 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Jun 2006 |
|
| 07 Jun 2006 - Roland Garros, Paris - Eleanor Preston | |
| Roshardt ready for Roland Garros run |
Switzerland’s Robin Roshardt seems to be coming into his own at this year’s junior Roland Garros tournament. Having arrived in Paris without a win in three junior grand slam appearances, the 18-year-old Zurich from has made a major breakthrough by reaching the quarter-finals.
“Before Roland Garros I played three grand slams and I lost in the first round three times so there was so much pressure coming in here. After my first match it was a big relief, I was so, so happy,” he said. “I think the difference this time was that I always so nervous before playing the grand slams and it was always so difficult because I was younger than the other players and they were always better than me. Now I’ve got older and more experienced, so I play better and I feel better.
“Now that I have won three matches I’m much more relaxed and I’m more confident. I feel more at home now.”
Swiss tennis seems to be in good health at junior and senior level. Switzerland boasts two top twenty women players in Patty Schnyder and Martina Hingis and can also celebrate the incomparable talents of men’s World No.1 Roger Federer. Roshardt is in good company.
“I watched Federer’s quarter-final against Ancic,” said Roshardt. “He played so well. I talked with him sometimes, just small talk and I have played with him twice. It is great to have that. He’s a good person and he’s such an amazing player. I can learn so much from him.”
Roshardt, seeded fifteen, earned his place in the last four with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Paraguay’s Daniel Lopez and will meet Philip Bestor after the Canadian beat Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium 6-3, 6-4 to grab a place in the last eight.
“It was a good win but I didn’t feel as good on the court today as I did in my first two matches,” said Roshardt of his win over Lopez. “I concentrated in the first set but I was a bit lazy in the second set. I took it a bit easy. I think I can learn from doing that in matches and I don’t think I’ll be doing that in my next match.”
Also through to the quarter-finals is Japan’s Kei Nishikori, who was too strong for Czech Michal Konecny. Nishikori, who beat Konecny 6-4, 6-3, now faces Romania’s Petru-Alexandru Luncanu for a semi-final berth.
In the girls’ draw, Austria’s Tamira Paszek will take on top seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in what is likely to be the pick of the quarter-finals. Giant-killing Czech Katerina Vankova also moved through to the last eight, picking up another seeded scalp when she beat 11th seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-1, 6-3. Vankova knocked out Russia’s 7th seed Alisa Kleybanova in the first round.
Vankova’s next assignment will be France’s Youlia Fedessova, who eventually beat Ksenia Milevskaya of Belarus 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 late in the evening. Alexandra Panova of Russia was the day’s other winner. She beat Roxane Vaisemberg of Brazil 6-2, 6-1 to set up a quarter-final against reigning junior Wimbledon champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
^ Back to Top
|
