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Recuperation and resolve Kuerten, Ferrero likely to sit out Wimbledon
Updated: Friday June 08, 2001 3:03 PM
PARIS (Reuters) -- World No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten will almost certainly not play at Wimbledon later this month, he said on Friday. The Brazilian, who reached the third round last year, plans to rest, he said after reaching the French Open final. "I have played so much tennis to get to this stage... last year I played at Wimbledon and got sick... it was not so good an experience," he said after beating Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the French semifinals. "Maybe this year I will have a little break that I didn't have [last year]." When asked if he had made a firm decision to miss the grasscourt Grand Slam event, Kuerten said: "Yes. I think it is almost sure. "I definitely need the break... some time to talk with my doctors, see how I am. "I think to rest for only three or four days and to start to practice on grass to play in Wimbledon would be too much for me." Kuerten's plans to rest remove him from the row surrounding the seeding system at Wimbledon. He had earlier said he would support any boycott of the tournament organized in protest at the seeding. Wimbledon, threatened with a revolt by top players, scrapped the committee it uses to decide seeds for the men's singles in April. The grass court tournament will not, however, adhere strictly to ATP rankings when deciding seeds and is still seeking a compromise to head off a possible boycott by claycourt specialists. The tournament has resisted players' demands to stick to the ATP Tour's 12-month rankings when determining seeds. Ferrero earlier said he would not play at Wimbledon unless the seeding system was changed. "I've always had a positive intention to play Wimbledon," the Spaniard said at Roland Garros. "At the start of the season it was one of tournaments I marked with a little cross, but I've already said that if they don't put the seedings where they should be I won't play," added Ferrero, who lies fourth in the ATP's 12-month rankings. Ferrero pulled out of last year's Wimbledon with a back injury, but fellow Spanish claycourt specialists Alex Corretja and Albert Costa decided not to play in the tournament because they were not seeded. The two were upset that their world rankings, based on all results in the past 12 months, were not used to determine the seedings, with preference given to grasscourt specialists. Corretja, who plays Kuerten in Sunday's men's singles final, also said he would wait to see what happened with the seedings before making a decision. "As I've said before, I'll take a decision after this tournament," Corretja said. "I would love to play Wimbledon. I mean, there's no reason not to play but I also need to see what they do with the seeding situation. "It would be nice for my career to be able to play on grass."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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