|
|
| 07 Jun 2002 | |
| French take home advantage |
By Eleanor Preston
French players dominated the action in the boys’ event at Roland Garros, with rising star Richard Gasquet and unseeded Laurent Recouderc both scoring semifinal places. With the pair on opposite sides of the draw, hopes are high for an all-French boys’ final in Paris.
Neither boy had an easy time in the quarterfinals. Gasquet, who is struggling with a foot injury, had to come from a set down against Israel’s Dudi Sela, winning 3-6 6-3 6-2. "I was a bit flat at the beginning and he was playing very well," said Gasquet. "It took time to get into the match but I got more confident as it went on." Gasquet’s foot is giving him some cause for concern but he is confident that the injury will hold out in Saturday’s semifinal against Argentine Brian Dabul. Dabul beat Lamine Ouahab (ALG) 6-2 6-4 to earn his last four spot. "My foot is very tight but I think with a little bit of rest it will be okay," said Gasquet.
While Gasquet has had the lion’s share of the attention from the French media this week, especially when he took a set from men’s finalist Albert Costa in his first round main draw match last week, Recouderc’s form has turned out to be the surprise of the tournament. The 17-year-old knocked out top seed Robin Soderling in the third round and followed up with a 2-6 6-0 6-3 comeback win against another French boy, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarters. "I was really nervous at the start and I didn’t really feel confident until the second set but then I calmed down," said Recouderc. "I know Tsonga very well and we train together. We’re good friends but I also know his game very well and that helped."
Recouderc will play Andreas Seppi in the semifinals after the Italian notched up a surprise 7-5 6-7(3) 6-1 win over fourth seed Janko Tipsarevic.
In the girl’s tournament Russian Vera Douchevina notched up the biggest shock with her 4-6 6-1 6-2 victory over seventh seed Myriam Casanova (SUI). Douchevina admitted that even she has been surprised by her tennis this week. "Normally I prefer hard courts to clay but I really like Roland Garros," said Douchevina.
Ashley Harkleroad continued her hot streak of form by battling past Australian Open champion and World No.1 Barbora Strycova 6-7(5) 6-4, 6-4. "I think I nearly gave my coach a heart attack," laughed Harkleroad, who came from 0-4 down in the first set to force a tiebreaker. "In the beginning I was really nervous because yesterday I played really, really well and it’s hard sometimes to come back from that. Finally I relaxed and really starting playing. I’m pretty good at sticking with it though, I never give up and I always fight to the very end."
Harkleroad plays last year's finalist, Svetlana Kuznetsova in her semifinal. Kuznetsova powered past Marta Domachowska (POL) 6-3 6-3. "I’ve never played her but I know she’s a real power hitter. She’s a big girl and she hits the ball very hard." Harkleroad is feeling happy and relaxed on and off the court and even let slip a dark secret ahead of her semifinal clash – her nickname is Pebbles. The name comes from an ex-coach who noticed she came from a town called Flintstone. The cartoon ‘The Flintstones’ features a character called Pebbles. "Every time I see that guy I’m like ‘you did this to me,’" she laughed. Photographs by Susan Mullane
^ Back to Top
|
