Ferrero, Agassi cruise; Grosjean, Safin tested
Nyree Epplett
Saturday, June 1, 2002

Leading title contenders Andre Agassi and Juan Carlos
Ferrero cruised easily into the fourth round, while
No3 Marat Safin and No10 Sebastien Grosjean met greater
resistance en route to their victories on Saturday.

Although showing no signs of the ankle sprain he
sustained in practise earlier in the week, Ferrero
later admitted that it had slowed him down during
his 6-2 6-3 6-3 win over Argentine Guillermo Coria.

"My ankle is still not 100 per cent. But today I felt
no pain. I tried to play only with the tape, no
injections."

Impenetrable from the ground, the young Spaniard
pounded down 30 winners, and bullied his opponent
into making 70 unforced errors.

Ferrero now meets No31 seed Gaston Gaudio, who gained
his first ever round of 16 berth at a Grand Slam when
his opponent Hicham Arazi retired with cramps in the
fourth set. Gaudio had set up a commanding lead 6-2
4-6 6-4 3-1.

Grosjean was taken to the limit by the resurgent American
Vincent Spadea 6-2 7-6(5) 6-7(5) 6-4, drawing on a
capacity Court Philippe Chatrier to drive him over the
line after three hours, 22 minutes.

His fourth round opponent will be the young Belgian
Xavier Malisse, who ousted Spain's Albert Portas 6-2 6-3
7-6(3). Malisse is carrying the hopes of his country into
the second week, after his much-touted countrywomen Justine
Henin and Kim Clijsters bombed out in the first and third
rounds respectively.

"It will be tough to beat him (Grosjean)," said Malisse.
"He's a Frenchman, will have the crowd with him. He's
better ranked than I am, as well. But I think it will be
a good match for me. I have nothing to lose.

"On paper, everything would have been over for me on
Thursday, so I'm relaxed," said the Belgian, who beat No6
seed Tim Henman two days ago.

Safin had his mental fragility exposed in his four set
victory over the underrated Argentine David Nalbandian
6-3 6-3 3-6 6-4. The big Russian spent the first two sets
imposing his monstrous first serve and lethal groundstrokes
onto his shell-shocked opponent, but then self-combusted in
the third set when Nalbanian tightened his game, cut down
on his errors and cranked a handful of winners.

"The first two sets was great tennis, I think, then I lost
my game," said Safin. "I had my match in my hands the fourth
set, 3-0. Just try to make 4-0. But I just missed everything
and I was a break down in the fourth."

The Argentine frustrated the volatile Russian with a brilliant
display of shotmaking late in the third set, wearing the big
man down by taking risks on the big points. Safin's body
language told the story, the third seed hanging his head and
waving his arms furiously.

"I start to play his game, and that's why I start to have
problems, and that's why I lost my game," summed up the Russian.
"My game is just to, you know, make the point shorter, try to
look for the net.

"In every match, you have this feeling that you are losing your
game. It means you are losing a little bit of concentration.

"You try to hang in there. But it's difficult. The other guy is
feeling this, and he's playing much better because he has more
confidence the way the match is going."

Safin later admitted that he was happy the majority of his
performance today. "Was a great fight. I'm satisfied the way
I fought."

He comes up against one of his friends on the tour, Frenchman
Arnaud Di Pasquale, one of two unheralded French wildcards to
post surprise third round victories on Saturday.

Pasquale and Paul-Henri Mathieu lifted the mood of the Parisian
sports fans whose spirits had been crushed yesterday following a
World Cup loss and Arnaud Clement's harrowing five set defeat
against Alex Corretja after holding four match points.

The 175-ranked Pasquale completed an inspiring career resurgence
by triumphing over Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4 6-3 6-3.
The Frenchman is returning from a seven-month layoff following
knee surgery last September, and admits to feeling more committed
to the game than before his break.

"I've won three matches but I must admit I had a playable draw.
The good thing is that I've been able to take advantage of it. I
don't think I've been playing great, just been playing solid.

"If I play Safin, it will be on center court. That will be great.
That's something I want to experience...I'll be very happy to
play him.

"It might be a great match."

20-year-old Mathieu - the junior boys winner here in 2000 - upset
No14 seed Jiri Novak in straight sets 6-4 6-4 6-3 on Court Suzanne
Lenglen.

Mathieu will have to turn it on if he is to have a chance in the
next round against 1999 champ Agassi, who bounced the young Spaniard
Tommy Robredo 6-2 6-4 6-2.

Adeptly controlling the center of the court with his quick-fisted
groundstrokes, the 32-year-old Agassi was never in trouble on the
day, backing the quick Robredo up with exploding blasts to all
angles of the court.

"I want to believe I'm a strong contender. I want to believe
that coming here," said the Las Vegan. "It's what's crucial to
me to continue playing this game, is to feel like I have a shot
if I play the best tennis at the right time."