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| Sunday, July 2, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Key confrontations French threat different: Zoff Blanc to kiss Barthel’s head for last time? GENVAL (Belgium), July 1 — Fabien Barthez cannot accept the fact that Laurent Blanc might be kissing his shaven head for the last time when France take on Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2000 final. Spotlight on Zinedine Zidane,
Alessandro Nesta De Boer disappears after disaster |
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Couple viewing Euro 2000 tie
shot England in command Rain washes out 4th day’s play SA cricketers’ oath of innocence Ali
Irani deposes before CBI Serena
Williams eyes title Pete Sampras, Dokic triumph
Indian schools’ TT squad announced
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Italian defence ready for French flair ROTTERDAM, June 1 (Reuters) — French hopes of becoming European as well as world champions on Sunday could hinge on the ability of midfield inspiration Zinedine Zidane to do what the Dutch team could not - find a way through Italy’s defence. The Netherlands, with 12 goals in their previous four games and seemingly threatening from every angle, eventually ran out of ideas and foundered on the Azzurri rock. It was a lesson for France that they will not win the title merely by taking the field with a reputation for goals. Some purists may bemoan the fact that in a tournament that has sparkled with attacking play Italy have reached the final by negative means. But their presence is a healthy reminder that much of the fascination of football is that it is not merely a game of scoring goals but also of stopping them. Confronted with an Italian newspaper headline describing Thursday’s effort as “embarrassing heroism”, coach Dino Zoff insisted he had nothing to be ashamed of. “My job is to field a team to its best advantage,” he said. “I have to be realistic and play to the strengths of the squad.’’ The fans too are quite happy to gain success by any means. On show at semifinal was a huge banner simply but proudly declaring: “Catenaccio”. Literally translated as ‘’bolt,’’ the term has a far more meaningful resonance in soccer circles as it refers to the style of play perfected by the Italians of the late 1960s and early 1970s where defence was all. The class of ’68, the only previous Italian team to win the European title, would have been proud of the current crop who showed not only their traditional organisational brilliance in the semifinal but an unquenchable spirit to hold the Dutch off for two hours despite having only 10 men from as early as the 33rd minute. But it will be extremely hard for them to raise themselves physically and mentally for a repeat performance less than 72 hours after going through the emotional wringer and emerging victorious in a penalty shootout for the first time in five attempts. And in Zidane they face possibly the world’s best footballer performing at the peak of his powers. The Juventus maestro will not be fazed by defenders whose downfall he plots on a weekly basis in Series A. Whether placing passes into spaces unseen by footballing mortals or driving into the heart of the danger area with a swaggering dribble, Zidane represents danger at every turn. “Zidane must be aware of what he can bring to the team,” said coach Roger Lemerre. “When he takes on the responsibility of running the game he can turn it around.” Italian midfielders Luigi Di Biagio and Demetrio Albertini, whose tireless running did much to the blunt the threat of Edgar Davids on Thursday, will have to draw on new reserves of energy to try to ensure Zidane does not. They will have fresh legs to help them, probably those of Fiorentina’s Angelo Di Livio who is the likely replacement for Gianluca Zambrotta, suspended after his semifinal red card. Lemerre has a more luxurious selection dilemma as he decides whether to find places for Youri Djorkaeff and Christophe Dugarry, who sat out the semifinal with the coach saying they needed rest. Lemerre seems likely to retain his midfield trio of Didier Deschamps, Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira, and while Thierry Henry looks secure up front, his semifinal partner Nicolas Anelka may make way for Djorkaeff. One certain starter, however, is central defender Laurent Blanc. The 34-year-old has said he will retire from the international game after the tournament and few neutrals would begrudge him a victorious farewell in the light of his 1998 heartache when he missed the World Cup final through suspension. Blanc epitomises the spirit of the French team, who have regularly shown an ability to mix it when their elegant football is not producing the goods. The way they kept driving forward in the semifinal against Portugal showed that the Italians do not have a monopoly in the enthusiasm department. That unflinching French
