Russian Marat Safin tumbled out of the French Open as he lost to
Janko Tipsarevic from Serbia 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a second round tie
here on Wednesday.
"Life goes on, it's in second round only. I guess there will be
another chance and I'll play better. The luck will be on my side,"
said the 22nd seed after the match.
"I feel like something doesn't come together, and that's why
it's a lot of sad losses for the past from the beginning of the
year."
Safin, who was making his ninth appearance at the second Grand
Slam event of the year in Paris, lost to eventual champion Juan
Carlos Ferrero in the 2002 semifinals. The 27-year-old has a 24-9
record at the clay-court major.
"I'm already downhill on my career. Of course I want to play
tennis, and it would be a sad situation to leave with being a
struggling player. So I really hope that I can change and play
another three, four years."
Tipsarevic became the first player into the third round after
the world No. 80 notched up the win in two hours and 38
minutes.
He will be facing world No. 9 Tommy Robredo, who defeated Greek
qualifier Konstantinos Economidis 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 13
minutes.
"I was not thinking before I started the match that Marat is
like a big, huge favorite of the match," the Serb said.
"And second of all, I know that this year, he hasn't been
playing really great on clay courts."
There was also loss for home prospect Richard Gasquet, who was
knocked out by Belgian Kristof Vliegen 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in two
hours and 16 minutes.
For the third year in a row, Gasquet has made a second round
exit and drops to 4-6 at the championship.
Vliegen will next meet No. 19 seed Guillermo Canas of Argentina,
who scored a ruthless 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over Italian Simone
Bolelli.
"I really did not feel good on the court today. In the first
set, I had many set points. I didn't succeed. And then afterwards,
mentally speaking, I just never managed to come back. I just didn't
succeed. It was stressed," said a downcast Gasquet.
Fourth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko booked his place in the
third round when he defeated Australian Werner Eschauer 7-5, 6-3,
6-1.
Davydenko, who turns 26 on June 2, hit 16 winners and made 29
unforced errors. He converted seven of 12 break point
opportunities.
Mikhail Youzhny of Russia cruised past Ecuadorian Nicolas
Lapentti 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2007)
