2007 ROLAND
GARROS
DAY SIX MEN’S
NOTES
Friday 1 June
2007
Third Round Top
Half
Featured matches
No. 1 Roger
Federer (SUI) v
Potito Starace (ITA)
No. 4 Nikolay
Davydenko (RUS)
v Michael Llodra
(FRA)
No. 7 Ivan
Ljubicic v No.
29 Filippo
Volandri (ITA)
No. 9 Tommy
Robredo (ESP) v
Janko Tipsarevic
(SRB)
No. 13 Mikhail
Youzhny (RUS) v
No. 17 Juan
Carlos Ferrero
(ESP)
No. 15 David
Nalbandian (ARG)
v Gael Monfils (FRA)
No. 19 Guillermo
Canas (ARG) v
Kristof Vliegen
(BEL)
Juan Monaco (ARG)
v (WC) Eduoard
Roger-Vasselin (FRA)
On court
today…
·
Top seed Roger
Federer has a
third career
meeting with
Potito Starace
as he bids to
advance to the
round of 16 for
the third year
in a row.
Starace is
attempting to be
the first
Italian to reach
the last 16
since 1995.
·
No. 4 seed
Nikolay
Davydenko bids
to extend a 2-0
record against
lefthander
Michael Llodra.
The Frenchman,
who by advancing
to the third
round has broken
a run of seven
straight first
round losses in
Grand Slam
events, is 1-9
against Top 5
opponents.
·
2006
semifinalist
Ivan Ljubicic
aims to reach
the Grand Slam
round of 16 for
just the third
time in his 31st
major. The Croat
plays Filippo
Volandri, who in
advancing to the
third round has
already equalled
his best Grand
Slam result.
·
Tommy Robredo,
who has only
failed to reach
the last 16 here
once, takes on
Janko Tipsarevic,
who has never
reached the last
16 at any major.
·
Former Roland
Garros champion
Juan Carlos
Ferrero, who has
not advanced
beyond the third
round since his
victory here in
2003. The
Spaniard faces
Russia’s Mikhail
Youzhny, who has
already reached
three finals
this year and is
currently ranked
at a career-high
No. 15.
·
No. 15 seed
David Nalbandian
attempts to win
three matches in
a tournament for
the first time
since the
Australian Open.
Standing in his
way is 2004
junior champion
Gael Monfils,
who is bidding
to reach the
round of 16 of
his home Grand
Slam tournament
for the second
successive year.
·
Costa do Sauipe
winner Guillermo
Canas has a
third career
meeting with
Kristof Vliegen.
The Belgian has
yet to reach the
round of 16 of a
major.
·
The third
Argentine in top
half action,
Portschach
champion Juan
Monaco, bids to
extend a
seven-match
winning streak
when he plays
French wild card
Edouard Roger-Vasselin,
who at No. 144
is the
lowest-ranked
man remaining in
the draw.
NO. 1 ROGER
FEDERER (SUI) v
POTITO STARACE (ITA)
Head-to-head:
Federer leads
2-0
2004 Gstaad
Clay
(O)
SF
Federer
63 36 63
2006 AMS
Rome Clay
(O)
R32
Federer
63 76
FEDERER
v
STARACE
25
Age
25
1
ATP Ranking
57
48
Titles
0
121-21
Career Grand
Slam Record
5-11
22-8
Roland Garros
Record
4-2
513-132
Career Record
57-59
98-35
Career Record -
Clay
48-38
26-4
2007 Record
16-12
12-2
2007 Record -
Clay
15-8
9-10
Career Five-Set
Record
1-4
3
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
0
191-108
Career Tiebreak
Record
22-14
7-3
2007 Tiebreak
Record
5-4
·
Federer
defeated Michael
Russell 64 62 64
in the first
round and French
wild card
Thierry Ascione
61 62 76 to
advance to the
Roland Garros
third round for
the sixth time.
·
Federer is
making his ninth
appearance at
Roland Garros,
having played
every year since
making his Grand
Slam debut as a
wild card in
1999.
·
On the five
previous
occasions that
Federer has
appeared in the
Roland Garros
third round, he
has only once
failed to
advance to the
round of 16. In
2004 as top
seed, he lost at
this stage to
Gustavo Kuerten
64 64 64. This
was the last
time that the
top seed lost in
the third round
here.
·
Federer has
entered his 174th
week at No. 1 in
the rankings,
having been at
the top every
week since 2
February 2004.
This is a record
for consecutive
weeks at No. 1 –
he overtook
Jimmy Connors’
mark of 160
straight weeks
on 26th
February.
Federer is in
fourth place for
the most total
weeks at No. 1,
behind Pete
Sampras (286
weeks), Ivan
Lendl (270
weeks) and
Connors (268).
·
Federer reached
the Roland
Garros final for
the first time
last year,
becoming the
seventh man in
the Open Era to
reach the final
at all four
Grand Slam
events (the
others are Andre
Agassi, Rod
Laver, Ken
Rosewall, Ivan
Lendl, Stefan
Edberg and Jim
Courier).
Federer’s loss
in the final to
defending
champion Rafael
Nadal 16 61 64
76 was one of
just five losses
for Federer in
2006, four of
which were to
Nadal (the fifth
was to Andy
Murray).
·
For the third
successive year,
Federer is
bidding at
Roland Garros to
become only the
sixth man in
history to win
all four Grand
Slam titles. The
five men to have
achieved the
‘career Grand
Slam’ are Andre
Agassi, Don
Budge, Roy
Emerson, Rod
Laver and Fred
Perry. Budge and
Laver, of
course, won the
much-coveted
Grand Slam,
Budge winning
all four major
tournaments in a
single calendar
year in 1938,
before Laver did
so in 1962 and
1969.
·
With his chances
of achieving
both a career
Grand Slam and a
true (calendar
year) Grand Slam
still alive,
Federer is also
bidding, for the
second
successive year,
to become just
the third man in
history to win
four majors in a
row. Of the five
men to win all
four majors in
their careers,
only Budge and
Laver held all
four titles at
the same time.
Perry, Emerson
and Agassi were
never able to
win four
consecutive
Grand Slam
tournaments.
·
In the 38 years
since Laver
completed his
second Grand
Slam in 1969,
Agassi is the
only man to have
been able to
capture the
elusive fourth
different major.
In that time, 11
other men have
collected three
of the four
major titles. In
every case, the
players failed
to win either
Roland Garros or
Wimbledon to
complete their
set. [For more
detail see
Preview page 3.]
