http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Youzhny Reaches Fourth Round

Barry Newcombe

Saturday, June 29, 2002

Nicolas Escude, the Frenchman who beat the world No. 1 and
Wimbledon top seed Lleyton Hewitt twice on grass last year,
was beaten in the third round today by the unseeded Russian,
Mikhail Youzhny.

The 20-year-old Youzhny won 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 on No.1 Court
and now will face Hewitt if the Australian wins his third
round match.

Escude came into the tournament as a potential threat to Hewitt
because he had defeated him at Wimbledon last year and again
in the Davis Cup final played on grass in Melbourne in December.

But Escude had been suffering from an abdominal muscle strain
that forced him to retire in a tournament in the Netherlands
in the week毪efore Wimbledon.

Youzhny, whose birthday was on June 25, achieved his best placing
in a Grand Slam with today's victory. Although the second澵set
slipped away from him rapidly, he was well in control of his
tactics in the other three and his consistent serving and returns
gained their rewards.

In the final game, Escude went match point down and was then
beaten by a service return as Youzhny maintained his role as
the lone Russian survivor.

Youzhny had his best performance of last year at Wimbledon where
he reached the fourth round before being defeated by the eventual
finalist, Pat Rafter.