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Journalism of Courage
PARIS, MAY 25: Former champion Gustavo Kuerten, one of the title favourites, made a sizzling start to his French Open campaign with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 first-round win over Spaniard Galo Blanco at Roland Garros on Tuesday.The brilliant Brazilian, who has won both the Monte Carlo and Italian Open titles this season, dominated Blanco on center court.Sixth-seed Alex Corretja of Spain, beaten by Moya in last year8217;s final, also progressed painlessly. Corretja downed fellow Spaniard German Puentes 7-6 7-4, 6-4, 6-2.There was an early upset in the men8217;s singles with Magnus Larsson of Sweden defeating 11th-seeded Karol Kucera of Slovakia 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Kucera joined Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, the 15th seed who lost on Monday, inmaking an early exit from the tournament.Larsson8217;s 16th-seeded compatriot Thomas Enqvist, an Australian Open finalist earlier this year, also advanced with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Argentine qual ifier Hector Moretti.In the women8217;s singles, five-time champion Steffi Graf of Germanyand three-time winner Monica Seles of the United States also moved briskly into the second round.
Julie Halard-Decugis, the player who beat Graf in Berlin earlier in the month, Needed three sets to clinch her spot in the final 64. Halard-Decugis, seeded 16th, rallied to defeat Karina Habsudova of Slovakia 1-6,6-4, 6-1.
How the seeds fared
Men singles 1st round:
3-Patrick Rafter Aus bt RogerFederer Swiss 5-7 6-3 6-0 6-2; 6-Alex Corretja Spain bt German Puentes Spain 7-6 7-4 6-4 6-2; 7-Tim Henman UK bt Karim Alami Morocco 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-4; 8-Gustavo Kuerten Braz bt Galo Blanco Spain 6-4 6-4 6-3; 9-Marcelo Rios Chile bt Axel Pretzsch Germ 6-3 6-2 7-5; Jason Stoltenberg Aus bt 10-Mark Philippoussis Aus 7-6 7-4 6-4 6-1; Magnus Larsson Swed bt 11-Karol Kucera Slov 6-2 6-3 6-2; 12-Greg Rusedski UK bt David Prinosil Germ 6-4 6-4 6-7 4-7 6-4; 13-Andre Agassi US bt Franco Squillari Arg 3-6 7-5 7-5 6-3; 16-Thomas Enqvist Swed bt Hector Moretti Arg 4-6 6-0 6-4 6-2.
Women singles 1st round:
3-Monica Seles US bt Fang Li China 6-2 6-4; 5-Venus Williams bt Alexandra Fusai France 6-1 6-1; 6-Steffi Graf Germ bt Magdalena Maleeva Bulg 6-2 6-0; 7-Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario Spain bt Miriana Lucic Croatia 6-2 6-2; 8-Mary Pierce France bt Joannette Kruger SA 6-4 6-3; 9-Nathalie Tauziat France bt Amelie Cocheteux France 6-4 6-3; 11-PattySchnyder Swiss bt Corina Morariu US 3-6 6-3 8-6; 12-Sandrine Testud France bt Sandra Nacuk Yug 3-6 6-3 6-1; Barbara Schwartz Aut bt 13-Dominique Van Roost Bel 6-1 6-0; Ai Sugiyama Jap bt 14-Amanda Coetzer SA 7-5 6-1; 16-Julie Halard-Decugis Fran bt Karina Habsudova Slov 1-6 6-4 6-1.
Men singles:
Albert Costa Spain bt Magnus Gustafsson Swed 6-3 4-6 7-5 7-6 7-5; Wayne Ferreira SA bt Kenneth Carlsen Denmark 3-6 6-3 6-3 6-2; Davide Sanguinetti Italy bt John Van Lottum Netherlands 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3; Arnaud Boetsch France bt Razvan Sabau Rom 6-0 6-1 6-1; Martin Damm Czech bt Nicolas Kiefer Germ 7-5 6-4 6-2; Petr Korda Czech bt Alberto Martin Spain 7-6 7-2 6-1 4-6 6-3; Nicolas Lapentti Ecu bt Thomas Muster Aut 2-6 6-1 6-2 7-6 7-4; Alberto Berasategui Spain bt Wayne Black Zimb 6-0 6-3 4-6 6-2; Andrew Ilie Aus bt Jonas Bjorkman Sweden 4-6 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-3; Martin Rodriguez Arg bt Lleyton Hewitt Aus 4-6 6-4 6-4 4-6 6-4; Hernan Gumy Arg btAndrei Pavel Rom 6-7 3-7 6-2 3-1 Pavel retired; Marat Safin Russia bt Jan Kroslak Slov 6-2 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-2; Agustin Calleri Arg bt Daniel Vacek Czech 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4; Arnaud Clement France bt Cedric Pioline France 3-6 3-6 7-6 10-8 6-4 6-3; Mose Navarra Italy bt Scott Draper Aus 3-6 6-1 7-6 8-6 7-6 7-5; Guillermo Canas Arg bt Jan Siemerink Neth 7-6 7-2 4-6 6-2 6-4; Stefan Koubek Aut bt Guillaume Raoux France 6-0 6-4 7-5; Tommy Haas Germ bt Marc Rosset Swiss 7-6 8-6 7-6 7-4 6-1; Markus Hantschk Germ bt Vladimir Voltchkov Belarus 6-2 6-4 6-2.
Women singles:
Ruxandra Dragomir Rom bt Rita Grande Italy 7-6 7-0 6-1; Amelie Mauresmo France bt Tara Snyder US 6-3 6-3; Kimberly Po US bt Denisa Chladkova Czech 7-6 7-5 6-3; Sylvia Plischke Aut bt Meilen Tu US 6-1 6-1; Irina Spirlea Rom bt Catalina Cristea Rom 6-4 6-1; Chanda Rubin US bt Miriam Oremans Netherlands 6-0 6-3; Alicia Molik Aus bt Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Netherlands3-6 6-3 6-2; Lea Ghirardi France bt Tatiana Panova Russia 6-7 2-7 6-4 7-5; Mary-Joe Fernandez US bt Alexia Dechaume-Balleret France 6-3 6-2; Emmanuelle Gagliardi Swiss bt Nicole Pratt Aus 6-2 6-2; Emmanuelle Curutchet France bt Jelena Dokic Aus 7-6 7-5 3-6 11-9; Elena Dementieva Russia bt Laura Golarsa Italy 6-1 6-4; Asa Carlsson Swed bt Sabine Appelmans Belg 6-2 7-5; Andrea Glass Germ bt Lisa Raymond US 6-4 7-5; Anna Smashnova Israel bt Sonya Jeyaseelan Canada 2-6 6-1 6-3; Nicole Arendt US bt Sophie Lefevre France 6-3 7-5.
