Medvedev upsets favourite Kuerten

Gustavo Kuerten angrily lashed a ball into the crowd unable to subdue the frustration that burned inside him. It was a gesture totally out of character for `Guga' but then so too was the manner of his capitulation before Andrei Medvedev, a failure so abject as to be greeted initially by the crowd in Court Central at Roland Garros with a surreal silence.

It only took a split second for the Parisian public to recapture their senses and warmly acknowledge Ukrainian Medvedev's superbly crafted and thoroughly deserved victory over the tournament favourite, achieved in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. Kuerten's limitations on the day aside, the contest provided a wonderful vindication of Medvedev's cerebral approach to the task.

He patently out-thought his opponent, devised a gameplan that deprived his Brazilian opponent of his normal potency. Kuerten likes to hit the ball late, content to stay behind the baseline and dictate the ebb and flow of rallies. Medvedev never afforded him that luxury. Instead he wrested the initiative, thumping his ground-strokes and forcing the shorter ball from which he hit outright winners.

On other occasions, he forced the Brazilian back towards the hoardings that boarded the court and simply employed the drop shot. Nor was the Medvedev reluctant to approach the net, denying Kuerten the time he craved to unleash his big ground-strokes. The Ukrainian went after his opponent's second serve in a big way, stepping in and taking the ball early. He was facilitated by Kuerten's increasingly feeble delivery.

The strong, blustery wind certainly mitigated against the Brazilian's traditional game but in fairness to Kuerten he wasn't about to offer any excuses. "I think the wind was tough for both. We didn't play a great game because it wasn't in the best of conditions. I didn't feel well in any part of my game.

"He didn't give me too much of an opportunity to get used to the pace of the game. I didn't play well today and that hurt. I hit too short and that allowed him to play all his shots."

For Medvedev this victory, represents a second coming. Ranked four in the world in 1993, injury and a lack of appetite for tennis blighted his undoubted talent.

He has rediscovered his hunger and for that he cites happiness off the court and his continuing relationship with German tennis player Anke Huber. He was at pains to point out, in his typically humorous and good-natured way, that a wedding was not imminent, despite speculation in the media.

On a more serious level, at least initially, he admitted the confidence that his victory over Pete Sampras had given him. "That added to my growing confidence. Beating Pete, it doesn't matter whether it is on clay, mud or water is great. You beat him in backgammon you feel good. Beating him was an unbelievable lift for me."

Medvedev offered an interesting insight into his vanquished opponent. "He was maybe lacking in confidence. I know from experience that when an opponent is playing on your level you really have to dig down. It's tough when you haven't had to do it in four matches. I don't think that Gustavo was prepared. I think that it is the first time that he played the tournament as a clear favourite.

"Believe me that's a lot of pressure. Everyone in America, Europe, the Ukraine is talking about the fact that Gustavo is favourite to win the French Open. He reads all that, believe me. He brings his family, he brings his friends, it's a lot of pressure. You have to be very mature to see through that and concentrate on what you have to do."

Medvedev will now face another Brazilian Fernando Meligeni in the semi-final, the latter defeated number six seed Spain's Alex Corretja 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 in one hour and 25 minutes. Argentinian born Melegeni - he moved to Brazil when he was four - comprehensively outclassed an out-of-sorts Corretja, obviously still feeling the effects of an illness that dogged him earlier in the tournament.

Renowned for his great physical conditioning the Spaniard appeared listless and was simply overwhelmed by the athletic Meligeni. The first two sets took two minutes over the hour, the last just 23 minutes and with it a merciful reprise for Corretja.