Marathon man wins again

Spain8217;s comeback king Albert Costa recovered from two sets down once again to reach the French Open semi-finals with a 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7...

Spain8217;s comeback king Albert Costa recovered from two sets down once again to reach the French Open semi-finals with a 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 victory over compatriot Tommy Robredo today.

For the fourth time in five matches at Roland Garros the defending champion triumphed in five sets to go through to a last-four clash with either third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain or Chile8217;s Fernando Gonzalez.

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In three of those matches he has come from two sets down and Wednesday8217;s effort in front of a transfixed centre court crowd left him exhausted but delighted.

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8216;8216;I8217;m playing at my highest level,8217;8217; said Costa, whose form has been poor since he beat Ferrero in last year8217;s final. 8216;8216;It8217;s the first time I have won four matches in five sets in a tournament. I8217;m surprised myself.

8216;8216;I8217;m tired. It doesn8217;t look like it but I8217;m tired. I8217;m going to try to make it easier in the next round.8217;8217;

Robredo, ranked 31 in the world and playing his first Grand Slam quarter-final, had beaten world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt and three-time former winner Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil on his way to the last eight.

Facing Costa for the first time in his career, he raced into a two sets to love lead with some sublime claycourt tennis.

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Ninth seed Costa had no answer to the 21-year-old8217;s accuracy but Robredo did not look fully fit and gradually the tide turned the champion8217;s way.

With Robredo visibly tiring and beginning to lose his temper, Costa took the next two sets and in the decider there was only going to be one winner.

From 2-2 in the fifth set Robredo barely won a point as Costa buried his younger opponent with a mixture of brutal back-court blows, cunning drop shots and sweet lobs.

Robredo twice double-faulted to lose serve and Costa swept to a stupendous victory after three hours 28 minutes of play.

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Costa has spent 18-1/2 hours on court so far in defence of his only Grand Slam title.

He beat Argentine Sergio Roitman, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic and Ecuador8217;s Nicolas Lapentti over five sets in rounds one, two and three before enjoying a brief respite with a straight sets win over France8217;s Arnaud Clement in the last 16. Reuters