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Notebook Young Americans come up short at Roland GarrosPosted: Friday May 30, 2003 1:30 AMPARIS (AP) -- The next wave of talent in American men's tennis failed to make much of a splash at the French Open. Of 13 U.S. players entered, only two will play in the third round beginning Friday: 33-year-old Andre Agassi and 28-year-old Vince Spadea. Among the Americans losing in the opening round were No 6-seeded Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent and Brian Vahaly. No. 24 James Blake lost in the second round Thursday. All are 23 or younger, all have improved their rankings since the start of the year, and all expected to do better at Roland Garros. "We're all struggling right now," Blake said. "At least we went through it together." U.S. men have a long history of faring poorly at the French Open. They went from 1955 (Tony Trabert) to 1989 (Michael Chang) without a champion. The American touted by many as the greatest player ever, Pete Sampras, never even reached a French final. The problem, Blake said, is that Americans don't grow up playing on clay, while many Europeans and South Americans do. "We're supposedly world-class athletes," he said. "Even world-class athletes can't adjust in one week or two weeks to something the other guys have been doing for their whole life. That makes it difficult." Blake said he wants to start practicing more on clay, and he pledged to do better on the surface next year. Todd Martin, another American eliminated Thursday, predicted that the plateau encountered by his young compatriots will be temporary. "This period is a big challenge for our younger players," he said. "I think they're up to it. Their games are certainly up to it." GO DUCKS: Lindsay Davenport has a rooting interest at the French Open: the Mighty Ducks. Davenport lives in Laguna Beach, Calif., and grew up a big hockey fan. She finds her favorite team playing in the Stanley Cup final while she's playing nine time zones away at Roland Garros. "I've had season tickets for about five years," Davenport said with a laugh Thursday. "This was the first year I got rid of them because they were so bad." She's back on the bandwagon: Davenport attended Anaheim's final two games in the Western Conference finals, both victories over Minnesota. OUT BUT NOT DOWN: Setbacks are relative, as Corina Morariu knows all to well. The French Open marked the first time she played singles since rotator cuff surgery late last year. It's her second Grand Slam event since returning from leukemia. Morariu lost in the second round Thursday to Paola Suarez 6-1, 6-1. "It was a tough day for me," she said. "But two years ago I had an oxygen mask and seven IV's sustaining my life." Morariu teamed with Lindsay Davenport to win the doubles title at Roland Garros in 1999. "I've played competitively for so long, I still want to succeed," she said. "But I have the perspective of knowing that if it doesn't work out, it could have been much worse." BIRTHDAY BLUES: Two players celebrated birthdays Thursday at the French Open -- and both left without the present of choice. Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, who turned 25, lost on center court to Fernando Vicente, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-3. Australian Evie Dominikovic, 23, gave Venus Williams a scare before losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. "I got a special present like that on my birthday once, too," Williams said. "I know what it's like." Williams was beaten on her 18th birthday in 1998 by Natasha Zvereva at Eastbourne, England. |
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