straight sets.
Agassi's loss, added to losses today by 10th seed Lapentti (to Stefan Koubek) and 15th seed Tim Henman (to Marcelo Rios, see below) has almost completely opened up the top quarter of the draw. Lleyton Hewitt (7) is the only seed remaining, and we are assured of an unseeded quarterfinalist at the top of the draw. It could very well be Golmard, or another dangerous floater who impressed today?.
Marcelo Rios def. Tim Henman (15), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
1st round
Court 1
Previous head-to-head: tied 2-2
When the draw was announced, this was one of the first-round matchups that cried out to be watched, between two of the tour's most enigmatic and talented underachievers.
Henman, looking for his first tournament win of the season, would be measuring his considerable attacking skills against the talented but unpredictable Rios. One never knows what to expect from a Rios match. Marcelo won the Umag (Croatia) tournament two weeks ago, but he was defaulted from Los Angeles last week for uttering a foul oath at the umpire after a disputed ace during his first round match against Goichi Motomura.
It turned out to be an excellent, determined performance by Rios, who can now look ahead to good possibilities here with the draw opened up in his bracket. I admit I was especially glad to note that Rios did not suffer any apparent injuries from a clumsy On The Line reporter's attempt to clamber over him in the shuttle van this morning!
Both men came on court dressed for the occasion, the "bad boy" Rios wearing an all black costume, and the "choir boy" Henman in Wimbledon white. The first set got off to a quality start, with Henman serving hard and volleying precisely, and Rios moving around court rapidly and executing some magical baseline shots. The first break went the Chilean's way in the "pivotal seventh game", as the saying goes, when Henman double faulted on break point. The Chilean held the rest of the way, converting at 5-4 o
n his second set point with an ace down the centre.
Marcelo had a lull at the start of the second set, and it was his turn to double fault on break point as Henman raced to a 3-0 lead. At this point the sun had come out for the first time, and Rios changed into a cooler white shirt. But it didn't help him break the Englishman's serve. Tim was giving Marcelo trouble not only with his hard first serve, but also with a high, kicking second serve to the Chilean's two-handed backhand. On his second set point at 5-3, Henman delivered one of those kicking sec
ond serves that Rios sent long, and the match was all even at a set all.
Rios, who appeared to be sagging at this point, pulled himself together and the large court one crowd, including a handful of flag-waving but disappointingly quiet Chileans, were treated to some splendid and intense all-court tennis by both players. At 2-3, Henman serving, Rios put Henman in trouble at 0-30 by concluding a nose-to-nose exchange at the net with a backhand winner. Then with Henman at the net, Rios put up a lob to the backhand side: Henman made the shot, but it was weak, and Rios responded
with a driving crosscourt winner. Henman fought off three break points with strong serving, but at deuce was unable to convert a stretch forehand volley. Advantage Rios now: Rios, for one of the few times in the match came to net behind his return, a surprised Henman hit his backhand pass well past the baseline. Rios had the 4-2 third set lead, and finally we heard a vigorous "Chi Chi Chi, Le Le Le, viva Chile" chant from the Rios supporters!
With the break now, Rios had the eye of the tiger and was attacking Henman effectively. Henman made a game effort to stay in the match with Rios serving at 5-3, fighting off two match points with a splendid drop volley and a clutch backhand pass to force the game to deuce. But Rios finished off the match in style. A fine backhand pass ticked off the frame of the stretching Henman's racquet; then, on Marcelo's third match point, he struck a service winner to close out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 triumph.
Rios flashed his first smile of the day after the match, and it stayed on his face for quite a while as he hit a ball into his support group in the crowd. After the match, Rios talked about his laborious comeback from off-season groin surgery. "They told me that just in one year I was going to be better. I didn't expect anything this year, just to try to play without pain." On the strength of his first tournament victory of the season in Umag last month, Marcelo's expectations seem to have raised. "I
was not doing very good this year, and winning the tournament is for sure, really really nice. It gives you the confidence to come back and try to enjoy again what you're doing. Now I just try to play as good as I used to play."
Rios will face Arnaud Clément in the second round. See below!
Arnaud Clément def. Mariano Puerta, 6-3, 6-3
1st round
Court 2
Previous head-to-head: Puerta leads 1-0 (on clay, 1999)
According to Lleyton Hewitt, the playing conditions here are relatively heavy because of the humidity. Theorizing that slow conditions might be favourable to clay court players, we tested our hypothesis by checking up on one of this year's most successful clay-courters, the burly Argentine left-hander Mariano Puerta. On clay this year Puerta is the author of a 35-12 win-loss record, with one title and four losing finals. However, he is 0-2 on hard courts, on which he has not played since the Australian
Open in January. Now that's a clay-courter! His opponent, fleet-footed Frenchman Arnaud Clément, has struggled to a 14-17 record this year, but likes hard courts and reached the Los Angeles semifinal last week.
