Paris, May 27: Two years ago Marcelo Rios was - briefly - men's World No 1, but even in those halcyon days his critics were quick to point out that his tennis curriculum vitae still lacked a Grand Slam crown.It is against such a background that the moody Chilean star goes into next week's French Open on his favourite slow clay hoping to detect a chink of light, however faint, at the end of the tunnel.Last week's Hamburg Masters Series brought disappointment in the shape of a semifinal knockout by Russian 20-year-old Marat Safin.Yet until a hyped-up Safin came along it was by no means all doom and gloom for Rios, who had been playing some highly effective tennis up until then as he attempted to retain his title in the North German city.Rios knows he will never be Mr Popular in Paris - every time he arrives in the City of Light the French media rush to award him their `lemon prize' for being, in their view, the least cooperative player on the circuit.But the 24-year-old native of Santiago is rarely very forthcoming even with the Latin American journalitic fraternity - having lost so much time to injury he simply craves opportunities to let his tennis do the talking.So far on six visits to Roland Garros he has amassed onlya modest 16-6 win/ loss record with quarter-final appearances in the past two years his best showing.But imperious wins in Hamburg over Nicolas Escude of France, German wildcard Michael Kohlmann, Argentine Mariano Puerta and Spaniard Francisco Clavet suggested that left-hander Rios is nearly back in the groove.That was writ large on his face as he adopted an unusually relaxed pose in Hamburg, where he said he felt very comfortable after putting aside earlier thoughts of quitting.``I've been thinking many Times of not playing any more. Of course I want to come back. If I didn't think I could make it I wouldn't be here - I would be at home,'' he insisted.``I'm getting more towards the way I used to play - it's about time,'' added Rios, who despite his injury woes still won three Tour titles last year for a career haul of 15, though he said he was aware the healing process still has some months to run.``Winning tournaments makes you feel very good,'' opined the Chilean.His fitness may be in some doubt - but his appetite cannot be called into question.
