Escude sends out powerful warning after gentle return

Frenchman triumphs in Qatar after six months out injured while
former coach belittles British No 2's claim of support in drugs case

By John Roberts in Doha
12 January 2004

It seemed fitting that Nicolas Escude should win the fourth title of his
career in the desert here at the Qatar Open on Saturday after spending six
months in the wilderness.

When a hip injury caused Escude to hobble out of the second round at
Wimbledon last June, bringing another pain-ridden season to a conclusion,
the 27-year-old Frenchman decided to close his mind to tennis for the
subsequent four months.

Escude had already decided to appoint a new coach to replace his compatriot
Arnaud Casagrande, who had guided his career for four and a half years, but
as with everything else to do with hitting balls over a net, he put any
further thoughts on the subject on hold.

In contrast to the indomitable Austrian Thomas Muster, who famously turned
up at tournaments as a spectator on crutches to keep in touch with the game
while recovering from leg damage inflicted by a hit-and-run driver in Miami
in 1989, Escude switched off. "I saw a lot of my family, I took a holiday, I
went to Amsterdam to see my brother, I did all the things I don't have time
to do when I am playing tennis," Escude said after defeating Ivan Ljubicic,
of Croatia, in the final here, 6-3, 7-6.

"After four months I was ready to start physical training with a new coach,"
Escude continued. "I took a piece of white paper and a pen and wrote down all
the things I was looking for in a coach. Thierry Champion was the man."

Champion, a French former ATP Tour player, had previously coached Hicham
Arazi, of Morocco - indeed, he was lucky not to be reprimanded by the umpire
for illegally shouting instructions to Arazi during the deciding rubber
against Britain's Greg Rusedski in the Davis Cup relegation tie in Casablanca
last September.

"Having Thierry with me gives me a very good feeling," Escude said. "There
is a good atmosphere when we are on the court. We talk about improvements
and about my approach to matches. But Thierry didn't change my game. I
played the same way as I played before."

Escude's game is not easy to tinker with. A natural left-hander, he was
trained as a child to play tennis right-handed while remaining left-handed
in other respects. Although Escude was taught to play on clay courts, he
developed an attacking style, much to his nation's gratitude in 2001, when
he defeated Wayne Arthurs in the deciding rubber to win the Davis Cup final
on grass in Australia.

Some of your correspondent's French colleagues contend that Escude's game
would prosper on his home clay courts, which are slower, if he were more
inclined to go to the net.

"I play exactly the same way on clay," Escude insisted. "I always come in
behind my first serve. On clay it's difficult to come to the net on your
first and second serves. It's dangerous when you play against very good
players who can pass you.

"I play the same game on clay and hard courts and on indoor courts. Grass
is different. I serve-and-volley on first and second serve. Grass is a
typical surface. Some players don't have the footwork to play well on grass.
For me, grass is about playing at the net. I play better on faster courts."

Given a wild card to compete on the rubberised-concrete courts at the Qatar
Open (although listed at No 114, he was given a protected ranking of No 63
for eight tournaments on returning from injury), Escude won without dropping
a set.

Ljubicic, whose potent served helped him overcome Britain's Tim Henman in
the semi-finals, was asked if he thought Escude was capable of improving
on a quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon in 2001. "If he stays healthy,"
Ljubicic said. "His only problem is physical."