·
Federer has
collected his
ten Grand Slam
titles in his
last 15 Grand
Slam
tournaments. En
route to the
2007 Australian
Open crown, he
advanced to his
11th
successive Grand
Slam semifinal,
setting a new
Open Era record
for consecutive
Grand Slam
semifinal
appearances. He
became the first
man to win a
Grand Slam title
without dropping
a set since
Bjorn Borg at
1980 Roland
Garros.
·
Although Federer
has won three
titles so far in
2007, by his
standards this
season has been
disappointing.
Before the start
of Roland
Garros, his
win-loss record
for the season
was only
seventh-best, at
24-4. Federer’s
victory at AMS
Hamburg broke a
run of four
straight
tournament
losses, his
longest streak
without winning
a title since
taking over the
No. 1 ranking in
February 2004.
After winning
the Australian
Open and Dubai,
Federer lost in
the second round
at AMS Indian
Wells to
Guillermo Canas
75 62 (after a
first round
bye), and again
to Canas, 76 26
76, in the round
of 16 at AMS
Miami. Federer
reached the
final at AMS
Monte Carlo
before losing to
Rafael Nadal,
and was then
upset by wild
card Filippo
Volandri 62 64
in the round of
16 at AMS Rome.
·
Federer’s recent
victory at
Hamburg was his
fourth win at
the tournament
and marked his
first defeat of
Rafael Nadal in
six clay court
meetings. He
defeated the
Spaniard 26 62
60 in the final
to improve his
career
head-to-head
against Nadal to
4-7.
·
Gustavo Kuerten
was the last No.
1 seed to win
Roland Garros,
in 2001. The top
seed has only
failed to
advance to the
round of 16 here
on seven
occasions in the
Open Era.
·
Starace
advanced to the
third round by
defeating Czech
qualifier Ivo
Minar 46 61 64
76 in the first
round and
Argentine Carlos
Berlocq 62 64 62
in the second
round.
·
In reaching the
third round
here, Starace
has already
equalled his
best result in a
Grand Slam event
and is today
bidding to reach
the round of 16
at a major for
the first time
in his career.
·
Starace’s only
previous third
round appearance
in a major came
here in 2004. As
a qualifier, he
defeated Dmitry
Tursunov 62 63
64 in the first
round and then
upset No. 10
seed Sebastien
Grosjean 76 63
64 in the second
round before
falling to Marat
Safin 67 64 36
75 75.
·
Starace’s
victory over
Minar in the
first round here
ended a run of
eight first
round losses at
majors. The last
time that
Starace won a
match at a major
was at the 2004
US Open, where
he defeated
Alexander Popp
in the first
round before
losing in five
sets to Olivier
Rochus.
·
This is
Starace’s third
Roland Garros
appearance. Last
year, he lost a
two-set lead to
lose in the
opening round to
Flavio Saretta
67 26 64 76 63.
He missed the
2005 event with
a sprained
ankle.
·
After a
disappointing
start to 2007,
when he only won
back-to-back
matches on one
occasion through
the end of
March, Starace
really hit form
during the
European clay
court season. He
reached the
first final of
his career at
Valencia (l.
Nicolas Almagro
46 62 61) and
backed this up
with a
quarterfinal
finish at
Barcelona (l.
Rafael Nadal 62
75).
·
Prior to
reaching the
final at
Valencia (see
above), Starace
won the Napoli
Challenger,
defeating Younes
El Aynaoui 75 62
in the final.
·
As a result of
his form during
the European
clay court
interview,
Starace hit a
new career-high
ranking of No.
53 on 21 May and
plays here at
No. 57.
·
Starace is one
of two Italians
through to the
third round at
this year’s
Roland Garros
along with No.
29 seed Filippo
Volandri, who
plays Ivan
Ljubicic today.
This is the
first time since
1999 that two
Italians have
advanced to the
third round
here.
·
Starace is
bidding to be
the first
Italian to reach
the round of 16
since Renzo
Furlan in 1995.
The last time
that two
Italians reached
the round of 16
here was in
1976.
·
Starace is
playing a Top 10
player for the
eighth time in
his career today
and has a 2-5
win-loss record
in his seven
encounters to
date. The
highest-ranked
player that
Starace has
defeated is the
then No.8-ranked
Carlos Moya.
Starace defeated
Moya in the
first round at
2005 AMS Rome.
NO. 4 NIKOLAY
DAVYDENKO (RUS)
v MICHAEL LLODRA
(FRA)
Head-to-head:
Davydenko leads
2-0
2005 AMS
Hamburg
Clay
(O)
R64
Davydenko
61 61
2005
Metz
Hard
(I)
R16
Davydenko
64 64
This is their
third meeting,
and second on
clay. Llodra has
yet to take a
set off
Davydenko.
DAVYDENKO
v
LLODRA
25*
Age
27
4
ATP Ranking
87
10
Titles
1
39-24
Career Grand
Slam Record
12-22
14-6
Roland Garros
Record
5-7
234-175
Career Record
66-98
111-70
Career Record -
Clay
8-19
25-14
2007 Record
7-9
10-6
2007 Record -
Clay
2-2
7-5
Career Five-Set
Record
1-6
3
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
0
61-64
Career Tiebreak
Record
29-48
9-8
2007 Tiebreak
Record
2-3
*
Turns 26 on 2
June
·
Davydenko
was the only man
to complete a
first round
match on Monday,
defeating
Stefano Galvani
63 61 61. He
defeated Werner
Eschauer 75 63
61 in the second
round.
·
Davydenko is
playing his
seventh Roland
Garros. He
reached the
quarterfinals
here last year,
losing to David
Nalbandian 63 63
26 64.
·
Davydenko
reached his
first Grand Slam
semifinal at
2005 Roland
Garros before
losing to
eventual
runner-up
Mariano Puerta
63 57 26 64 64.
He matched that
by reaching the
semifinals at
the 2006 US
Open, losing to
eventual
champion Roger
Federer 61 75
64.
·
Prior to
reaching the
semifinals here
in 2005 (see
above),
Davydenko had
never previously
advanced beyond
the Roland
Garros second
round, losing at
that stage on
his first three
appearances.
·
Davydenko played
at Portschach
last week,
having won the
title in Austria
for the past two
years. This time
however, as No.
1 seed, he lost
in the
quarterfinals to
eventual
champion Juan
Monaco 62 67 64.
