Sunday, 2 December, 2001, 15:14 GMT
Escude looking for lift-off
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/1687777.stm

Nicolas Escude confirmed himself as the star of this
year's Davis Cup by leading France to victory in
Australia.
He took his singles record in the tournament to six wins
and no defeats by beating world number one Lleyton Hewitt
and then Wayne Arthurs in the deciding rubber.

But the Frenchman has only occasionally reproduced such
scintillating form on the ATP Tour - and Guy Forget,
France's David Cup captain, says it is time for his
countryman to put that right..

"I think his record of 8-0 speaks for itself. I just wish
I could see him with the same attitude on the tour all
year long," said Forget.

"He wants to win every point (in Davis Cup). He is so
focused, so positive all the time, but you don't see
that too often on tour."

Since turning professional in 1995, there is no doubt
Escude has underachieved.

He has just two titles to his name, the first coming in
Toulouse two years ago and the second in Rotterdam in
February.

The big-match temperament that is so evident in the
Davis Cup has briefly surfaced on the tour.

Escude gave Australia a warning of his potential on grass
when he beat Hewitt in the last 16 at Wimbledon in July,
before pushing Andre Agassi hard in the quarter-finals.

But despite seeing off the likes of Roger Federer, Yevgeny
Kafelnikov, Tim Henman and Marat Safin on tour this year,
there have been plenty of disappointments.

Defeats to such low-profile players as Bob Bryan, George
Bastl, Alex Calatrava and David Nalbandian betrayed a lack
of concentration.

"Sometimes he seems to be in a dream period in a match and
he loses it for three or four games," said Forget. "He knows
he has got to work on that."

And after finishing the season with four successive
first-round defeats, Escude admits it is time for him to
reproduce his stunning Davis Cup form on a more regular
basis.

"I would like to do the same thing on tour," said Escude.
"I think this weekend is going to help me for next year for
sure."