Viva le Roland Garros: French Open 2001 Preview

[Marc]

SC's Tom Kosinski takes a look at the second Grand Slam of the season, the 2001 French Open. With such a wide open draw, Kosinski tries to do his best Kreskin impression and give you some predictions for who will walk away from the red clay with the trophies and checks.

Complete story: http://www.sports-central.org/sports/tennis/articles/article79.shtml

Thoughts on the upcoming French Open?

[Ross]

Does anybody care?

[NickHammy]

Actually many people do care.
I think that Gustavo Kurten (sp?) will be the winner...and watch out for Andy Roddick.

[Marc]

Sampras has been losing so much in early rounds that I am surprised he survived this one (http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,3946672_7,00.html):
Sampras narrowly dodges first-round ouster in five-set thriller

PARIS -- As Pete Sampras walked off the court Tuesday at the French Open, he smiled wearily and jabbed the air with his fist. It was a modest celebration befitting a modest victory.

Sampras played for 3 hours, 15 minutes and overcame three match points before beating Cedric Kauffmann, a 25-year-old French qualifier who has never won a match on the men's tour.

Rather than jubilant, Sampras was relieved to avoid his most humiliating defeat yet at Roland Garros, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 8-6.

[tennis4you]

I am with you, I think Kuerten has this one in the bag. I watched his last match, WOW!!!

As far as Sampras, he is lucky he survived the first round, I hope he can win the 2nd! But I do not think he should retire. I think Wimbledon will tell us a lot this year!!!

And Roddick edged Chang today, whew, 7-5 in the 5th set! Congrats Roddick!

[NickHammy]

Sucks for Roddick, he had a 5 set match in which he was cramping up in the final set, then he has to play the 6th seed two days later and he was probably still feeling like s***. He ended up retiring in the third. I think he could've won that if he didn't have such a rough previous round. I wouldn't be capable of playing 5 close sets. I can barely survive 3.:o

[NickHammy]

I'd just like to point out that I chose the winner in the men's draw: Gustavo (Guga) Kuerten