·
Davydenko’s best
result on clay
so far this year
was reaching the
semifinals at
AMS Rome, where
he defeated
Tommy Robredo 16
63 63 in the
quarterfinals
before losing to
eventual
champion Rafael
Nadal 76 67 64
in a match
lasting three
hours, 38
minutes. Two
weeks earlier,
he had reached
the
quarterfinals at
Barcelona, but
gave a walkover
in that round
due to a wrist
injury.
·
Davydenko’s best
results on all
surfaces this
season have been
semifinal
finishes,
reaching the
last four at
Doha and indoors
at Rotterdam,
both on hard
court, before
doing so at AMS
Rome. He was
also a
quarterfinalist
for the third
successive year
at the
Australian Open
(l. Tommy Haas
63 26 16 61 75).
·
Llodra
defeated
countryman
Nicolas Devilder
64 63 63 in the
first round, and
upset No. 32
seed and
Valencia
champion Nicolas
Almagro 26 62 67
64 64 in the
second round.
·
Llodra’s second
round defeat of
Almagro was the
first five-set
win of his
career. He was
0-6 in
five-setters
before it,
including a 67
46 64 63 97
defeat by Tim
Henman in the
round of 16 at
2004 Roland
Garros.
·
This is Llodra’s
eighth
successive
Roland Garros
appearance and
he is bidding to
equal his best
result at this
event, achieved
when he reached
the round of 16
as a wild card
in 2004, losing
at that stage to
Henman as
detailed above.
This year and
2004 are the
only times he
has advanced
beyond the first
round at Roland
Garros.
·
The round of 16
is Llodra’s best
finish at any
Grand Slam
event. As well
as reaching that
stage here three
years ago, he
also advanced to
the last 16 at
the 2004 US
Open, losing to
Joachim
Johansson 62 63
62.
·
Llodra’s
progress to the
third round here
has broken a run
of seven
straight
first-round
losses in Grand
Slam
tournaments. The
last time he
played in the
third round of a
major was en
route to a round
of 16 finish at
the 2004 US Open
(see above).
Llodra has in
fact lost in the
first round of a
Grand Slam
tournament a
total of 16
times in 22
majors played
ahead of this
one.
·
Llodra is the
only lefthander
to reach the
third round in
the top half of
the draw.
·
Llodra has a 1-9
win-loss record
against Top 5
opponents. His
only victory was
defeating No. 3
Guillermo Coria
in the 2004
’s-Hertogenbosch
final, to claim
his only career
singles title.
·
Llodra’s best
tour result in
2007 ahead of
Roland Garros
was reaching the
quarterfinals at
Zagreb, and
advancing to the
third round at
AMS Miami. He
was also
runner-up on
indoor hard
court at the
Heilbronn
Challenger (GER)
(l. Michael
Berrer 65 ret.
in the final.)
·
Llodra is
attempting to
win three
tour-level
matches in a row
for the first
time since June
2005, when he
had four
victories to
reach the
semifinals at
’s-Hertogenbosch.
He is attempting
to win three
consecutive
tour-level clay
court matches
for the first
time since
advancing to the
last 16 here
three years ago.
·
Llodra was
runner-up in the
2004 Roland
Garros men’s
doubles with
Fabrice Santoro
(l. Xavier
Malisse/Olivier
Rochus 75 75 in
the final). He
is playing
doubles here
with countryman
Arnaud Clement,
and the No.
10-seeded pair
were still to
play their first
round match at
time of writing.
NO. 7 IVAN
LJUBICIC (CRO) v
NO. 29 FILIPPO
VOLANDRI (ITA)
Head-to-head:
Ljubicic leads
3-0
2003
Basle
Carpet
(I)
R32
Ljubicic
63 36 62
2006 AMS
Miami Hard
(O)
R32
Ljubicic
62 63
2007 AMS
Miami Hard
(O)
R64
Ljubicic
63 62
LJUBICIC
v
VOLANDRI
28
Age
25
7
ATP Ranking
34
7
Titles
2
28-30
Career Grand Slam Record
8-16
10-7
Roland Garros Record
5-4
306-199
Career Record
126-112
73-59
Career Record - Clay
116-68
26-11
2007 Record
12-11
5-4
2007 Record - Clay
11-6
7-13
Career Five-Set Record
1-2
3
Comebacks from 0-2 Down
0
149-152
Career Tiebreak Record
25-34
16-11
2007 Tiebreak Record
2-5
·
Ljubicic
defeated Arnaud
Clement 61 75 76
in the first
round and
Stanislas
Wawrinka 64 63
67 63 in the
second.
·
Ljubicic is
making his
eighth
successive
appearance at
Roland Garros
and turned
things around at
last year’s
tournament.
Having never
previously
advanced beyond
the third round,
and having lost
in the first
round on four
occasions, he
broke through to
reach his first
Grand Slam
semifinal.
Ljubicic
defeated Julien
Benneteau 62 62
63 in the
quarterfinals
before losing to
eventual
champion Rafael
Nadal 64 62 76.
This is his best
performance in a
major to date.
·
This is
Ljubicic’s third
third-round
appearance at
Roland Garros.
As well as last
year, he also
reached this
stage in 2003,
falling to Jiri
Novak 64 75 36
62.
·
In his 30
previous majors
before this one,
Ljubicic has
only advanced
beyond the third
round on two
occasions. In
addition to a
semifinal finish
here last year,
he also reached
the
quarterfinals at
the 2006
Australian Open.
·
Ljubicic has now
won back-to-back
matches on clay
for the first
time since July
2006, when he
won two in a row
to advance to
the
quarterfinals at
Gstaad (l.
Feliciano Lopez
76 63).
·
Ljubicic failed
to win
consecutive
matches in the
four clay court
tournaments he
contested this
season before
coming here. He
advanced to the
third round,
after a first
round bye, at
both AMS Monte
Carlo (l.
Richard Gasquet
63 67 75) and
AMS Hamburg (l.
David Ferrer 63
63), and to the
second round at
Portschach last
week (l. Luis
Horna 76 64). He
lost in the
second round
after a first
round bye at AMS
Rome (l. Jose
Acasuso 64 63).
·
Before moving to
clay, Ljubicic
was having a
good 2007
season, if not
quite as
impressive as
last year, when
he had won two
titles (Chennai
and Zagreb)
ahead of Roland
Garros. Ljubicic
won his seventh
career title in
the first week
of the season on
hard court at
Doha, defeating
Andy Murray 64
64 in the final.
