The Commentary Thread

Roland Garros 2002 – 4th Round

(before the match, after the Agassi/Mathieu match)

PMac: It’s a cliché, and we know it, take one match at a time, but really, the next match, in my mind, I’ve always thought that if he can get by Ferrero, who I think will beat Gaudio, to me, I think Agassi can win this. Cause I think Ferrero is the best pure claycourt player left in the tournament.

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Cliff: Now let’s go over to Lenglen, where Gaston Gaudio and Juan Carlos Ferrero in action, 4-3 Ferrero. We’re on serve in the third set, I think they’ve been holding serve in the third. First set to Gaudio—tiebreak, second set Ferrero easily, 6-1. 4-3 now, this is Gaudio serving.

PMac: Gaston Gaudio, one of those host of very tough Argentineans. A beautiful one-handed backhand, and look at his record on clay this year, Cliff—nineteen and two. He has been on fire this year.

Cliff: Could be an all-Argentinean final here

PMac: Could be! Gaudio’s won a couple of tournaments on clay this year, two in a row in fact–Barcelona and Mallorca. In fact, he won 13 matches in a row during that stretch.

Cliff: Beat Albert Costa in the final, beat Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinal and Carlos Moya as well in Barcelona.

PMac: He also has a winning record against Ferrero, 3-1 overall.

Cliff: Juan Carlos has not had a bad year on clay either, as he won the Tennis Masters Series Monte Carlo.

PMac: 13-5, you see his record, but after that he struggled a bit, which was surprising. Because I thought when Monte Carlo came around, he was the dominant guy on clay, minus Guga this year.

Ahhh, the dropper from Gaudio!! This guy’s got some feel Watch this, Ferrero always looking to run around and spank that forehand and Gaudio throws in the drop shot, saves one break point.

Ferrero, in fact, got ticked off in Rome, Cliff, because they threw him on a back court after a rain delay. He said, “Wait a second, I just won Monte Carlo” – and won Rome, previously –

Cliff: The year before, he was the defender.

PMac: Right.

Cliff: Saves two, Gaudio, you see, leading 3-1 in the head to head.

PMac: Played for a couple of years on clay, Ferrero winning on hard courts last year.

30-40 . . .

There it is!

Cliff: Break of serve Ferrero.

PMac (with bad accent): THE MOSQUITO!!

Cliff: Had a very good Monte Carlo, beat the Drop-Shot Dragon in the first round, then he beat –

PMac (laughing): That’s Albert Portas – like everybody knows him

Cliff: How come didn’t say – when we had that ESPN.com question, the “Drop-Shot Dragon” . . .?

PMac: We thought about that, we thought about putting him in there.

Cliff: He beat Mantilla, he beat Rios, Haas, Grosjean, and then Moya.

PMac: Man, those are some serious wins. Ferrero serving for a two sets to one lead.

Now Ferrero, I guess it was before his second round match, Cliff, in between matches, like on his day off, he went out and practiced and apparently sprained his ankle very badly. So we all showed up that day of his second round match, and the rumor was that Ferrero wasn’t even going to be able to play his second round match, which was against Nicholas Coutelot, a young Frenchman.

Not only did Ferrero play that match, he won it in five sets He was two sets to one down and – (inaudible) – won the last two sets 6-2, 6-0, then he rolled over Coria. Guillermo Coria, another one of the young Argentineans.

Cliff: In fact, the French put him on last match to give him as much time to recover as possible and, looking good now.

(another drop shot from Gaudio) Uh-huh-huh, break points now, a break back for Gaudio, three in a row – 0-40.

PMac: That was how not to hit a drop shot, then how to hit a drop shot Gaudio much better in that department.

Cliff: Gaudio gets the break back, so we’re back on serve, 5-4 Ferrero leads.

That’s out. This is Gaudio serving to try to level the third set. Ferrero tried to serve for the third set and was broken. The 11th seed against the #31. But on clay, as you were saying earlier, Patrick, he’d be more like #1, 2 or 3 seed, Ferrero.

PMac: Gaudio would be Top 8.

(Ferrero misses a volley waaaaay long.) Ohhhh, that’s ugly!! Oh, man is that ugly!! Ferrero completely botching that up, on the overhead? This one was ugly as well, got him in play though, but look at this volley.

Cliff: Game point here for Gaudio to get level.

Gaudio says that the World Cup of ’86 when Argentina became world champions, Maradona against England scoring two goals – this is obviously World Cup time now – he said he’ll never forget that moment. Michael Jordan’s his hero. His dad is a farmer, a fruit producer. He said his mother raised them, the family.

Gaudio’s mother was born in Spain, as he wins the game and we’re even at 5 games all here in the third. Moved to Argentina due to the grandfather after the civil war. The father was born in Buenos Aires.

(graphic showing break points won by set flashes on screen)

PMac: This is the reason why Ferrero’s uh, should be frustrated. I mean, look at that, first set he was 0 for 9 on break points, lost it in a tiebreak, second set he has 9 more, wins it easily, 1 of 2 in this third. Gaudio, meanwhile, has converted the opportunities he’s had.

Takes care of that overhead a little more cleanly.

15-0, set apiece, 5 all.

Cliff: 30-0 Ferrero, 5 all third set. One set all. Gaudio says that his dream would be to win the Davis Cup for Argentina. For himself, to win here, at Roland Garros.

PMac: Well, they’re in the semifinals in Davis Cup, but now they gotta play Russia in Russia.

Cliff: And they will be – Kafelnikov was telling us they were going to put them on the fastest court in all of Russia (laughs)

And even with that, with the Argentineans playing so well, it could be – they could give the Russians a hard time, actually.

Changing racquets there, Gaston Gaudio representing Argentina, that’s had such a hard time – the country has, politically and financially. I mean, just like total destruction of the financial system in Argentina.

(Ferrero misses a forehand approach just long.)

PMac: Oof, missed it.

Cliff: A duck.

Game point Ferrero, still.

(Gaudio hits a drop shot, again.)

PMac: Oh . . . Gaudio just understands this clay court tennis, doesn’t he? What a beautiful one-handed backhand he has, with so much action on the ball, lookit this – ball just explodes off the court, Ferrero does pretty well to get it down low, then Gaudio just slide into that forehand for the dropper.

Still game point for the Spaniard. Looking to be the third Spaniard to reach the quarterfinals here. Costa and Corretja are already through.

Cliff: Ferrero holds on. The players will change ends. They’ll take a break and so will we. 6-5, Gaudio will serve to try to get into a tiebreak.

Cliff: 6-5 Ferrero.

PMac: 15-0, Gaudio serving to get to a tiebreak.

It’s an interesting contrast between these two guys, I mean, they both play similar games, but Ferrero is just more explosive, more mechanical in the way he hits the ball and Gaudio is just so smooth. Ferrero thumps the ball a little harder, Gaudio gets more action on the ball, a little more spin.

Cliff: 30-15. Like most tennis players, Ferrero started to play because he dad used to play. He said that, from an early age, he hit everything with two hands, everything, both sides.

PMac: They’re even in the winners department, a lot more on the forehand side.

Everything should, I mean these guys are just munching at it. Gaudio was in control of that point until this one, right here, then Ferrero explodes into that forehand and the Argentine cannot run it down.

30-all now, danger time for Gaudio.

PMac: Wow, foot fault fault.

Ferrero takes advantage, leans into that return. Can he convert on this break point opportunity?

Cliff: He has set point.

PMac: Look at all the chances the Spaniard¡¦s had. Here¡¦s number 22.

(Ferrero misses it, a bit overanxious on the forehand and drives it long.)

Oh, yeah, he started to get a little mental about it, when you know you've let so many slip.

22 is almost unheard of.

(Ultra fucking long rally)

Oh, he [Gaudio] missed it!! Get the oxygen tanks out!! How much running did the boys do in this point?! That is just incredible tennis!! And then the sitter, the duck, and disbelief!! Break point #23 and another set point for Ferrero. And you tell me that clay court tennis isn't a lot about heart!!

Cliff: And fitness -- like running a marathon every second day.

PMac: Set point.

Great composure by Gaudio to not get rattled, get Ferrero on the move -- a beautiful kick serve set it up and forehand winner. Ferrero did incredibly well to run this one down, look at all the court he covered to get to this!!

