|
Still looking out for No. 1
Rios misses chance at top ranking with loss to Moya
Posted: Tuesday June 02, 1998 10:11 PM
| |
Chasing No. 1 can be exhausting for Marcelo Rios () |
PARIS (AP) -- Marcelo Rios was tantalizingly close to regaining the No. 1 ranking in tennis. All he had to do was reach the semifinals at the French Open.
One problem: Carlos Moya.
The Spaniard used all his weapons Tuesday to defeat Rios 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. He spoiled not only the Chilean's chance for the French title -- one he was in excellent position to win -- but also his chance to reclaim the No. 1 spot he took from Pete Sampras for a month.
"I wasn't thinking about it," Rios said. "I was thinking about the match."
But his fans certainly were thinking about it. With every point he won, they waved a giant Chilean flag. "Viva Chile!" they chanted during changeovers.
Rios has been the tour's dominant player this season, with five titles and a 36-4 record. His baseline game is suited to clay, and he hits his groundstrokes with great power, often jumping on one foot to whack the ball.
He overtook Sampras on March 30, and became the first South American to reach No. 1 since the computerized rankings started in 1973.
Sampras recaptured the No. 1 spot a month later, but Rios was confident for Paris. And many favored him to win, even before the early exits of Sampras and No. 2 Petr Korda.
"This to me is Rios' tournament to win or lose," John McEnroe said before the tournament.
But French Open is often a favorite's curse. Last year, Alex Corretja refused to name a favorite, explaining that if he did so, that person would lose.
Moya, the No. 12 seed, has been ranked as high as fifth, but is now 12th and aiming to return to the top 10.
He became the talk of tennis at last year's Australian Open -- for both his dashing looks and talent. He upset defending champion Boris Becker in the first round, then went straight through to the final, where he lost to Sampras.
But except for that tournament, the 21-year-old had never gone past the second round of any Grand Slam event. And at Roland Garros, he hadn't gotten past the second round in two previous visits.
Moya was at the top of his game Tuesday, especially his serves.
With Moya leading two sets to one, a crucial moment came in the fourth set at 4-4, 15-15. Rios was serving. Moya hit a shot and Rios let it go, thinking the ball had bounced twice on Moya's side. But the referee said it hadn't.
Rios lost the point, the game and his concentration.
"Maybe if I won that game, the match would have been different," he said
Moya knew the meaning of that point.
"It was bad for him," he said.
Rios went on to delight his fans by saving three match points in the last game, including a net cord. But the Spaniard fired an ace to set up the fourth match point, and Rios netted his final shot.
Now Moya is the highest seed left on the men's side. There are only three seeds remaining, and all three are Spaniards, who excel on clay. The others are the No. 14 Alex Corretja and the No. 15 Felix Mantilla, whom Moya plays in the semis on Friday.
Mantilla and Moya are buddies.
"We're going to be friends until Friday," he said. "When we get to the court, I will try to kill him."
| 
