glamour-gal
Jun 2nd, 2004, 11:51 AM
Nalbandian shows Guga the door
By Araz Gulekjian
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
Argentina's David Nalbandian overcame an ailing Gustavo Kuerten to squeeze into the last four for the first time ever at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Argentine, seeded eight, clipped the three-time Roland Garros champion 6-2 3-6 6-4 7-6(8) in a thriller that almost went five sets.
“I really suffered,” said Kuerten, who served for the fourth set twice. “I tried my best. The support of the crowd pushed me through and made me play through the pain. But it was not enough.”
The Argentine’s foe in the last four is countryman Gaston Gaudio, who demolished former US Open and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt earlier on Wednesday.
Nalbandian and Gaudio are bidding to become Argentina's second winner after Guillermo Vilas in 1977.
The Argentine is the first player since Frenchman Cedric Pioline to reach the last four of the tournament after playing the Wimbledon final in 2002.
To a backdrop of Guga chants, the pair traded blows from the backcourt, mixing up inspiring winners with a number of sloppy unforced errors (68 for Kuerten to Nalbandian’s 46).
After trading serves in the two first games, Nalbandian took off, breaking the Brazilian two more times (fifth and seventh game) to take the first set.
Guga received treatment for his ailing right hip and seemed rejuvenated after the loss of the opening set. The Brazilian played two straight amazing shots to take his opponent’s serve in the second game and held onto his advantage to even the match at one set apiece.
Down 1-4 in the third set, the 27-year-old Brazilian appeared to be fading away, but shifted the balance of power in his favor, reeling off three straight games to make it 4-4, only to lose his delivery and the set in the 10th game.
Kuerten, ranked No30 in the world, demonstrated resiliency and restored hope in the fourth set, breaking his opponent in the second game. But his seemingly vital breakthrough fell short as he squandered a total of four set points and failed to serve out the set twice, at 5-4 and 6-5. He held at set point in the tiebreaker, but let the match slip away again.
guga's out :cry: :cry:
By Araz Gulekjian
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
Argentina's David Nalbandian overcame an ailing Gustavo Kuerten to squeeze into the last four for the first time ever at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Argentine, seeded eight, clipped the three-time Roland Garros champion 6-2 3-6 6-4 7-6(8) in a thriller that almost went five sets.
“I really suffered,” said Kuerten, who served for the fourth set twice. “I tried my best. The support of the crowd pushed me through and made me play through the pain. But it was not enough.”
The Argentine’s foe in the last four is countryman Gaston Gaudio, who demolished former US Open and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt earlier on Wednesday.
Nalbandian and Gaudio are bidding to become Argentina's second winner after Guillermo Vilas in 1977.
The Argentine is the first player since Frenchman Cedric Pioline to reach the last four of the tournament after playing the Wimbledon final in 2002.
To a backdrop of Guga chants, the pair traded blows from the backcourt, mixing up inspiring winners with a number of sloppy unforced errors (68 for Kuerten to Nalbandian’s 46).
After trading serves in the two first games, Nalbandian took off, breaking the Brazilian two more times (fifth and seventh game) to take the first set.
Guga received treatment for his ailing right hip and seemed rejuvenated after the loss of the opening set. The Brazilian played two straight amazing shots to take his opponent’s serve in the second game and held onto his advantage to even the match at one set apiece.
Down 1-4 in the third set, the 27-year-old Brazilian appeared to be fading away, but shifted the balance of power in his favor, reeling off three straight games to make it 4-4, only to lose his delivery and the set in the 10th game.
Kuerten, ranked No30 in the world, demonstrated resiliency and restored hope in the fourth set, breaking his opponent in the second game. But his seemingly vital breakthrough fell short as he squandered a total of four set points and failed to serve out the set twice, at 5-4 and 6-5. He held at set point in the tiebreaker, but let the match slip away again.
guga's out :cry: :cry: