http://championships.wimbledon.org/
Todd Martin Falls Flat

Henry Wancke

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

The big serve was definitely not working, much to the
consternation of the big American Todd Martin. Having
reached the semi-finals twice in previous years, his
second round exit to Arnaud Clement was unexpected but,
with his armoury misfiring, and the Frenchman playing
some smart tennis, Martin fell in straight sets.

For a player who has a reputation of grinding matches
out , he has come back from two sets down on eight previous
occasions and won 20 out of 33 five-set matches, his 6-3,
6-4, 7-6 (7-2) loss was surprising.

But whilst Clement is not an acknowledged grass court
player, he did arrive on No. 18 Court with the same number
of wins and losses on grass this year as his better known
opponent, namely 4-1, courtesy of last week's final
appearance at Rosmalen. It was his first final since reaching
the championship round at the Australian Open last year.

There was no denying that on the day, Clement was the better
player. The longer the rallies went on, the better the chance
of his winning the point. And he wasn't wary of approaching
the net to kill off a point when the opportunities arose.

But despite his dominating position, the 24-year-old Frenchman
faltered in the dying stages of the third. Martin saved a
match-point in the ninth, levelled to love and hung on for
the tie-breaker.

That proved to be his last defiant stand. Shaking his head
in frustration, he could do little to stem the French tide
that was set off when he netted a weak shot. That was the first
mini-break, and he was forced to accept his fate when two more
followed.