belief in attack must now go the extra yard to overcome
Italy’s proven faith in defence. |
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ROTTERDAM, July 1 (Reuters) — Likely key confrontations and contrasts in the Euro 2000 final between France and Italy at the Kuip Stadium on Sunday: Zinedine Zidane and Demetrio Albertini Zidane, who inspired the French to their World Cup triumph two years ago, is showing some of the best form of his life, orchestrating the play in midfield with intelligence and vision. But he faces one of the most experienced midfielders in the business in AC Milan’s Albertini, a Lynchpin of Italy’s midfield for nearly a decade. The two players will know each other’s strengths from clashes in Series A. Juventus midfielder Zidane seems to have so much time to make the decision to pass or dribble and Albertini will have to pressure him for the whole game to try to reduce his influence. The Italian, who has returned to good form after being dropped by both Italy and Milan in February, is a no-nonsense player. He does not have the classy, skills of Zidane in close quarters but is very good at producing long passes to feed the strikers. Fabien Barthez and Francesco Toldo These two keepers, who are a contrast in heights, are battling for the place as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The flamboyant Barthez (1.83 metres), heading for Manchester United after Euro 2000, has come to the rescue of France several times, especially in the early part of games when their defence can look hesitant. He is an excellent reflex keeper. But he almost made the world champions’ most costly mistake against Spain when he conceded a late penalty in the quarterfinals. Fortunately for France, the Spaniards failed to convert for the equaliser. Propelled into the team
after first choice keeper Gianluigi Buffon broke a bone
in his hand before the tournament, Toldo (1.96 metres) is
on a high after saving one penalty in normal time and two
others in a shootout against the Dutch in the semifinals.
They are both players who are ready to show their
determination and emotion on the field. |
French threat different: Zoff GEEL (Belgium), July 1 (Reuters) France pose less of a collective threat than the Dutch but have great individuals capable of swinging the Euro 2000 final their way, Italy coach Dino Zoff has said. He said yesterday the French school of football was much closer to the Italian than the Dutch and expected a different match to his side’s tough semifinal against the Netherlands. Experienced French players like Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps have learned from their experience in Series A but the French should also take credit for the way they have nurtured younger players, Zoff said. “France are perhaps less of a collective force than the Dutch but maybe technically, physically and as individuals they’re stronger,” the former World Cup-winning goalkeeper told mediapersons at Italy’s training camp. “Zidane is a great player - we know him well because he plays in our championship.” “But it’s not my habit to talk about individual players. We have to concentrate on playing our own game.’’ The Italians clinched a place in tomorrow’s final in Rotterdam by beating the Dutch on penalties on Thursday after their match ended goal-less. The Italians start as underdogs against the French world champions, who beat Portugal in their semifinal. France’s squad is packed with players who ply their trade in Italy or have past experience of Series A. Zidane plays at Juventus, Deschamps used to play there with him, centreback Laurent Blanc is at Inter Milan, rightback Lilian Thuram is at Parma and reserve leftback Vincent Candela plays at As Roma. Marcel Desailly, Christian Karambeau, Youri Djorkaeff, Patrick Vieira, Christophe Dugarry and Thierry Henry have all played for Italian clubs in the past. “I don’t know if it’s fair to say they’ve improved just because they’ve playing in our league,’’ Zoff said. “Zidane, Deschamps, Thuram, Blanc — they were already good players before they arrived in Italy. “But yes, it’s true that our championship is one of the most difficult and maybe they have learned something from us. “But it’s also true that a lot of good younger players have emerged in France — (Nicolas) Anelka, Henry and many others.” Zoff defended himself against the charge that his side were negative in Thursday’s match in Amsterdam, saying the Italians were forced to defend in numbers after having midfielder Gianluca Zambrotta sent off in the 33rd minute. “You can certainly say that we didn’t deserve not to win,’’ the coach said carefully when asked if he believed his side were better than the Dutch. “France and Italy must be the two best teams in the competition because they are the two teams which have reached the final.’’ He said he was confident his side would recover from their war of attrition with the Dutch in time for tomorrow’s final, Italy’s first in the European Championship since their only title in 1968. “Physically my