He also reached
finals on hard
court at
Rotterdam (l.
Mikhail Youzhny
62 64) and on
carpet at Zagreb
(l. Marcos
Baghdatis 76 46
64), as well as
reaching the
semifinals at
AMS Miami, on
hard court,
losing to
Guillermo Canas
75 62.
·
Volandri
advanced to the
third round at
Roland Garros
for the second
time in his
career by
defeating
qualifier Paul
Capdeville 63 75
63 in the first
round and Martin
Vassallo
Arguello 76 75
62 in the
second.
·
In reaching the
third round
here, Volandri
has already
equalled his
best result in a
Grand Slam event
and is today
bidding to reach
the round of 16
at a major for
the first time
in his career.
·
Volandri’s only
previous
appearance in
the third round
of a major was
here in 2005,
when due to
right hand
tendonitis he
was forced to
retire after
losing the first
three games to
Jose Acasuso.
·
This is
Volandri’s fifth
successive
Roland Garros
appearance. Last
year, Volandri
reached the
second round
here, defeating
Kristian Pless
64 76 64 before
losing to Tomas
Berdych 63 61
61.
·
Roland Garros is
the only Grand
Slam event at
which Volandri
has won a match
in the last two
years.
Volandri’s last
win in another
major came at
the 2004 US
Open.
·
Volandri
suffered a poor
start to 2007,
losing his first
five matches
before advancing
to the second
round at AMS
Miami, defeating
Nicolas Mahut 63
ret. (ankle
injury) before
falling to Ivan
Ljubicic 63 62.
·
Volandri’s form
picked up
considerably
during the
European
clay-court
season. He won
back-to-back
matches at
Valencia,
retiring in his
quarterfinal
against Nicolas
Almagro with
stomach illness
after losing the
first set, and
at Barcelona,
losing to
Nikolay
Davydenko 76 76
in the round of
16. The
following week
as a wild card
at AMS Rome, he
produced his
best result of
the season,
advancing to the
semifinals,
losing to
Fernando
Gonzalez 61 62.
·
On the way to
his semifinal
finish at AMS
Rome, Volandri
became just the
third man to
defeat world No.
1 Roger Federer
in 2007, and the
twelfth player
to record a
victory over the
Swiss since he
rose to the No.1
spot in February
2004. His 62 64
victory in the
round of 16
there was his
sixth of seven
victories to
date over a Top
10 player.
·
As a result of
his improved
form during the
spring, Volandri
has climbed back
up the rankings,
having dropped
as low as No. 55
earlier this
year, and plays
here at No. 34,
just six places
below his career
high.
·
Volandri is one
of two Italians
through to the
third round at
this year’s
Roland Garros
along with
Potito Starace
who plays No. 1
Roger Federer
today. This is
the first time
since 1999 that
two Italians
have advanced to
the third round
here.
·
Volandri is
bidding to be
the first
Italian to reach
the round of 16
since Renzo
Furlan in 1995.
The last time
that two
Italians reached
the round of 16
here was in
1976.
NO. 9 TOMMY
ROBREDO (ESP) v
JANKO TIPSAREVIC
(SRB)
Head-to-head:
Robredo leads
1-0
2005 Umag
Clay
(O)
R16 Robredo
63 61
ROBREDO
v
TIPSAREVIC
25
Age
22
9
ATP Ranking
80
4
Titles
0
50-25
Career Grand
Slam Record
7-12
21-6
Roland Garros
Record
3-3
275-169
Career Record
44-57
127-57
Career Record -
Clay
20-13
25-14
2007 Record
8-9
9-5
2007 Record -
Clay
5-1
6-3
Career Five-Set
Record
7-3
1
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
2
89-73
Career Tiebreak
Record
22-23
4-6
2007 Tiebreak
Record
4-2
·
Robredo
advanced to the
third round by
defeating
Argentine Sergio
Roitman 63 64 62
in the first
round and Greek
qualifier
Konstantinos
Economidis 64 75
64 in the second
round.
·
Robredo is
playing his
seventh
successive
Roland Garros
and has now
always reached
at least the
third round. He
is today bidding
to reach the
round of 16 for
the fifth
consecutive
year.
·
Robredo has only
failed to reach
the round of 16
here once. In
2002, he lost to
Andre Agassi 62
64 62 at this
stage.
·
Last year, as
No. 7 seed,
Robredo reached
the round of 16
before losing to
Mario Ancic 64
46 26 64 75.
·
Robredo has
reached the
Roland Garros
quarterfinals on
two occasions,
in 2003 and
2005. In 2003,
he let slip a
two-set lead and
lost to
countryman
Albert Costa at
that stage and
also lost in
five sets in the
last eight in
2005, falling to
Nikolay
Davydenko.
·
Roland Garros is
Robredo’s most
successful
major. He
reached the
Australian Open
quarterfinals
for the first
time in 2007
(see below), but
has yet to
advance beyond
the round of 16
at the US Open
or the third
round at
Wimbledon.
·
Robredo played
five clay court
events this year
in the lead-up
to Roland
Garros. His best
result was at
Estoril, where
he advanced to
the semifinals,
losing to Novak
Djokovic 75 61.
He also reached
the
quarterfinals at
AMS Rome,
falling to
Nikolay
Davydenko 16 63
63.
·
Robredo enjoyed
a good start to
the 2007 season,
reaching the
final at
Auckland on hard
(l. David Ferrer
64 62) and then
advancing to the
Australian Open
quarterfinals
(l. Roger
Federer 63 76
75) and
equalling his
best performance
in a major (he
also reached the
quarterfinals
here in 2003 and
2005, see
above).
·
Robredo has won
four titles in
his career, all
on clay. Last
year was the
first time that
Robredo won more
than one title
in a year. He
won titles at
Hamburg and
Bastad.
·
Robredo has a
very good junior
record at Roland
Garros, reaching
the semifinals
in 1999 (l.
David Nalbandian
63 62) and
finishing as
runner-up in
2000 (l.
Paul-Henri
Mathieu 36 76
62).
·
Tipsarevic advanced to the third round at Roland Garros for the
first time in
four
appearances,
defeating
countryman and
qualifier Dusan
Vemic 76 64 46
63 in the first
round and then
upsetting No. 22
seed Marat Safin
64 64 75 in the
second.
