Tennis: Juan Carlos Ferrero may not have meant to slight Lleyton Hewitt, but when he was asked to choose a big name he would like to beat in a Grand Slam, it was Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten he picked, not the current world number one.

Ferrero, who yesterday played just one set and three games of a second before his opponent, Nicolas Massu, retired injured, obviously respects the Australian, but his thinking is consistent with a general view that here the specialist dirt kickers usually come out on top.

Kuerten keeps good company with Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl as one of the only players to have won three or more times at Roland Garros, while Agassi has won once.

Bodily, too, Ferrero, last year's beaten finalist, has faced less attrition so far than most players in the draw. Three sets in his first round match and just over one yesterday places him far apart from Hewitt, who has twice played long four-setters, and Kuerten, who now has seven sets in his legs. Yesterday's 6-1 6-0 6-1 dismissal of Hicham Arazi, however, was eye-catching enough to raise hopes that the Brazilian has finally shaken off the lethargy that had softened his game after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in February 2000.

That sort of ease of progress could become a factor later in the week, once Ferrero can construct a clay court plan to undermine the singularly grass-oriented serve and volley instincts of Tim Henman in the next round. The Briton yesterday saw off his great friend, American Todd Martin, 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-1 7-5.

"It was bad luck for him (Massu), good luck for me," said Ferrero. "Because it is one less match, one easy match for me and less wear and tear. A year ago in the final I had problems, shoulder, abductors, my ankle. Today I was physically very good."

So, too, was Hewitt gratified not to have been forced into a fifth set, although he was required to win six points in a row in the fourth-set tie-break to prevent his match from drifting further. His opponent, 21-year-old Nikolay Davydenko, although unheard of in Ireland, was a hot name coming into the tournament, having won two titles prior to Paris. On arrival he then put an end to the injury-ravaged hopes of Greg Rusedski 6-3 7-5 6-2, before falling to Hewitt. The Australian was given a code violation for losing his temper and came close to getting a second.

"I didn't feel I came close to another code violation. I guess I get a little bit heated out there," he said. "You look back and you know you regret saying it. But it's very tough out there in the heat of the moment, but I don't think it affects my tennis. My concentration is pretty good when I'm on court."

Davydenko had said before the match he didn't believe Hewitt could win the title, a comment the Australian had heard before they played. "More of a chance of winning it than he does," he snapped.

No love lost. There rarely is.