players can recover, even if we’ve had a day less
than France to prepare. My players are in full
health.” |
Blanc to kiss Barthel’s head for last time? GENVAL (Belgium), July 1 (Reuters) — Fabien Barthez cannot accept the fact that Laurent Blanc might be kissing his shaven head for the last time when France take on Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2000 final. The gesture, which always take place before kickoff, has become something of a talisman for the French side since the 1998 World Cup campaign and the new Manchester United goalkeeper wishes the central defender could do it many times more. But the 34-year-old Blanc has strongly indicated he will retire from international soccer after the tournament and Sunday’s game would be his final appearance in France colours. “It can’t be his last match,” said Barthez. “When you see him play, he looks like a 20-year-old. I want him to stay and I told him that.” In over a decade, Blanc has never played in the final of a major competition. He thought he would two years ago but he was sent off in the semifinal and had to sit and watch Frank Leboeuf fill his role as France crushed Brazil 3-0 to lift the World Cup. Blanc had been instrumental in France’s run to the final, scoring the ‘golden goal’ against Paraguay which sent them into the last eight. But Croatia’s Slavan Bilic later sealed his fate, holding his head in his hands and falling onto the pitch as if he had been floored by Mike Tyson. Blanc had hardly touched him but still got a red card and the fact that Bilic later admitted he had simulated did not help. Blanc was so upset that he considered quitting the international scene, but Roger Lemerre, who took over from Aime Jacquet as head coach after the World Cup, persuaded him to carry on. “I think it was in June or July 1999 when he came to me and we talked,” said Lemerre. “It was a very open conversation and the result was he decided to stay.” Lemerre was delighted and would not mind if the Inter Milan player carried on after Euro 2000. “He looks so fresh that he certainly could continue with us but the decision belongs to him,” the coach said. A reassuring presence in France’s central defence since his first match in a goal-less draw with Ireland in 1989, Blanc has travelled a lot throughout his long career, playing for five French clubs and three foreign ones — Naples, Barcelona and now Inter. He struggled to adapt at both Naples and Barcelona and his collection of silverware is not that impressive. But for France, he always gave his all, earning a reputation not only for marshalling the defence with authority but also for scoring important goals. The second most-capped French player of all time with 94 — six less than captain Didier Deschamps — he is also the third most prolific scorer in the current team with 16 goals. Only Youri Djorkaeff and Zinedine Zidane have more. “You’ve just got to look at him to see that the guy’s got class,” said Barthez. “Having him in front of you when you’re a goalkeeper is just great.” One of the side’s natural leaders on the pitch, Blanc is also valuable off it, regarded by his younger team mates as the wise man in the squad. “Laurent is very good at analysing a situation and his unique experience is very important to the rest of the group,” Lemerre said. Barthez is resigned to accepting whatever Blanc might decide. “He’s got a family and he’s got nothing left to prove,” Barthez said. “I would understand.” “But really, I
don’t think it will be the last kiss.” |
Spotlight on Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Nesta Rotterdam (Netherlands), July 1 (AFP) — France and Italy meet in the Euro 2000 final at the De Kuip Stadium here tomorrow. Playmaker Zinedine Zidane has been the star of France’s campaign so far while defender Alessandro Nesta has taken the plaudits for Italy. Appropriately for two such stars both hail from backgrounds more associated with the cinema - Zidane began his career at Cannes, home of the famous film festival. Nesta was brought up in the Roman suburb of Cinecitta, synonymous with the films of Federico Fellini. Zinedine Zidane (France): When Zidane was named fifa’s world player of the year in January 1999, some sneered that it was all down to one performance. Admittedly that performance was on the biggest possible