Awww, he [Ferrero] had that set up!! It's got to be building up, the frustration, with all the opportunities that he's had (Ferrero smashes his racquet for that one to illustrate PMac's point). Again, set it up, Gaudio's way back there, the linesperson has to move out of the way, and the other one's running and scampering -- Ferrero misses it.

Cliff: Hits that forehand like he's swatting a fly, the Mosquito, Ferrero. Now a game point for Gaudio.

PMac: Missed it, pulled off of it!

Cliff: Tiebreak's going to decide the third set. First set with a tiebreak, Gaudio won, second set Ferrero ran away with it, and then served for it and had set points on Gaudio's serve, when he served for it, his serve was broken badly.

(blah blah blah about Agassihole)

Cliff: Now Ferrero, who has had multiple chances to break, is in a bad mood.

PMac: Yeah, he better get his head together. I mean, he’s got to say to himself, “Look, I’m at a set all, we’re in a tiebreak, don’t get fru—” We all know how difficult it is, but he has to keep reminding himself because he’s in danger of losing it mentally.

That’s the play, that’s a good play from Ferrero. Temper that forehand a little. He’s got more firepower than Gaudio. Just be patient, set it up, don’t go for the winner. That was a smart play. Hit it heavy – I mean, if Gaudio passes you on a ball like that, that’s just too good. I mean, look at Ferrero when he comes to net, 20 of 27.

Trust me, it’s not easy to hit those passes on the run when you’re 15 ft behind the baseline.

Cliff: Double fault from Gaudio, a couple points for Ferrero here on Gaudio’s serve, and expect a minibreak. Ferrero said that he used to play soccer for his town’s team. Likes to ski a little, so . . .

The foot speed that you need for soccer is unbelievable, and for what they’re doing here, equally, it’s amazing!!

PMac: It’s just, what a grind this is, and these guys put so much into every swing from the baseline. It’s not just the legs and the lower body, but the torque from the upper body, the shoulder strength, to handle those high balls.

Cliff: 3-2 as Ferrero hits one long. I mean, they’ve got to put everything into it, Patrick. I mean, they have two choices: put everything into every point, or go home a loser.

PMac: 3-2 for the Spaniard, one set all, in a third set tiebreak.

Ohhh, beautiful runner there from Ferrero! When you have two hands on that backhand, you have to be able to move even more quickly. And Ferrero does it, and snaps it for a 4-2 lead in the tiebreak.

Cliff: Another one of those see-saw battles. It’s just, it’s a war every single match, seems to be this year. Ferrero served for it in the third and failed, and now it’s 4 apiece in the tiebreak.

PMac: A little impatience there from Ferrero, trying to go for the clean winner.

(Ferrero double faults.)

Oh, boy, tension there. Ferrero plays a couple of loose points on his serve.

Cliff: It’s been so close, so many chances.

PMac: Its got to be weighing on him, all those opportunities.

Cliff: I can’t believe he [Ferrero] lasted that long in the point with a broken string. He got into net, which is what you’ve got to do, because the ball flies from the baseline, but he was able to stay alive that long . . . 6-4, these are set points coming up for Gaudio.

PMac: Great composure, too, by Gaudio because it’s often difficult to keep playing a point when you know your opponent’s broken a string. Gaudio had to play 3 shots.

[Ferrero] Got it! Can’t afford to roll the ball back in the middle of the court. Ferrero makes him pay with that forehand winner. Still set point, 5-6.

Cliff: Gaston Gaudio has won the third set in a tiebreak. He won the first set in a tiebreak. Ferrero won the second.

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To be continued . . .

(after showing some of the Grosjean/Malisse match)

Cliff: (inaudible) . . .. what’s going on, this is fifth set action. Gaston Gaudio and Juan Carlos Ferrero. One to Gaudio.

PMac: Wait a second, Cliff, he just broke him, what is Ferrero doing?! Trying to go between the legs there – that was break point for Gaudio!! [2-0 now for Gaudio] Oh, boy. You think he could have gotten there in enough time to throw up a defensive lob

Cliff: You saw the tiebreak in the third set along side us, if you were with us then, and then – watch this.

PMac: What a get from Gaudio.