·
Tipsarevic’s previous best result here was reaching the
second round in
2005, defeating
Dominik Hrbaty
67 63 36 63 86
in the first
round before
losing to
Fernando Vicente
63 16 76 63.
·
Last year, Tipsarevic lost to Julien Benneteau 62 64 67 63 in
the first round,
one of eight
first round
losses in 12
majors before
this one.
·
Tipsarevic is today bidding to reach the round of 16 for the
first time in a
major. His only
previous Grand
Slam third round
appearance came
at 2005
Wimbledon, when
he lost to
Thomas Johansson
62 63 61.
·
Tipsarevic is
one of two
Serbian players
through to the
third round
here, the other
being Novak
Djokovic, who is
due to play wild
card Olivier
Patience on
Saturday. It is
the second time
in the Open Era
that two Serbs
have made it to
the third round
at a Grand Slam
event. The other
time this
occurred was at
2005 Wimbledon
when Tipsarevic
and Djokovic
also reached the
third round.
There have never
been two Serbian
men in the last
16 at a Grand
Slam event in
the Open Era.
Serbian men
played under the
Yugoslav flag
until the start
of 2004, and
although there
have been five
occasions when
two men playing
under the
Yugoslav flag
reached the
third round at a
major, on each
occasion one or
two of those men
were Croats.
·
This is the third time that Tipsarevic has won back-to-back
matches this
year. He
advanced to the
third round at
AMS Indian Wells
(l. David Ferrer
61 63) and also
won both singles
rubbers when
Serbia defeated
Georgia 5-0 in a
Davis Cup
Europe/Africa
Group I tie.
·
This is the first time that Tipsarevic has won consecutive
matches on clay
in his career to
date. Prior to
playing here, he
had won just
four matches in
his twelve
previous
tour-level
tournaments on
clay.
·
This is Tipsarevic’s third tour-level event on clay this
year, including
Davis Cup (see
above). At
Casablanca, he
defeated Michael
Llodra 62 76 in
the first round
before losing to
Jose Acasuso 64
64.
·
Tipsarevic won the Zagreb Challenger (d. Julio Silva 36 63
63) in his last
tournament
before Roland
Garros so is
currently on a
seven-match
winning streak
at all levels.
NO. 13 MIKHAIL
YOUZHNY (RUS) v
NO. 17 JUAN
CARLOS FERRERO
(ESP)
Head-to-head:
Ferrero leads
1-0
2003
Sydney
Hard
(O)
R16
Ferrero
63 62
YOUZHNY
v
FERRERO
24
Age
27
15
ATP Ranking
20
3
Titles
11
40-24
Career Grand
Slam Record
75-27
7-6
Roland Garros
Record
30-6
205-162
Career Record
352-179
59-49
Career Record -
Clay
186-62
29-11
2007 Record
21-12
10-4
2007 Record -
Clay
18-8
8-7
Career Five-Set
Record
17-13
2
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
1
86-71
Career Tiebreak
Record
130-101
10-10
2007 Tiebreak
Record
6-4
·
Youzhny
advanced to the
third round by
defeating
Nicolas Lapentti
63 60 64 in the
second round. He
had advanced to
the second round
without
completing a
game when his
first round
opponent, Jan
Hernych, retired
with lower back
pain eight
minutes into the
first game of
their match.
With Hernych
serving, nine
points had been
played and the
score was
advantage
Youzhny.
·
Youzhny has
advanced to the
third round here
for just the
second time. He
lost in the
second round
here in 2003,
2005 and 2006.
·
Youzhny is
bidding to reach
the round of 16
here for the
first time. In
his only
previous third
round appearance
in 2004, he lost
to Nicolas
Escude 62 75 67
62.
·
Youzhny is
playing at
Roland Garros
for the seventh
consecutive
year. Last year,
Youzhny lost in
the second round
here to 1998
champion Carlos
Moya 63 64 62.
·
A win today
would mean that
Youzhny has
reached the
round of 16 or
better at all
four majors. His
best career
Grand Slam
result came at
the 2006 US
Open, where he
reached the
semifinals,
defeating Rafael
Nadal 63 57 76
61 in the
quarterfinals
before losing to
Andy Roddick 67
60 76 63.
·
In the lead-up
to Roland
Garros, Youzhny
reached the
seventh final of
his career, his
second on clay,
at Munich,
losing to
Philipp
Kohlschreiber 26
63 64.
·
Munich (see
above) was
Youzhny’s third
final of the
year. He won his
third career
title at
Rotterdam on
indoor hard
court in
February,
defeating Ivan
Ljubicic 62 64
in the final,
and a week later
reached the
final at Dubai,
also on hard
court, losing to
Roger Federer 64
63. This is the
first time in
his career that
Youzhny has
reached more
than two finals
in the same year
and it is
reflected in the
fact that he
equalled his
career-high
ranking of No.
15 on 21 May and
plays here at
the same
ranking.
·
2003 champion
Ferrero
defeated Amer
Delic 67 63 63
64 in the first
round and Stefan
Koubek 64 75 63
in the second
round.
·
Ferrero is
making his
eighth
appearance at
Roland Garros,
having played
every year since
his run to the
semifinals on
his debut in
2000. He has
reached the
third round for
the seventh
time, having
only once failed
to get that far
(he lost in the
second round as
defending
champion in
2004, to Igor
Andreev 64 62
63).
·
Ferrero has
fallen in the
third round here
for the last two
years. Last year
as No. 24 seed
he lost to No.
10 seed Gaston
Gaudio 75 75 76
at this stage
and in 2005, as
No. 32 seed he
was defeated by
No. 3 seed Marat
Safin 76 75 16
76.
·
On his first
four appearances
here from
2000-03, Ferrero
always reached
at least the
semifinals,
culminating in
victory here in
2003.
·
Ferrero won his
lone Grand Slam
title here four
years ago,
defeating Martin
Verkerk 61 63 62
in the final. In
the semifinals
Ferrero had
beaten Albert
Costa, avenging
his defeat by
Costa in the
2002 final.
·
Ferrero is one
of three former
Roland Garros
champions to
reach the third
round of the
men’s draw, the
others being
Carlos Moya
(1998) and
Rafael Nadal
(2005-06).
Another former
Roland Garros
champion Gaston
Gaudio (2004)
lost in the
second round to
Lleyton Hewitt
46 36 62 64 62
on Thursday.
·
Ferrero was also
one of five
players starting
in the draw who
possess a lone
Grand Slam
title, but
following the
defeats of
Thomas Johansson
(2002 Australian
Open), Andy
Roddick (2003 US
Open) and
Gaudio, only he
and Moya could
still possibly
add to their
collection.
