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NOTES ON A DRAW SHEET

Fernandez: from club to competitor
"Al" Costa shines in breakthrough Slam

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

FROM ROLAND GARROS – Rain, rain, go away, you're making mud of Parisian clay.

Let's get rid of this pick immediately: Venus Williams over Clarisa Fernandez in straight sets. Look for our other pick on FOXSports.com.

Until she out thought countrywoman Paola Suarez in the quarters, Fernandez' stunning run through the draw was thought to be more a result of awful play by Kim Clijsters and Elena Dementieva than it was the tall and talkative lefty's own prowess. But in beating the higher-ranked Suarez, Fernandez proved that she's more than just a backboard with a wicked lefty serve: She's cagey, fights hard, is very aware when her opponents are going to swing downward emotionally and is capable of whacking winners with her rolling forehand or slapping a two-handed backhand.

The 20-year-old Fernandez was little more than a club player until five years ago, when she started to play daily. To go from a three-times-a-week, grip-and-giggle junior to a Roland Garros semifinalist in that amount of time is remarkable and shows that she has a big upside. She about 6-feet-tall and moves fairly well. She's the daughter of a successful businessman and lawyer, which is why she seems to be so well educated.

Whether she'll be another Gabby Sabatini is definitely up in the air, but there's no reason to doubt her yet. Remember: as good as Gabby was early in the career, she only won one Slam title.

"Al" Costa shines in breakthrough Slam

Now to semifinalist Albert Costa, the most disappointed accomplished clay courter at the Grand Slams in recent history. His 6-0 in the fifth set victory over Guillermo Canas shows that his heart has grown two sizes since he came on tour eight years ago and that he understands that he doesn't have too many years left here to shine. Al says that watching Corretja, Moya and even Felix Mantilla reach the semis here motivated him to "fight and try and at the end you have the prize. If you endure long enough, you'll be able to get there at the end."

Al is not a very exciting player, but on clay courts, fast wheels and a huge forehand can take you very far. While Albert isn't a very colorful guy, he does have a rye sense of humor. When asked why he didn't have a cool nickname like JC Ferrero's "El Mosquito," he replied, "Maybe Al is good."

But what if Al ends up playing good friend Alex Corretja? Are we going to get a replay of the '98 final, when Alex rolled over for buddy Carlos Moya and was the first to celebrate his foe's title? Remember that Corretja ran over to hug Moya before his friend got a chance to truly celebrate himself. It still gives me the shivers. The problem with good friends playing each other is that one guy or gal usually doesn't leave his positive feelings for the other in the locker room.

That's certainly the case with the Williamses and is often the case with players from smaller countries who travel and train together. Both Al and Alex have a lot to play for here: Corretja for his third shot at the title (he likely will not get another one) and Costa for his first. Neither should give the other a free pass. Nonetheless, even if one guy isn't as motivated, it's almost a guaranteed that every set will go an hour.

Look at the rain-delayed Corretja-Pavel quarterfinal box score and notice that they have played for three hours and haven't even finished the third set. That match could still go six hours, with both guys using heavy topspin and playing from five feet behind the baseline. As one observer noted yesterday, every time he walked out to see how the contest was progressing, it seemed like they were playing the same point over and again. Dirtball Deja Vu. It made one long for a one-hour, 40 minute five setter between Sampras and Rusedski at Wimbledon.

Again we ask: Who says that men's tennis is too quick and is dominated by the serve? What a disappointment for Guillermo Canas in losing to Costa, essentially torpedoing Argentina's hopes of winning the title here. With his flashy gold earring and acrobatic play, the creative, enthusiastic Canas would have established quite a following worldwide had he won. But up a break in the fourth, he couldn't maintain his steady play and then after dropping the set, he collapsed psychologically. Nonetheless, he has a bright future.

If you are dying to read out takes on Jennifer-Serena go to rolandgarros.org and FOXSports.com. Sorry they are not here, but someone has to pay the heavy bills.