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Time to rest Davenport hopes back is better for Wimbledon
Posted: Wednesday May 31, 2000 02:15 PM
PARIS (Reuters) -- Second-seeded American Lindsay Davenport, hampered by a back injury, tumbled out of the French Open in the first round Wednesday and immediately set her sights on Wimbledon. The 23-year-old world No. 2 lost, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, to Belgium's Dominique Van Roost but is determined to put the defeat behind her and defend her grass court crown next month. Davenport is returning to the United States for treatment on her back, which hampered her Roland Garros performance. She picked up the injury in Rome earlier this month and had to withdraw from the Madrid Open last week. Now she needs rest. "The doctor did everything he could to get me ready ... he did a great job but unfortunately this came a week too early for me. It was just really tough for me today. I couldn't serve ... I was in big trouble. "I was thinking 'Can you give up?' But I've never given up before ... never retired injured. Maybe it would be a possibility if I was in that position again." She now has three-and-a-half weeks to get ready to defend her Wimbledon crown and is sure that will be enough time to get back in top condition. "Obviously grass represents another challenge for my back but I think I will be okay. "I have to calm down now and try to get strong again. "I want to walk out on my first match at Wimbledon, on Center Court, thinking 'I can win this thing.' "Unfortunately that was not the case here. Here it was more like 'Gosh, I hope I can survive out there ... get through it.'" Davenport said she had wonderful memories of Wimbledon. "It is a great surface for me," she said. The tall American did not leave Roland Garros empty-handed, though. A panel of international tennis journalists awarded her the Prix Orange -- a prize for the most approachable and friendly player on the circuit. "I guess that's the only prize I'll be taking out of here," she laughed. "But hopefully one day I'll bring home another trophy from Paris."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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