·
Ferrero has
recovered from
his fall to as
low as No. 98 in
the rankings in
February 2005,
but hasn’t
recaptured the
form that took
him to the title
here in 2003,
and is still
searching for
his first title
since 2003 AMS
Madrid.
·
Ferrero’s best
results in 2007
have been on
clay. He reached
the final at
Costa do Sauipe,
losing to
Guillermo Canas
76 62, and was a
semifinalist at
Acapulco (l.
Carlos Moya 26
62 63) and AMS
Monte Carlo (l.
Roger Federer 63
64).
·
With 18 wins on
clay in 2007,
Ferrero lies
joint fourth for
most wins this
season:
2007 clay court
leaders*
|
Rank |
Player |
Win-Loss |
|
1. |
Rafael
Nadal
|
21-1 |
|
2. |
Nicolas
Almagro |
20-8 |
|
3. |
Juan
Monaco |
19-5 |
|
4= |
Juan
Carlos
Ferrero |
18-8 |
|
4= |
Juan
Ignacio
Chela |
18-9 |
*
through
completion of
Roland Garros
second round
Players in bold
still active at
Roland Garros
·
Ferrero was
runner-up in the
Roland Garros
boys’ tournament
in 1998, losing
to Fernando
Gonzalez 46 64
63 in the final.
NO. 15 DAVID
NALBANDIAN (ARG)
v GAEL MONFILS
(FRA)
Head-to-head:
first meeting
NALBANDIAN
v
MONFILS
25
Age
20
18
ATP Ranking
52
5
Titles
1
67-21
Career Grand
Slam Record
11-9
18-5
Roland Garros
Record
5-2
228-116
Career Record
57-54
90-44
Career Record -
Clay
21-17
11-9
2007 Record
9-11
5-4
2007 Record -
Clay
6-4
14-8
Career Five-Set
Record
4-1
6
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
0
74-61
Career Tiebreak
Record
26-20
4-6
2007 Tiebreak
Record
5-4
·
Nalbandian
defeated
Hyung-Taik Lee
62 61 36 63 in
the opening
round and
Spanish
qualifier Ivan
Navarro Pastor
75 64 64 in the
second round.
·
Nalbandian is
appearing at
Roland Garros
for the sixth
time in his
career. This is
his fifth
appearance in
the third round,
and he has not
lost at this
stage at Roland
Garros since his
debut year in
2002, when he
fell to Marat
Safin 63 63 36
64.
·
Nalbandian
reached the
semifinals for
the second time
last year, as
No. 3 seed
defeating
Nikolay
Davydenko 63 63
26 64 in the
quarterfinals
before retiring
with a left
abdominal strain
against Roger
Federer, losing
36 64 52 ret. to
hand the world
No. 1 his first
Roland Garros
final.
Nalbandian also
reached the
semis here in
2004, falling to
eventual
champion and
compatriot
Gaston Gaudio 63
76 60. He is one
of only two
active players –
the other being
Federer – to
have reached the
semifinals or
better at all
four Grand Slam
events.
·
Nalbandian’s
best Grand Slam
result remains
his runner-up
finish at 2002
Wimbledon,
where, in just
his fourth major
and playing his
first senior
grass court
event, he became
the first man to
reach the
Wimbledon final
on his debut. He
defeated Xavier
Malisse 76 64 16
26 62 in the
semifinals
before losing to
Lleyton Hewitt
61 63 62.
·
Bearing in mind
today’s opponent
Monfils’s
perfect 4-0
record in
five-set matches
at Roland Garros
(see his notes
below), it is
interesting to
note that
Nalbandian’s
mark of six
career comebacks
from
two-sets-to-love
down is the best
among active
players.
·
Nalbandian was
one of five men
starting in the
draw who have
been Grand Slam
runners-up
without claiming
a major title.
The other two
were 2001
Australian Open
finalist Arnaud
Clement, 2003
Roland Garros
runner-up Martin
Verkerk, 2006
Australian Open
finalist Marcos
Baghdatis, and
2007 Australian
Open runner-up
Fernando
Gonzalez. Only
Nalbandian and
Baghdatis
survived the
first round, and
both have
advanced to the
third round.
·
Nalbandian has
played an
abbreviated
season so far,
Roland Garros
being just his
ninth event
(including the
Davis Cup
quarterfinals).
Having led
Argentina to the
Davis Cup final
at the end of
2006 (they lost
to Russia), he
sat out the
first round of
this year’s
competition in
February to
rest. He retired
with a back
injury in the
second round at
AMS Monte Carlo
(l. Philipp
Kohlschreiber 75
41 ret.), then
reached the
quarterfinals at
Barcelona in his
last tournament
appearance
before coming
here. Nalbandian
withdrew from
the Masters
Series events in
Rome and Hamburg
with the back
injury.
·
Nalbandian is
bidding to win
three matches in
a tournament for
the first time
since the
Australian Open,
where he reached
the last 16
before losing to
Tommy Haas 46 63
62 63. That is
also his best
result thus far
in 2007; he won
two matches in a
row to advance
to the last 16
at AMS Indian
Wells, and the
quarterfinals at
Barcelona.
·
Nalbandian was
runner-up in the
1999 Roland
Garros boys’
tournament,
losing in the
final to
compatriot
Guillermo Coria
64 63.
·
Monfils
defeated Olivier
Rochus 46 64 62
36 61 in the
first round and
upset No. 18
seed Juan
Ignacio Chela 36
63 63 61 in the
second round.
·
This is
Monfils’s third
straight
appearance at
Roland Garros
and he is
bidding to equal
his best Grand
Slam result,
recorded here
last year when
he reached the
round of 16. He
won three
five-set matches
in the first
three rounds
before losing to
Novak Djokovic
76 76 63.
Monfils lost in
the first round
on his Roland
Garros debut as
a wild card in
2005.
·
Through the
first round
here, Monfils
has a 4-0 record
in five-set
matches at
Roland Garros,
and an overall
record of 4-1 in
five-set matches
(his lone loss
being in the
first round at
the 2005 US
Open).
·
The third round
has been a
barrier for
Monfils at
majors other
than his home
Grand Slam
event. He lost
in the third
round at 2005
Wimbledon and
the 2007
Australian Open,
and his best
result at the US
Open is a
second-round
finish in 2006.
