Guga gone

Kuerten bows out in second round ... again

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Gustavo Kuerten's Australian Open jinx continued on Thursday when the Brazilian suffered a fifth-set meltdown to lose 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to Czech Radek Stepanek in the second round.

But the three-time French Open champion, who has now failed to progress past the second round in Melbourne in seven attempts, refused to be downcast after a marathon match lasting three hours and 47 minutes.

"So far, I haven't played my best tennis at this tournament, but I was close to winning this match," he said. "I didn't play bad. A couple of shots here and there and the result could have been different."

But the 26-year-old Kuerten, who looked to have dug himself out of a hole after going up two sets to one, admitted that time could be running out for him to mount a real challenge at the Australian Open.

"I have never thought I've played my game at this tournament so far," he said. "I always struggle to get my rhythm going."

"I just need a breakthrough in the [early] rounds here and hopefully it will come. But the years are going by, so it had better come quick or it will be finished."

The wily Stepanek, who won their only other meeting at the Paris Open last year, wore Kuerten down with some inspirational shot-making as the No. 30 seed wilted in the blistering heat.

The Czech world No. 69 secured the crucial break in the seventh game of the deciding set when he forced Kuerten into a loose forehand.

He next meets top seed Lletyon Hewitt or his fellow Australian Todd Larkham, who clash in the evening session later on Thursday.

"I played two bad shots when I had chances to open a lead in the fifth set," said Kuerten. "Those are the mistakes that stick in my mind, but I'm not worried about the way I'm playing."

Kuerten became the first South American to finish No. 1 in the ATP rankings in 2000 but has slipped to 29th after spending much of last season recovering from hip surgery.

He said he was ready to begin his climb back to the top of the rankings this season and -- before Thursday's setback -- had started the year in the best possible way with victory at the Auckland Open.

"Last year was very unusual," he said "But this year I will play the tournaments I want to play and be ready to [achieve] my goals, not like last year. This will be the year I can get back and be closer to the top again."

Kuerten, whose best showings at the U.S. Open were quarterfinal appearances in 1999 and 2001, also held out hope that he could still win a hardcourt Grand Slam title in the future.

"For me, any slam would be special. My chances are always better on clay, but if I could do it on a hardcourt it would be wonderful, like a dream come true," he said.

 

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