Srichaphan Scores Epic Win
Paradorn Srichaphan bowed to the No.2 Court crowd and kissed the surface
after defeating Frenchman Olivier Mutis 4-6, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 7-5 in
a three hours and 30 minutes second round epic. The 12th seed's relief
was palpable because Mutis challenged him the whole way.
Mutis was ready for the match. He had won his first match on grass
since his Junior Wimbledon triumph eight years ago when he defeated 1996
senior Champion Richard Krajicek in the Dutchman's final match before
retirement at the Continental Championships in Holland last week.
The 25-year-old lost in the opening round of qualifiers for The
Championships in 2000 and 2001 but fine form saw him raise his ranking
to 78 and a place in this year's main draw. And the fleet-footed Frenchman
underlined his improvement with a debut victory against Franco Squillari
from Argentina.
Srichaphan, in the midst of an erratic season, felt the Mutis force
early on. The Thai was broken in the opening game of the first set and
looked frustrated. He went into Wimbledon hoping his surprise win over
Andre Agassi in last year's third round would inspire him but when he went
two sets his confidence began to desert him.
When he was 5-1 up in the third it seemed as if the confidence had returned.
But Mutis came back to force a tiebreak which Srichaphan managed to win 7-4.
Mutis surged to a 4-2 lead in the fourth and even served for the match.
Srichaphan, roaring himself on, came back to level the match. The Thai had
three points for a 5-3 lead in the fifth but the white-capped Frenchman,
flinging himself from side to side, refused to let it go.
Something had to give and it eventually did when Scrichaphan took the first
of two match points on the Mutis serve.
Written by Mike Donovan
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