·
Monfils reached
the fifth final
of his career at
Portschach last
week, defeating
two former world
No. 1s - Andy
Roddick 75 63 in
the
quarterfinals
and Lleyton
Hewitt 64 75 in
the semifinals -
before losing to
Juan Monaco 76
63.
·
Monfils arrived
at Portschach on
an eight-match
losing streak.
The last time
that he had won
back-to-back
matches in 2007
was at the
Australian Open,
where he
advanced to the
third round
before losing to
countryman
Richard Gasquet
60 46 75 63.
·
Monfils was the
Roland Garros
junior boys’
singles champion
in 2004 (d. Alex
Kuznetsov 62 62
in the final).
He also won the
boys’ singles
titles at that
year’s
Australian Open
and Wimbledon,
finished the
year as the
No.1-ranked
junior and was
named ITF Junior
World Champion.
NO. 19 GUILLERMO
CANAS (ARG) v
KRISTOF VLIEGEN
(BEL)
Head-to-head:
Canas leads 2-0
2004 US
Open
Hard
(O)
R128
Canas
63 46 75 61
2004 AMS
Madrid Hard
(I)
R64
Canas
57 75 61
CANAS
v
VLIEGEN
29
Age
24
22
ATP Ranking
74
7
Titles
0
34-23
Career Grand
Slam Record
6-10
13-6
Roland Garros
Record
3-3
211-146
Career Record
65-69
104-67
Career Record -
Clay
27-28
24-8
2007 Record
10-14
14-5
2007 Record -
Clay
7-6
11-11
Career Five-Set
Record
1-3
1
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
0
68-60
Career Tiebreak
Record
28-16
11-3
2007 Tiebreak
Record
6-2
·
Canas
defeated Victor
Hanescu 63 61 64
in the first
round and Simone
Bolelli 64 63 63
in the second
round.
·
Canas’s first
round win
against Hanescu
came in his
first Grand Slam
match for two
years, having
returned from a
15-month
anti-doping
suspension in
September 2006.
·
Canas is making
his seventh
appearance at
Roland Garros
and is bidding
to reach the
round of 16 here
for the third
time.
·
Roland Garros is
the scene of
Canas’s best
Grand Slam
performances. He
has twice
reached the
quarterfinals
here, going no
further than the
round of 16 at
any other major.
Canas first
reached the
quarters here in
2002, defeating
Lleyton Hewitt
67 76 64 63 in
the round of 16
before losing to
eventual
champion Albert
Costa 75 36 67
64 60. He
returned to the
last eight here
in 2005 in his
last Grand Slam
appearance
before
suspension,
again losing in
five sets, this
time to eventual
runner-up
Mariano Puerta
62 36 16 63 64.
·
Canas tested
positive for
hydrochlorothiazide
steroid at 2005
Acapulco and
began his
15-month
suspension after
2005 Halle the
week of 13 June.
He returned at
the Belem
Challenger (BRA)
the week of 11
September 2006
and won the
title, and has
performed
strongly since,
working his way
back up the
rankings from a
low of No. 514
in September
2006 to No. 20
on 14 May 2007,
his highest mark
since 8 August
2005. He plays
here at No. 22.
·
Canas compiled a
28-3 record on
the challenger
circuit from
September
onwards through
the remainder of
the 2006 season,
winning a total
of four
tournaments
(Belem,
Montevideo,
Buenos Aires and
Asuncion). After
collecting
another
challenger title
at Sao Paulo
this January, he
stepped up to
the ATP tour,
and quickly won
the title at
Costa do Sauipe,
his first tour
title for two
and a half
years, defeating
Juan Carlos
Ferrero 76 62 in
the final.
·
In addition to
winning the
Costa do Sauipe
title, Canas has
other good
results this
year on both
clay and hard
court. He
qualified at AMS
Miami and
advanced to the
final, losing to
Novak Djokovic
63 62 64, and
was runner-up at
Barcelona, to
Rafael Nadal 63
64.
·
His performance
at Barcelona was
Canas’s standout
result on
European clay –
he did not
advance beyond
the second round
at his three
other events in
the run-up to
here. He
withdrew from
AMS Monte Carlo
with leg pains,
and retired in
the first round
at Munich with a
stomach injury.
·
Vliegen
defeated Danai
Udomchoke 62 64
63 in the first
round and upset
No. 11 seed
Richard Gasquet
76 63 61 in the
second round.
·
Vliegen has won
his first
matches at
Roland Garros
for two years,
having lost in
five sets in the
opening round
here last year
to Lukas Dlouhy
46 64 36 76 62.
·
This is
Vliegen’s fourth
successive
appearance at
Roland Garros
and by advancing
to the third
round he has
established a
new best
performance at
this event. His
previous best
result was
reaching the
second round as
a qualifier here
in 2005, before
losing to
Mariano Puerta
63 75 62.
·
Vliegen is
bidding to reach
his first Grand
Slam round of
16. This is his
second
appearance in
the third round
of a major,
having lost at
this stage at
the 2006
Australian Open
to Juan Ignacio
Chela 61 64 64.
·
Vliegen was
joined by
countrymen
Olivier and
Christophe
Rochus in the
2007 Roland
Garros draw, but
they both lost
in the first
round. The last
Belgian man to
advance to the
round of 16 here
was Xavier
Malisse in 2004.
(Malisse missed
this year’s
event due to a
right wrist
injury.)
·
Vliegen’s win
against
Udomchoke in the
first round here
broke a
four-match
losing streak in
main draw
tour-level
matches. Having
lost to eventual
champion Rafael
Nadal in the
second round at
Barcelona 61 62,
Vliegen lost all
three of his
singles matches
representing
Belgium in the
World Team Cup
last week, to
Florian Mayer 63
64, Jan Hajek 76
64 and Nicolas
Almagro 62 61.
·
Between his
appearances at
Barcelona and
the World Team
Cup, Vliegen
attempted to
qualify for AMS
Rome and AMS
Hamburg, losing
in the first
qualifying round
at both. Adding
these to his
four main draw
losses as
detailed above,
Vliegen in fact
broke a
six-match losing
streak by
winning in the
first round here
(although only
main draw
tour-level
matches are
counted in a
players’
win-loss
record).
·
Vliegen’s best
result of the
European clay
court season was
reaching the
quarterfinals at
AMS Monte Carlo,
defeating
Paul-Henri
Mathieu and
Marat Safin
before losing to
eventual
champion Rafael
Nadal 61 61. The
quarterfinals is
Vliegen’s best
result on any
surface this
season – he also
reached the last
eight on hard
court at
Auckland in
January (l.
