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| 08 Jun 2002 | |
| Widjaja looks for Grand Slam double |
By Eleanor Preston
Angelique Widjaja is on the verge of adding to last year’s Wimbledon girls’ title after dominating Russia’s Vera Douchevina 6-4 6-2 in the French Open semi-finals. Widjaja will have to get past Ashley Harkleroad in Sunday’s final to make it a brace of Grand Slam trophies after the American battled past 2001’s standout junior player Svetlana Kuznetsova.
For the second time in as many matches, Harkleroad had to come from a set down as Kuznetsova had the better of their match early on. Harkleroad even faced a match point in the second set tiebreaker, when once more her battling qualities came to the fore. "I fight well so I was not going to give up," said Harkleroad. "I was very nervous going into the semifinal because this was my fourth semifinal and I really wanted to get past that. When we came out she was just boom, boom, boom because she hits that ball really hard and I wasn’t playing that smart. I knew if I could get it to a third set I’d be okay because I’m in pretty good shape."
Harkleroad says she feels relaxed about playing an opponent as tough as Widjaja but despite being the underdog, she’s not satisfied. "I’ve played her last year at the Astrid Bowl on clay and I beat her 6-0 6-1 but after that she won Wimbledon and she’s definitely improved so it will be difficult. Anybody can win on a given day but you just have to fight. I feel confident going into that match."
The boys’ tournament will see an all-French final between the toast of Paris Richard Gasquet and his friend, unseeded Laurent Recouderc. Gasquet, who is battling a foot injury, had his work cut out before disposing of third seed Brian Dabul 6-3 6-4.
Recouderc had an even tougher time against Italy’s Andreas Seppi in their semifinal. Recouderc took an edgy first set before Seppi hit back. The Frenchman held firm though, hanging on for a 7-6(5) 1-6 6-4. "I am very happy, especially to be playing against Gasquet," said Recouderc. "I really want to play against him." Recouderc admits that playing a friend and a countryman, particularly in a final, can be hard on the nerves but he says he is mentally prepared for the battle ahead. "I am determined to start my match the way I have started all my matches this week, with no stress," he said.
The duo are the best of friends of the court and often train together so they know each other’s games very well. Gasquet will be the overwhelming favourite though with that comes the pressure of knowing that the eyes of the world will be on him. The 15-year-old first came to the attention of the tennis media when he beat Franco Squillari in the main draw of Masters Series Monte Carlo in April and took a set from men’s French Open finalist Albert Costa before turning his attention to the Roland Garros boys’ competition. "It’s adjustment to come back to juniors after that but I don’t feel like there is pressure on me," said Gasquet earlier this week. "I am still learning." That said if Recouderc, who knocked out top seed Robin Soderling in the third round, can add Gasquet to his list of big name scalps, it will send shockwaves through the Stade Roland Garros.
Photographs by Susan Mullane
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