So much for our theory! Puerta's looping topspin and slice had little impact on Clément, whose hard, flat returns and baseline drives were more suitable to the hard courts here. To his credit, Puerta, dominated from the baseline in the opening set, tried to become more aggressive in the second set, much to the pleasure of his father and coach Ruben, who applauded the tactical change. Chipping and charging on many points, the Argentine was ultimately betrayed by his lack of volleying prowess and well as
the quality of Clément's counter-punching.
Clément's serve was surprisingly powerful and accurate. He seems to have beefed up this aspect of his game, judging from the 11 aces he slammed past his surprised opponent, combined with 72 percent of his first serves in play. Clément's impressive opening round win sets the stage for a tough second-rounder against Rios.
Patrick Rafter (14) def. Arvind Parmar (LL), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
1st round
Stadium court
Previous head-to-head: First meeting
What started out as a walk in the park for popular Patrick Rafter turned out to be a life-and-death struggle against the 6'4", big-serving Englishman of Sikh extraction, Arvind Parmar, a lucky loser from qualifying. Parmar, whose game is built on a big serve and big forehand and who moves very well for a man his size, put on an impressive fightback and forced Rafter to work hard for his three-set win.
Parmar had lost his final qualifying match on Sunday decisively, and appeared to be on the way to another quick defeat after losing a 6-1 first set. Rafter was attacking brilliantly and dominating the apparently nervous Parmar from the baseline as well. When Arvind came to the net, he was more often than not passed by a splendid Rafter backhand.
But the tide unexpectedly turned in set two. "I think I was a little loose on a few of my shots," admitted the Aussie, "and then he made some good shots when he needed to as well." Rafter was broken in the second game of the second set. In this game he opened the door for Parmar with a double fault and a backhand volley error, and the stoic but determined Parmar seized the moment with some splendid returns to gain the precious break. The match was on.
Parmar was now showing the form that has made him the rising star of British tennis, blasting big serves and impressive forehands and backhand returns. He fought off Rafter's bid to break back in game four, a four-deuce game that Parmar pulled out with strong serving and an explosive inside-out forehand winner. Rafter finally got to Parmar's serve at 5-3, when he placed Parmar in difficulty at 15-30 with a perfectly placed sliced overhead. An edgy Parmar made two unforced forehand errors, and they wer
e back on serve. But Rafter, serving at 4-5, immediately surrendered the advantage, netting a routine backhand volley on break point, and the match was level!
Rafter admitted to being concerned at this point. "You don't want to let a new guy come through, because they get excited and up for it. A lot of balls can go in, and you can be down very early in the third."
Rafter now made his first shirt change of the night, drawing the predictable screams of glee from his many female fans. Rafter smiled sheepishly and pulled a towel over his head at the crowd reaction. As the third set began, Rafter's fans tried to pull him through. A male voice in the crowd, perhaps jealous at the female attention being lavished on the Aussie, responded with "Rafter, you suck!" This cry was met with a chorus of boos.
Back to the tennis. Rafter flirted with danger at 1-2 of the third, staving off a break point with a crosscourt forehand winner before saving the game with a drop volley and service winner. In the next game, determined to make a breakthrough on the Englishman's serice game, Rafter forced a 30-30 situation with a splendid running crosscourt forehand that blazed past the onrushing Parmar. Arvind then sent consecutive forehands into the net, and Rafter had gained his break.
Rafter now was impressively knifing the backhand volleys that had been causing him problems earlier in the match. With Parmar serving to stay in the match at 3-5, 30-30, Rafter set up his first match point on a great exchange: Parmar ran down a Rafter lob with a splendid get, actually running into the back fence, and then sprinted forward to retrieve a Rafter drop shot. Parmar got to it, but Rafter had the open court and made no mistake to set up a match point. It ended on a backhand error by the plucky
Brit. Make the final: 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
After his narrow escape, Rafter chatted with the handful of reporters who stayed through the evening match. It was the informal type of session that show him at his relaxed best. Some highlights follow:
- On his second round match against the dangerous Karol Kucera: "We have had very close matches. He likes to play a player like me, he loves a target. I think he's a great player, but he does suffer from nerves. No one catches the ball off his serve more than I do except him. I say 'sorry mate', I don't know what he says in Slovakian or whatever!"
- On his troublesome shoulder, which sometimes is still painful when he serves: "It's probably my fault. When I gave it a week off, I thought it would be good, but you have to keep moving the joint. I thought golf would have been fine. But so far I'm pretty fresh."
- On losing a lead to Sampras in the Wimbledon final: "I don't really want to replay it. Because it will keep me up, knowing I had my chance and blew it."
- On the hectic ATP schedule: "They are trying to force us to play too much and the guys really won't have it. Something's got to be done about it. They've got to do it for the young kids as well, they'll lose these kids at a young age."
- And he jokingly misheard a question about the ATP's experiments with short sets at Challenger tournaments. "Short sex?" For the record, he doesn't like the idea?.