- Title: FRANCE: PREVIEW OF OPEN TENNIS.
- Date: 26th May 2002
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 26, 2002) REUTERS - ACCESS ALL 1. ROLAND GARROS 2. FLAG WITH ROLAND GARROS LOGO 3. BOARD ADVERTISING TOURNAMENT 4. PEOPLE WALKING AROUND IN ROLLAND GARROS 5. TROPHY INSIDE CRYSTAL BOX 6. PEOPLE WALKING AROUND IN ROLAND GARROS (VARIOUS) 7. MARAT SAFIN ARRIVING TO TRAINING, SURROUNDED BY FANS AND SECURITY 8. GIRLS TAKING PICTURES OF SAFIN 9. MARAT SAFIN TRAINING (VARIOUS) 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARAT SAFIN SAYING: "I was injured, and had problems with my back for the last couple of days but I probably think I will be able to play here and I'm looking forward to start with good results and do something good here. I think [clay] is good, I like the surface, every time I play here I make some good results; here it's quite easy to play well, quite easy to make good results here because the courts are perfect, the crowd is good, and it's a beautiful city, so everything is helping you." 11. TIM HENMAN TRAINING (VARIOUS) 12. CHILDREN WATCHING HENMAN PLAY 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIM HENMAN SAYING: "I feel physically and mentally great. It's been my best clay court season so far and I'm coming to Roland Garros with confidence. But I've never been passed the first round and that's certainly my goal. I think I got a good chance." 14. TIM HENMAN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS (VARIOUS) 15. THOMAS JOHANSSON TRAINING (VARIOUS) 16. PEOPLE WATCHING JOHANSSON PLAY 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THOMAS JOHANSSON SAYING: "I've always been struggling this time of the year, but this year I've made the quarter final in Montecarlo and then I had a good week last week, so I think I can win a couple of matches here. 18. PEOPLE WALKING AROUND INSIDE ROLAND GARROS. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 10th June 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA698LF5V6OCAWKBMCD87JYHG4F
- Story Text: The French Open begins on Monday (May 27) and the
battle for the men's title looks set to be one of the toughest
for years.
The French Open - the second grand slam of the
season - gets underway at the Stade Roland Garos in Paris on
Monday, and this year the men's event is wide open.
The top men's seed is Lleyton Hewitt, who faces a tough
first week as his quarter of the draw is by far the most
difficult of the Paris title favourites. Australian Hewitt,
the world number one, was handed an easy first opponent in
little-known Brazilian Andre Sa.
Second seed Marat Safin of Russia is drawn against the
French crowd and wild card entrant Michael Llodra, one of
French tennis's big hopes.
But Safin, runner-up in Hamburg on clay and a former world
number one, could miss the tournament after he pulled out of
his World Team Cup singles final match against Argentina's
Jose Acasuso with a back injury on Saturday.
Safin said the pain was caused by an irritated nerve
between his ribs. He added that the problem was not linked
to an injury he had last year which he said was more abdominal
than back related.
"I was injured, and had problems with my back for the last
couple of days but I probably think I will be able to play
here," said the 22-year-old Russian.
If Safin is fit to play, he has all the tools to win at
Roland Garros. But his fiery temperament could be his
undoing.
World number six Tim Henman, who has never made it past
the third round at Roland Garros, faces Spain's Galo Blanco
in the first round.
Three times a Wimbledon semifinalist, Henman's game is best
suited to grass but he has made major strides on clay this
year, reaching the Monte Carlo semifinals last month. On
Friday, Henman beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov at the World Team Cup,
boosting his confidence on clay and showing that he has
mastered the surface.
"I feel physically and mentally great. It's been my best
clay court season so far and I'm coming to Roland Garros with
confidence. But I've never been passed the third round and
that's certainly my goal. I think I got a good chance," said
the number six seed.
The clash between Australian Open winner Thomas Johansson
and former French semifinalist Franco Squillari is probably
the highlight match of the men's first round.
Johansson, seeded ninth, surprised everyone when he
triumphed at the Australian Open in January but clay is not
his strong surface. He has never progressed beyond the second
round in six appearances.
" I've always been struggling this time of the year, but
this year I've made the quarter final in Monte Carlo and then
I had a good week last week, so I think I can win a couple of
matches here." said the Swede.
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