stage — his two first-half headers put France en route to a 3-0 World Cup final victory over Brazil on July 12, 1998. But two years later Zidane’s detractors are silent and the 28-year-old midfielder has shone again at the top level. France’s dependence on their talisman was amply illustrated during qualifying. They were top of the group when Zidane picked up an injury that ruled him out of France’s next four qualifiers. France then slumped dramatically. First they were lucky to escape with a 0-0 draw in Paris with Ukraine whose star striker Andriy Shevchenko squandered three glorious opportunities. Then France beat unheralded Armenia 2-0 before going down 3-2 to Russia at the Stade de France. Four days later the World Cup winners needed a controversial last-minute penalty converted by Frank Leboeuf to beat Andorra, ranked the worst team in Europe at 182 in fifa’s standings. France were now third in the group with just three matches remaining but Zidane returned and rallied his troops to finish top and qualify automatically. In the finals Zidane started where he left off, setting up two goals in France’s opening 3-0 win over Denmark, also impressing in the 2-1 defeat of the Czech Republic. Rested for the meaningless final group match with Holland, he scored the first in France’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Spain. In the semis with Portugal, Zidane again wrote the script, scoring the golden goal penalty that gave his side a 2-1 victory and a place in the final with Italy. Zidane, one of five children born in Marseille to Algerian immigrants, grew up as a supporter of that city’s football club and his first footballing idol was Enzo Francescoli, the club’s Uruguayan striker. Now married to a Spanish wife Zidane would later name the elder of his two sons Enzo. But it was down the coast at Cannes that Zidane began his career. It was at Bordeaux he began to really make waves and he was one of the stars of the team that reached the 1996 uefa Cup final after qualifying through the Intertoto Cup. By now France coach Aime Jacquet decided Zidane would be the man around which he would build his team but Zidane — struggling with a thigh injury — did not have a memorable Euro 1996. Zidane moved to Juventus that summer and has won two Italian titles, a World Club Championship and a European Super Cup with the Turin outfit. But he has had to settle for runners-up spot in two Champions League finals with first Borussia Dortmund and then Real Madrid denying him in 1997 and 1998. But tomorrow Zidane could lift his first important trophy at continental level in the blue shirt of France rather than the black-and-white “zebra” colours of juventus. Alessandro Nesta (Italy): Alessandro Nesta may only have truly stamped his mark on international football at Euro 2000, but it’s a mark that is destined to remain for another decade. Already Italy’s most inspiring defender at the age of 24, Nesta’s main strength is that he is getting better — and making fewer mistakes — with every year that passes. Born in the working class Rome suburb of Cinecitta, where Italian director Federico Fellini had his film studios, Nesta’s good looks would probably have given him a stab at a movie career. Instead, after being turned down at schoolboy level by as Roma, who have regretted the blunder ever since, Nesta was snapped up by Lazio’s youth squad after he answered an advert for a trial in a local newspaper. Nesta has since spent his entire career with the club, and having also been made a board member last season by its tomato sauce baron boss Sergio Cragnotti, he is very likely to stay there. Nesta signed pro forms in 1993 and made his league debut in a 2-2 draw with Udinese on March 13, 1994 — six days before his 18th birthday. Four years later, he was the team captain, as his unstoppable rise continued. However, Nesta has also seen the down side of being a professional footballer, suffering a potentially career-ending injury at the 1998 World Cup finals in France, just a month after losing the uefa Cup final to Inter Milan in Paris. In a rare sortie upfield, Nesta collided with an opponent in Italy’s first round tie with Austria — damaging cruciate ligaments and being flown home from Charles De Gaulle airport the following day on crutches. It took more than six months for him to recover. But when he did, it was the return of Nesta at the back and Christian Vieri up front in January 1999 that launched Lazio on a 17-match unbeaten run which so nearly brought them the league title. However, they did lift the last European Cup Winners Cup at Villa Park after beating Real Mallorca 2-1 in the final. In the event, those league title celebrations were postponed rather than cancelled — with Nesta skippering the team to last season’s league title in May. At Euro 2000, he has been in superb form throughout the tournament, and will face the likes of either Nicolas Anelka or Thierry Henry tomorrow. But the Series A experience will once again stand him in good stead. Asked before their opening match against Turkey how Italy’s defence would cope with one of Europe’s top rated strikers in Hakan Sukur, Nesta said: “we’re not frightened. “We play in Italy — and all the best players are there. We come up against them every Sunday. Hakan Sukur is very good and I have a lot of respect for him but in our championship we have people like Ronaldo, Batistuta, Vieri...” France may want to
