Medvedev marches into French Open final

In the second semifinal, Andre Agassi played Dominik Hrbaty.

Medvedev lost the first four games, not even winning a point in the first two. But he then won nine out of the next ten games as he clinched the first set and took a 2-0 lead in the second.

He was up 3-1 when his game deteriorated again and Meligeni won five straight points to even the score at one set apiece.

Medvedev was seen by a trainer during several changeovers and was given vitamins and minerals to help him get over cramps and a spell of dizziness.

He recovered from a break down to win the third and blew a 4-0 lead in the decisive tiebreaker.

Medvedev had to save a set point before pulling together and playing abrilliant forehand drop shot on match point that Meligeni could only get on the second bounce.

AGASSI LEADS: Andre Agassi was still poised to make Grand Slam history when his French Open semifinal against Dominik Hrbaty was postponed due to rain today with the American leading 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 1-2.

The match will restart tomorrow afternoon. The winner will face 100th-ranked Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev in Sunday8217;s final.

If Agassi progresses and beats Medvedev, he will become the first man since 1969 to win all four Grand Slam titles 8212; and only the fifth man ever.

Should he succeed he would also be the first player to win the four tournaments 8212; Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open 8212; on four different surfaces.

Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson and Rod Laver won when Wimbledon, Australia and the US were all played on grass. Australia and the US are now played on different types of hard court.

Hingis in line for double

Martina Hingis kept alive her chance of winning twotitles at the French Open when she and partner Anna Kournikova won their women8217;s doubles semi-final today.

Hingis and Kournikova, the second seeds, beat fourth-seeded French pair Alexandra Fusai and Nathalie Tauziat 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

The Swiss-Russian teen combination will play either Lindsay Davenport and Mary Pierce or Venus and Serena Williams in Sunday8217;s final.

Records favour Graf

Seeking her sixth French Open title, Steffi Graf says she won8217;t be under pressure in her championship match against Martina Hingis, the World No. 1 looking for her first. 8220;I obviously feel that I don8217;t have to prove anything,8221; Graf said. 8220;I don8217;t have the feeling that I have to win.8221;

That8217;s not the case for 18-year-old Hingis, who is determined to win at Roland Garros and become only the ninth woman in history 8212; and the first since Graf 8212; to triumph at each Grand Slam.

Norval-Srebotnik score

Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Piet Norval of South Africa won the mixed doubles final at the FrenchOpen here today, beating Latvia8217;s Larisa Neiland and American Rick Leach in three sets.

Unseeded pair Srebotnik and Norval, who only came together shortly before the tournament, beat their sixth-seeded opponents 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour 36min.

TODAY8217;S FIXTURES

Men8217;s Singles Semi-finals, continued from Friday: Dominic Hrbaty Slo vs 13-Andre Agassi US

Men8217;s Doubles final: 1-Leander Paes/ Mahesh Bhupathi Ind vs Goran Ivanisevic Cro/ Jeff Tarango US

Women8217;s Singles: 1-Martina Hingis Swi vs 6-Steffi Graf Ger

Second Serve

Fact of the day: For the first time since 1992, no Spaniard will play in either of the French Open singles finals.

Statistics of the day: Steffi Graf won her 86th singles match at the French Open in beating Monica Seles, more than any other player, man or woman, in the Open era.

Quote of the day: 8220;I played great, let me be happy,8221; Martina Hingis, when it was suggested that Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario might not haveplayed her best tennis against her.

More Stats

49,440 down, 4,560 to go: With just three days of play remaining, the French Open is down to its last 4,560 tennis balls having used up a staggering 49,440 in the first 11 days of competition.

Statistics freaks may also like to know that 4,600 courtside towels have been used so far.