Andrei Medvedev orchestrated what Costa Rica's Juan Antonio Marin almost accomplished in the previous round, the demise of world number two Pete Sampras. The American displayed great durability and character to survive the Marin match in five sets, but the mental and physical legacy of that clash was apparent at Roland Garros yesterday.
Often perplexed by the demands of his least favourite surface, Sampras looked ill at ease on the red clay, struggling mentally as much as physically to formulate a strategy that would allow him to flourish. Only briefly, in the second set, which he won 6-1, did he offer evidence of the ability that has made him one of the game's greatest ever players.
For the most part, Sampras could find few answers. "I was trying to figure out how I am going to win my points. Am I going to serve hard? Am I going to serve off the court? Am I going to stay back? On every surface it's a natural instinct. Sometimes on clay my instinct is not the right call. Maybe it's best to stay back, maybe it's best to take a little bit off my serve and come in on the next shot.
"On clay I get into a hole where I kind of want to serve my way out of holes. You just can't do that. I was sitting here after losing just thinking, `what happened?' It's just a numb feeling. I feel really bad. It's a tough loss in what hasn't been a good year." Sampras's frustration was manifest in the fact that he appeared on the point of throwing his racquet on a couple of occasions. "Yeah, I was frustrated, there's no question.
"Sure, I was a little bit pissed off. I'm still boring, let's not forget that. But I was on the edge of breaking a few sticks." The American now finds himself with plenty of time to consider just why he has been able to win the other three Grand Slam titles (11 in total), but managed only one appearance, 1996, in a semi-final at the French Open.
Despite a singular lack of success, he is determined to persist in his quest for glory at Roland Garros. "I'll be back next year and the year after. Hopefully one year I'll break through and do it. I would never pass it up."
Two double faults in the 11th game of the opening set offered Medvedev a chink of light on the Sampras serve and he capitalised, breaking the American to love. Holding his serve to take the set, he then found Sampras a totally different prospect as the latter raced through the second 6-1. With the third set and the match delicately poised at 4-4, the Ukrainian held to 15 and then watched as Sampras tossed away his serve and the set with a plethora of errors.
The American needed a good start to the fourth, but instead his unforced error count spiralled (61 in the match) and when he eventually offered a semblance of consistency it was too late, Medvedev 30 ahead and not inclined to offer any opportunities.
For the Ukrainian it offers an upturn in fortune, the first time that he has won two matches in succession since last October, although a wrist injury was something of a mitigating factor for the 24-year-old. Despite his victory, Medvedev counselled caution: "It's one match. Have I done anything really, really significant? To win two rounds, come on!"
When asked whether he thought the player that he had just beaten would go down as one of the greatest in the game, Medvedev was positively effusive. "I think he's the greatest player on earth that's ever picked up a tennis racquet. But I don't think he played his best tennis today. I mean, it's not his favourite surface and it is mine. It's a great result, but I don't get my head turned around because I beat Pete."