celebrate their second major title in two years, but
Nesta is the man who could spoil the party. |
De Boer disappears after disaster AMSTERDAM, July 1 (Reuters) — Frank de Boer scurried away after the Dutch tumbled out of Euro 2000 in their semifinal against Italy, refusing to walk past journalists desperate to know how he missed not one, but two penalties. De Boer missed his first in the 39th minute and another in the shootout which 10-man Italy won 3-1 yesterday to take them to the final against France on Sunday. Coach Frank Rijkaard, who quit after the Dutch defeat, defended his decision to put De Boer in the spotlight to take the first penalty for the dutch. “I chose the people who I had most confidence in at that moment. “Frank de Boer is
normally very reliable from the penalty spot, although no
one was eager to take the first one,’’ Rijkaard
told mediapersons. |
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Couple viewing Euro 2000 tie shot BANGKOK, July 1 (AFP) — A man and wife watching a Euro 2000 football match on television were allegedly killed by a neighbour enraged by the noise, reports and police sources said today. “A married couple noisily enjoying their live telecast of a Euro 2000 football match (early Friday morning) were shot dead in their flat by an enraged neighbour,” the Bangkok Post said, quoting police sources. “Yai Pothipaya, 50, and his wife Sawai were drinking and cheering during the Holland-Italy clash when they were attacked,” the Post said. Yai was shot in the chest and his wife was shot in the neck, it said. “Witnesses told police that the attacker, probably angered by the noise, had not been on good terms with the couple,” the paper said. A policeman investigating the case told AFP that the couple and the neighbour had clashed repeatedly over the past months over a number of issues. The suspect in the double shooting remains at large, police told AFP. Euro 2000 is extremely popular in Thailand, a football-mad country that lacks a strong national league and primarily follows European football. All of the Euro 2000
games have been broadcast across Thailand, and many
newspapers have run articles on Thais falling asleep at
work due after staying up late to watch Euro 2000. |
England in command LONDON, July 1 (AP) — Fast bowler Courtney Walsh struck early to remove opener Mark Ramprakash as England chased 188 runs to win the second cricket Test at Lord’s today. After West Indies had been routed for 54 on the second day, England, resuming its second innings, were 13 for one in a rain-shortened morning with Michael Atherton and Michael Vaugh unbeaten on nine and nought respectively. Rain delayed the start by 50 minutes and after just 10 overs light rain forced players off for an early lunch break. England need another 175 runs in over eight sessions to square the series 1-1. Mark Ramprakash’s poor run as an opener continued as he made just two runs before bottom edging a ball from Walsh on to his stumps. In the first innings he was dismissed for nought off the fifth ball. In 11 Test innings at Lord’s, the England opener has scored 81 runs with five naughts. But Atherton, who took 27 balls to score his first runs, and Vaughan batted watchfully in the 20 minutes together surviving some hostile bowling from Walsh and his new ball partner Curtly Ambrose. After England had batted poorly to be dismissed for 134 in the first innings, swing bowler Andrew Caddick took 5-16 to bowl the West Indies for its third lowest total in Tests. The entire West Indies’ second innings lasted just 161 balls. Ridley Jacobs was the only batsmen to reach double figures — 12 runs. West Indies after being sent into bat on the first day scored 267 runs. SCOREBOARD West Indies (1st Innings) 267 England (1st Innings) 134 West Indies (2nd Innings) 54 England (2nd Innings) overnight 0 for none Atherton not out 9 Ramprakash b Walsh 2 Vaughan not out 0 Total: (for one wkt) 13 Fall of wicket: 1-3. Bowling: Curtley Ambrose
6-5-1-0, Courtney Walsh 5-3-12-1. |
