Roland Garros 2005 Day 10 - Puerta and Davydenko Both Win In Five Sets
Mariano Puerta and Nikolay Davydenko moved into the semifinals of the French Open, and for that matter any Grand Slam, for the first time in their respective careers and will play each other for a place in the final against either Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal.Puerta became the fourth Argentine in the last two years to get to the semis. He came back from two sets to one down to beat compatriot Guillermo Canas 62 36 16 63 64."It's something very special to find yourself in the semifinals," said Puerta. "When I got to Paris two weeks ago, I had the idea I was going to make it to the second week. It's something that I can't even realise yet. I can't believe I've reached the semifinals, and I really want to enjoy this moment and prepare myself the best possible for the best semifinals."Puerta's is making up for missing out on last year's French Open when he was in the middle of a suspension for having tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol at the tournament in Vina del mar in 2003. He was out of the game from the beginning of October, 2003 to July 2004. His ranking nose-dived to 440 in August of that year. He came into the tournamentranked 37 which is still shy of his career best of 18 back in August, 2000. This French Open is his first Grand Slam since the 2004 US Open."I don't really feel bitter. I almost forgot it. I don't really remember the bad things I went through, something that I've overcome," said Puerta. "I'm very happy with what I'm achieving today. I just don't think back, don't waste my energy in that and remember things that passed. I think they help me a lot to be stronger psychologically today, since every victory for me is even more important."Puerta said that he enjoyed the match with Canas. They have been friends since childhood because they played at the same club as children. As Puerta suggested, "it was a friendly match.""In tennis, there isn't a tiebreaker, there's always a winner, you can't equalize," said Puerta, who ten years ago this week was runner-up to another countryman, Mariano Zabaleta in the French junior final. "This time it was my turn, and I'm very happy. I hope that some other time he will make it to the semifinals. He's an excellent player. "On the court, I experienced things that I had never experienced before. I had never played against such a good defender, a good receiver as Canas. I think he's one of the best with a defensive game in the world. For the first match point, I was almost desperate. I played the point just absolutely perfectly, and I couldn't understand how he could come crosscourt. And then I managed to get it across, and he passes me. "So he really played perfectly. And when I didn't make it, well, I felt really bad. I was desperate, because I thought anything can happen. I played the point perfectly and I didn't win it. But, luckily, I just kept my cool, and that was very important because I reached another match point and, luckily, I made that one. I could say that I played the points well, so I'm very happy. I think this is like a revenge."And there was a bit of prophecy on the part of Puerta. When he saw the draw soon after it was made, he knew he had a tough start against Ivan Ljubicic. He said that if he got past Ljubicic he would make the semifinals.Canas felt there was only a very small difference between them. He said that Puerta played the important points better and played solid tennis. Canas said he didn't do that enough and overall "he play a little better than me"."I was disappointed," said Canas. "My expectation was to be in the semifinals, and it was a very tough battle between the two of us. I think I did everything I could do to be in semifinals. When the match ended, I think I felt disappointment, some small disappointment. But it's a tennis match and somebody has to lose."Nikolay Davydenko has given himself a 24th birthday present a day early and celebrated his brother's 35th birthday on the day by coming up with many happy returns to beat Tommy Robredo in three hours 18 minutes. The match ended on the Russian's fourth match point when Robredo hit a backhand wide 36 61 62 46 64."The feeling is ... I don't know. After the match you are really tired, no feeling," said Davydenko. "Tomorrow I have 24th birthday and we will see. I have no match, so the day off for me is good, because I do my present now for my brother who is here. I won the match and reach the semifinals so for him it is a good present. It's good for me that I didn't play my match on my birthday, if I lose, I don't like."Davydenko should have won the match in four sets because he served for a 5-3 lead after breaking Robredo in the seventh game. However, the Spaniard broke back to make it 4-4, he held serve and then broke again to level the match. The Russian got off to a good start by going up an early break. "The key to the match was fight, fighting, like try to fight for every ball and try to do something that you can do," said Davydenko. "Robredo play good from the baseline. He moved well. After this 4-3 game he play unbelievable. He make all winners. I got the pressure on me and it was difficult to find something."Even when Davydenko broke in the fifth Robredo kept in touch and was moving the Russian all over the court with topspin ground strokes. Davydenko thought he could have lost that set 62 because he was feeling tired. He had thoughts of it not being his day. Davydenko refocused with his concentration and kept fighting. He gave it one more push and used the last ounce of energy and it paid dividends."I am feeling happy and it is my first time in a Grand Slam semifinal and I reach top ten next week. It is good and important," said Davydenko.Meanwhile, French Open women's semifinalist Justine Henin-Hardenne has undergone blood tests and doctors have suggested she needs to cut down on the tournaments she is playing. The Belgian, who spent most of last year suffering from a viral illness is now not going to play anything before Wimbledon. She will take about six weeks off after Wimbledon and probably play just two events before the US Open.To visit the the ITF's Roland Garros Page please click here - news archives and tournament details can be found there.The Official Roland Garros website at www.rolandgarros.com carries live scoring, schedules and draws, along with comprehensive event information.
http://www.itftennis.com/abouttheitf/news/newsarticle.asp?id=13303
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment