French Open Diary

The right-handed Jensen sometimes tried to outfox his opponents by serving left-handed.

Top-seeded doubles partners Paes and Bhupathi showed on Monday they were equally ambidextrously-inclined by putting on an exhibition of their left-handed qualities in practise while preparing for their quarter-final against Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach.

Kafelnikov goes unrecognised at Garros

Being the top-ranked player in the world doesn8217;t guarantee recognition 8212; as Yevgeny Kafelnikov discovered in Paris.

The Russian 1996 French Open winner tried to get into the players changing rooms on Monday without his badge when security personnel stopped him.

8220;My name is Kafelnikov and I8217;m the world8217;s No 1 player,8221; he told the guards, but that didn8217;t get him in either. The guard then called his superior to see if Kafelnikov couldenter.

Kafelnikov was granted access and the guard apologised. But the player had to promise to take his badge with him next time.

No Mona Lisa for Monica

Monica Seles got an unwelcome surprise when she took some time off to visit the Louvre museum in Paris.

8220;I went to the Louvre,8221; said Seles. 8220;But obviously it was on strike.8221;

Museum workers have been on strike for two weeks in Paris, closing down the Louvre and the Orsay museums, among others, to demand job security and better working conditions.

Like thousands of other tourists, Seles had to be content with touring the city8217;s streets and monuments.

8220;With my mom, we just walked. The usual, same streets. The same thing as every year,8221; she said, 8220;we keep the tradition going.8221;

Agassi fan

When Lindsay Davenport was asked to pick her favourite for the men8217;s tournament, she didn8217;t hesitate: Andre Agassi.

8220;I love watching Andre play,8221; Davenport said. 8220;When he8217;s playing well, there8217;s nobody more exciting than Andre, theshots he can come up with, the intensity he gets.8221;

Davenport lost in the quarter-finals to Steffi Graf but Agassi went on to the semifinals. Davenport was already looking ahead. 8220;I mean, that it would be great if he won it,8221; she said.

Hingis praises Schwartz

World number one Martina Hingis believes Austrian Barbara Schwartz could be one of her most dangerous opponents in the future.

Hingis beat qualifier Schwartz 6-2, 6-2 in the quarters but said she believes the tall 20-year-old left-hander has more potential than Australian Open finalist Amelie Mauresmo, the player she beat in the second round here.

8220;I think Barbara is better, the way she played against me,8221; said Hingis. 8220;She is going to be pretty dangerous in the future.8221;