Rain washes out 4th day’s play KANDY, July 1 (AFP) — Rain washed out the fourth day’s play in the third and final cricket Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Asgiriya International Stadium today. Before umpires Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Peter Manuel (Sri Lanka) could inspect the ground three heavy showers in the morning ruled out any play, bringing the total playing time lost to seven and a half sessions. The rain left several parts of the outfield under patches of water. Sri Lanka scored 467 for five wickets at the end of the third day, which was also affected by rain. Pakistan have already
assured themselves of the three-Test series, taking an
unbeatable 2-0 lead by winning Tests played at Sinhalese
SC grounds by five wickets and Galle International
Stadium by an innings and 163 runs. |
SA cricketers’ oath of innocence JOHANNESBURG, July 1 (Reuters) — South Africa’s national cricket team signed oaths of innocence in match-fixing and vowed to report any bookmakers’ approaches before they left for Sri Lanka yesterday. It will be the 16-man squad’s first international trip since disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje admitted taking money from bookmakers, prompting the South African government to launch an inquiry into alleged match-fixing. The declaration signed
by the 16 players makes it clear that any breach of its
provisions could result in a lifetime ban from
representative cricket. |
Ali Irani deposes before CBI NEW DELHI, July 1 (PTI) — Former physiotherapist of Indian cricket team Ali Irani was today questioned by the CBI for over three hours in connection with the match-fixing scandal. Dr Irani arrived at the CBI headquarters this morning and recorded his statement with the special crime branch of the agency probing the scandal. Emerging out from the CBI head office after three hours, Irani refused to make any comment to the media and was helped by nearly a dozen CBI officials to get into his car amidst angry protests by newspersons. Dr Irani’s deposition was necessitated following his conversation with former allrounder Manoj Prabhakar about match-fixing in cricket which was filmed by him clandestinely. Prabhakar had submitted these video tapes to the CBI on May 27 following which the CBI has been calling people to find out if they corraborate their “taped conversations”. The CBI has so far questioned Ajit Wadekar and Navjot Singh Sidhu twice and Nyan Mongia and Prashant Vadiya whose conversations were available on tape on a website. However, all the four have denied authenticity of the taped conversations and Vadiya went ahead to say that the tapes had been “doctored”. It may be mentioned that suspended Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Vishva Bandhu Gupta has filed an FIR against the website alleging that the “video tapes had been doctored” with somebody else’s words put in his mouth. Dr Irani had reportedly said in his conversation with Prabhakar that further pursuance of the match-fixing scandal would create a political uproar in the country. In a related
development, the Enforcement Directorate was looking for
Mukesh Gupta to record his statement in connection with
the alleged FERA violations. |
Serena Williams eyes title LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) — Eighth seed Serena Williams is only four matches away from fulfilling her goal of winning Wimbledon after having crushed Spaniard Cristina Torrens-Valero 6-2, 6-1 in the third round. The reigning US Open champion has powered her way through the draw in the first week, only dropping nine games in her three matches. “I came here to win and if I can’t do that, I might as well go home and not bother playing any matches,” said Williams, who took just 67 yesterday minutes to complete her latest demolition job. “I did not come here to make up the numbers, that’s for sure.” The 18-year-old American was never in trouble on the quick grass surface during the rain-interrupted match and used her all-round skills to frustrate her 25-year-old opponent. Playing her first tournament since April, the American moved impressively around the court and unleashed a series of ferocious backhands which whipped past Torrens-Valero time and again. “I’m looking good and playing good. I’m doing a lot of things better than at the US Open which I’m happy about,” said Williams. “I love playing on grass and wish there were more tournaments played on the surface. “My shots are blazing even when I don’t hit them that hard and I like that.” With only four seeds left in Williams’ half of the draw she is expected to proceed to the semifinals where, if the seedings hold up, she is likely to meet top seed Martina Hingis or her elder sister Venus. Williams’ fourth
round opponent on Monday will be Thailand’s unseeded
Tamarine Tanasugarn.
