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Mental letdown

Norman blows lead, bows out in first round

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Magnus Norman served for the match at 5-3 in the third set before faltering. AP

PARIS (Reuters) -- Ninth seed Magnus Norman threw away a two-set lead on his way out of the French Open on Tuesday, losing 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 to Spain's David Sanchez in the first round.

"I lost my confidence out there, it is really tough if that happens," the Swede said afterwards.

Norman, runner-up at Roland Garros last year, started brightly on Court Two and appeared to be heading for a straightforward win.

He served for the match at 5-3 in the third set and was two points from victory.

Sanchez refused to buckle, however, fighting back and clinching victory on his second match point when Norman dumped a backhand into the net.

"It is just a really tough competition if you hesitate. I am very happy that I was in the final last year but I tried to forget that and get on with this year," Norman said.

"I just couldn't do it this time.

"It's hard if you start losing a couple of first-round matches -- you wonder what you are doing wrong and what is different.

Timely upset PARIS (Reuters) -- David Sanchez used his shock French Open victory over Magnus Norman on Tuesday to get himself out of a tricky family situation. "My mother was the first person to call after the game," the 23-year-old Spaniard said after his 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 win against the Swedish ninth seed. It was her birthday today and she said, "That's a nice present for me." "I said yes, but the truth is that I hadn't remembered her birthday at all. This will be in the papers tomorrow but that's okay. I'm asking for forgiveness now."

"I was two points from the win. I haven't won too many matches recently and that really played on my mind.

"He noticed that and really made me pay for it."

Norman has now won only three matches in his last seven tournaments, stretching back to the Indian Wells Masters in March.

His claycourt form, in particular, has been poor, with defeats in the second round at the Monte Carlo Masters, the first round in Barcelona and the Rome Masters and the second round of last week's Hamburg Masters.

"It is just hard to explain what happens when your confidence goes," Norman said. "You start to think too much about things and this is what is happening."

The 23-year-old Sanchez next plays his compatriot Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion.

 

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