http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Escude Sees off Swiss Rosset

Henry Wancke

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Nicolas Escude of France, the 16th seed, progressed to
the third round after negotiating a potentially tricky
encounter with the Swiss veteran, Marc Rosset, 6-2, 5-7,
7-5, 6-4.

Rosset, at 31, is in the twilight of his career but at
6ft 7inches tall remains a formidable player when his
net game and serve are in full swing, as they were today
on Court No.1.

During the fifth game of the fourth set, Rosset sent down
a serve recorded at 138 mph. But however powerful he was -
he struck 19 aces during the match - he could not completely
overwhelm his French opponent, who at 26, had the extra
stamina to wear him down with his own equally effective
grass court game.

Escude, who received attention to an abdominal problem during
his first round win over British junior Alex Bogdanovic, did
not seem greatly hampered by the injury during the two hours
and 38 minutes match. On several occasions, however, he was
seen checking his strapping.

The injury may have restricted his service action slightly as
he was foot faulted on several occasions. Even so, he kept his
nerve and advanced reasonably comfortably 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
for a third round meeting with the unseeded Russian, Mikhail
Youzhny.