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Pete Sampras, Dokic triumph LONDON, July 1 (Reuters, AFP) — Defending champion Pete Sampras beat fellow American Justin Gimelstob 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the third round at Wimbledon today. Men’s fourth seed Gustavo Kuerten failed in his quest to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the Wimbledon and French Open singles crowns in the same year when he lost his third-round match here today to German discovery Alexander Popp. Wimbledon debutant Popp (23) and ranked just 161 in the world, shocked Brazilian claycourt specialist Kuerten 7-6 (8/6) 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 16 as yet another men’s seed crashed out prematurely. Kuerten, who had to call the trainer midway through the match to treat a thigh injury, was the 10th men’s seed to fall as he failed to transfer his excellent clay form on to grass. The form book did not lie completely in tatters as Australian 12th seed Pat Rafter beat Rainer Schuttler of Germany 6-2 7-6 (7/2) 6-3. ‘‘This is probably the nicest day of my life,’’ grinned Popp, whose father is German and mother English, enabling him to hold passports from both nations. ‘‘I tried to play my match. And with the injury he wasn’t moving that well. Once he’d called the trainer I knew I had a good chance,’’ added Popp who is playing his first tournament on grass but who stormed the net at every opportunity, winning 90 per cent of his net approaches. ‘‘Once I had the second break in the third I thought I finally had it in the bag. I had a good feeling from then on in.’’ Kuerten, a quarter-finalist last year, rather ambitiously resorted to playing drop shots from the baseline as if in his mind’s eye he was still on the slow clay of Roland Garros. On grass it was a huge gamble which didn’t pay off as Popp’s ground serves proved too much for the South American. ‘‘I wasn’t too strong,’’ said Kuerten, 23, who revealed he had had a bad cold for several days since arriving back in Europe from Brazil. ‘‘The first set I played good but then I felt a little bit tired. He deserved to win.’’ Kuerten served six aces in his opening two service games and won the overall count 11-9 but Popp refused to buckle and forced the tiebreak which he promptly won after his opponent blew a break-point. Popp then broke for the first time in the match in the third game of the second set and the writing was on the wall for Kuerten. Popp’s booming confidence seemed to know no bounds, raced through the second and third sets with a shoal of brilliant passing shots and a hammer of a serve. Defending men’s champion Pete Sampras was facing fellow American Justin Gimelstob on centre court after yesterday’s rain gave him an extra night to recover from his shin injury. In the women’s singles Australian teenager Jelena Dokic, a quarter-finalist here on her debut 12 months ago after shocking Martina Hingis in the opening round, beat Brie Rippner of the USA 6-2, 6-1. Dokic’s doubles partner Jennifer Capriati of the USA also advanced when she beat Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia 7-6 (7/4) 6-0. Capriati is now in line to face defending champion Lindsay Davenport, who was later due to face Paola Suarez of Argentina. Capriati was annoyed that her match on court three clashed with the parade on centre court of former champions as the noise from the Scots Guards band had distracted her. ‘‘They could choose another time to do that thing,’’ said the former child prodigy, now 24 but who reached the fourth round as a 14-year-old. Sixth seed Monica Seles ousted French redhead Sarah Pitkowski 6-0 6-3 to book her passage while yet another American, Kristina Brandi, recovered from a poor start to beat Russian Anastasia Myskina 4-6, 6-3 6-1. Dokic was ebullient after her win as she looks to emulate last year’s strong showing. ‘‘It was good to get through. I didn’t give her any chances. Mentally I had good concentration, I’m mentally tough. I have a good chance this year. The further I go the more dangerous I’ll be,’’ said the teenage star. The US women’s contingent got another boost when Lilia Osterloh won her third-round encounter with Patricia Wartusch 4-6 6-2 8-6. India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and his German partner David Prinosil stormed into the Wimbledon men’s doubles third round with a hard-fought four set win over Swedish pair of Fredrik Bergh and Peter Nyborg here. Bhupathi, who bowed out
of singles in the first round after being given wild card
entry, made amends to the campaign and worked nicely with
Prinosil to carve out a 6-4 7-6 (8/6) 4-6 7-6 (13-11) win
over their unseeded opponents. |
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