Nalbandian crashes to French qualifier
By David Tutton
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Eighth seed David Nalbandian was bundled out of Roland-Garros 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-2
1-6 by local hero Nicolas Coutelot in a tumultuous encounter out on court No7.
The Argentinean looked all washed up at two sets to love down, but rallied to
two sets all before crashing and burning in the fifth.
For Coutelot, this career-best win goes a long way to dull the pain of last
year's third round loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero. He was two-sets-to-love and a
break up against the future finalist but was unable to close out the match and
suffered a morale-sapping defeat that was the prelude to a horrific losing
streak.
A spiral of defeats led to depression and financial worries - in short a
horrible year for the 204-ranked Frenchman. So to re-emerge from the depths to
qualify, and then to finally put the Ferrero nightmare behind him is a mighty
achievement indeed.
Memories of last year's loss (and its catastrophic consequences) must have come
flooding back though, as Nalbandian staged a remarkable comeback.
Strangely out of sorts, last year's Wimbledon finalist had to call on the
physio several times during the match. In his diminished state, with the score
at 3-6 3-6 3-4, and at 0-30 on his own serve, he seemed to be staring a
straight set defeat in the face.
Then, out of nowhere, he suddenly found his aim and starting picking the
Frenchman off at will. He rallied to take the next three games and the set. The
fourth was a one-way affair, Nalbandian winning it 6-2 in 27 minutes. But
Coutelot must have been taking a breather, because he ripped into the eighth
seed in the fifth set, racing to a 5-1 lead.
A moment of controversy ensued in the final game, when the Argentinean smashed
his racket into the clay with Coutelot at 30-0. He had already been warned and
risked a penalty point being awarded to his opponent, something Coutelot was
quick to point to the umpire. No action was taken, but Nalbandian was clearly
rattled at the Frenchman's intervention, and after Coutelot served out at 40-30
to win the match the two had a heated debate.
The lowly ranked qualifier was a more than worthy winner though, and now looks
forward to an all-French third round encounter with No32 seed Arnaud Clement.
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