David Ferrer 36
63 62).
·
Vliegen had
another clay
court highlight
in the Davis Cup
first round in
February. With
Belgium back
competing in the
World Group for
the first time
since 2003 and
playing
Australia, he
won both his
singles rubbers,
defeating
Lleyton Hewitt
46 64 36 63 64
in the first
rubber and Chris
Guccione 64 64
64 in the
decisive fifth
rubber to help
Belgium to a 3-2
victory, the
nation’s first
in the World
Group since
1999.
JUAN MONACO
(ARG) v (WC)
EDOUARD
ROGER-VASSELIN
(FRA)
Head-to-head:
first meeting
Both men are
competing at
2007 Roland
Garros on
career-high
rankings,
although Monaco
is ranked 109
places higher
than his French
opponent.
MONACO
v
ROGER-VASSELIN
23
Age
23
35
ATP Ranking
144
2
Titles
0
6-10
Career Grand
Slam Record
2-0
5-3
Roland Garros
Record
2-0
73-70
Career Record
4-3
62-42
Career Record -
Clay
3-2
22-9
2007 Record
3-1
19-5
2007 Record -
Clay
3-1
1-2
Career Five-Set
Record
1-0
1
Comebacks from
0-2 Down
0
17-27
Career Tiebreak
Record
1-0
3-6
2007 Tiebreak
Record
0-0
·
Monaco
upset No. 27
seed Jurgen
Melzer 62 63 62
in the second
round, having
defeated Italian
qualifier Fabio
Fognini 36 26 61
62 64 in the
first round to
record the first
five-set victory
of his career.
·
This is Monaco’s
fourth straight
year playing
Roland Garros
and by reaching
the third round
he has equalled
his best Grand
Slam result. He
advanced to the
third round here
for the first
time last year,
defeating
Fernando
Verdasco 46 64
64 61 in the
second round
before losing to
eventual
semifinalist
Ivan Ljubicic 46
57 63 64 62.
·
Monaco has never
advanced beyond
the second round
at any of the
other Grand Slam
events, having
played ten
majors ahead of
this one.
·
Monaco competes
here at a
career-best
ranking of No.
35 and is
currently on a
seven-match
winning streak,
having won the
Portschach title
in the week
before Roland
Garros,
defeating Gael
Monfils 76 63 in
the final.
·
As well as
winning at
Portschach,
Monaco won the
title in his
hometown of
Buenos Aires in
February,
defeating
Alessio Di Mauro
61 62 in the
final. He is the
only man other
than Rafael
Nadal to have
won multiple
clay court
titles this
season ahead of
Roland Garros.
(Nadal has won
three, at AMS
Monte Carlo,
Barcelona and
AMS Rome).
·
Seven of
Monaco’s 11
tournaments this
season ahead of
Roland Garros
were clay court
events, and he
has had his best
results on the
surface,
reaching the
quarterfinals at
Costa do Sauipe,
Houston and
Estoril. (He
also reached the
quarterfinals on
hard court at
Auckland.) He is
in third place
for most clay
court wins in
2007.
2007 clay court
leaders*
|
Rank |
Player |
Win-Loss* |
|
1. |
Rafael
Nadal
|
21-1 |
|
2. |
Nicolas
Almagro |
20-8 |
|
3. |
Juan
Monaco |
19-5 |
*
through
completion of
Roland Garros
second round
Players in bold
still active at
Roland Garros
·
Monaco competed
once at Roland
Garros as a
junior, but lost
in the first
round in 2002
(to Philipp
Petzschner).
·
Wild card
Roger-Vasselin
has advanced to
the third round
in his Grand
Slam debut. He
won his first
round match by
retirement,
defeating
qualifier Marcos
Daniel 61 41
ret. when the
Brazilian
suffered an
adductor injury.
Roger-Vasselin
upset Radek
Stepanek, ranked
86 places above
him, 36 61 06 64
64 in the second
round. That was
the first
five-set match
of his career.
·
At No. 144,
Roger-Vasselin
is the lowest
ranked man to
reach the third
round. This is
his career-best
ranking.
·
Roger-Vasselin
is one of two
wild cards to
reach the third
round, alongside
countryman
Olivier
Patience. The
last wild card
to reach the
Roland Garros
round of 16 was
Michael Llodra
in 2004; the
last time two
wild cards
reached the
round of 16 here
was in 2002,
when Arnaud Di
Pasquale and
Paul-Henri
Mathieu both
lost at that
stage. The best
performance by a
wild card here
in the Open Era
is Henri
Leconte’s
progression to
the semifinals
in 1992.
·
Monaco, at No.
35, is the
highest-ranked
opponent Roger-Vasselin
has faced in his
career. His best
wins to date, in
terms of
rankings, are
against No.
58-ranked Martin
Vassallo
Arguello in the
first round at
Casablanca this
year (see
below), and No.
58-ranked
Stepanek in the
second round
here (see
above).
·
Before receiving
his wild card
here, Roger-Vasselin
competed in
Roland Garros
qualifying three
times without
progressing to
the main draw.
He lost in the
second
qualifying round
in 2003, the
first qualifying
round in 2004,
and the second
qualifying round
in 2005. Roger-Vasselin
also made five
unsuccessful
attempts to
qualify for
other Grand Slam
tournaments.
·
Before 2007
Roland Garros,
Roger-Vasselin
had played just
five career
tour-level
matches in three
tour-level
events. He made
his tour debut
as a lucky loser
at 2004
Stuttgart,
losing in the
first round,
then reached the
second round at
2004 Shanghai as
a qualifier, and
the second round
at 2007
Casablanca as a
qualifier.
·
Roger-Vasselin’s
performance at
Casablanca in
April, where he
qualified and
defeated
Vassallo-Arguello
62 62 in the
first round
before losing in
the second round
to countryman
Paul-Henri
Mathieu 46 63
64, was his
highlight of
2007 before
coming here.
Roger-Vasselin
also had some
good results at
challenger
level, reaching
the final on
indoor hard
court at
Besancon (l.
Ernests Gulbis
64 36 64) and
semifinals at
Cherbourg and
Rabat.
·
Roger-Vasselin
played his home
Grand Slam
tournament once
as a junior,
losing in the
second round in
2001 (to
Santiago
Gonzalez).