Yep, he is so smart, the Argentine. Opens up the court, gets Ferrero on the run.

Cliff: Gaudio went down 6-2, two breaks in the fourth set, but has right back now.

PMac: So often times, Cliff, in these long matches, there’s that set early on that ends up being the crucial one, (chiding) and Ferrero playing a good point here, finishing at net, but having all those opportunities in the first set, he lost it in a tiebreak; in the third set, he lost it again in the tiebreak. It could come back to nip him in this fifth.

(Gaudio double faults.)

Cliff: Oof, that wasn’t even close. Break points for Ferrero to come right back in the fifth.

Ferrero gets the break back in the fifth set, 2 games to 1.

Cliff: That was the first point, game four, fifth set, two sets [sic, games] to one. Gaston Gaudio, who got the first break of the fifth set, but Ferrero came back, so Ferrero is serving on serve, down 1-2. Ferrero, from Spain, Gaudio from Argentina; his mom was Spanish.

We’ll see more drop shots, here latels everybody’s jumping on the drop shot bandwagon on clay.

PMac: That’s because these guys play with so much power, they push their opponents so far back and it opens up that drop shot for them. Seen Agassi do it; we saw him do that quite often today in his five set win earlier today, two sets to love down. Players have to stand so far back, because the guys hit with such power now, to run balls down.

Ferrero trying to go for that angle, he loves that forehand short crosscourt but pulled off of it, and Gaudio with a couple more opportunities to go up a break again!!

Cliff: It would be the third break in four games in the fifth set.

The Mosquito saves one.

PMac: The Mosquito has an 8-7 record in five set matches. Not great, but Gaudio’s is abysmal. He’s 1-5 in five set matches.

(break points won graphic flashes on screen again) Lookit, this is so key, Ferrero really should have won this match in straight sets. Losing those two sets in those tiebreaks, he had sooo many opportunities.

That was overruled, that call, so it’s a first serve for Ferrero.

Cliff: Gets back in this game – deuce!

PMac: Beautiful kick serve, then going behind Gaudio, forcing the error, Gaudio just can’t quite control that, look at how far back he is, trying to run this bombs down from Ferrero.

Cliff: That sails, and Ferrero has come back from 15-40, now game point. Ferrero admired Jim Courier as a kid, and he needs Courier’s tenacity – oh, he’s got it!

PMac: He needs a grip of the rock. He hasn’t proven he’s got it, the way Courier did – yet.

Cliff: Nee! That drop shot didn’t work for him. As long as you hit it well, in so many ways . . . Ferrero go to that one, but it sat up for the pass.

PMac: It was a tough pass, Ferrero did well to get it up the line, look how little room Gaudio had up the line, but he finds it. Beautiful feel, look how low he gets.

I’ll tell you, after almost three and a half hours, you see in the corner there, 3:25, these guys look as fresh as can be.

Cliff: That’s wide. Break point again here for Gaston Gaudio, the Argentine. Countryman Guillermo Canas having a great tournament, Canas took out Hewitt yesterday.

Gaudio gets another break, and he leads 3-1.

PMac: What a shot that is. Absolutely packed court out here. What a way to start off Week 2, with Agassi coming from two sets down, to keep his dream alive of winning a second title here at Roland Garros. Ferrero, one of the clear favorites coming into this tournament, struggling again, had to go five in the second round. Now down a break, as Agassi was down a break in the fifth set. The winner of this will play Agassi. He’s sitting in the locker room, getting a massage, saying, “Keep grinding out there, boys, keep going!”

Cliff (laughs): Well, he ground himself a little bit, too, today. Five sets.

PMac: Whoa! Two in a row!! [Gaudio double faults twice in a row] Gaudio’s starting to think about it, maybe.

Cliff: Looking breezy, actually, out there. That might be hurting him a little bit.

PMac: Two double faults and a routine forehand; Ferrero not even having to work hard, he’s – chances to break back again.

as Juan Carlos gets the break back

Cliff: We’ll take a break with Gaston Gaudio in front 3-2 but Ferrero has come back. There have been breaks of serve all over the place!!

Welcome back, everyone, to Juan Carlos Ferrero and Gaston Gaudio. 2-3, it is Ferrero serving but he is trailing 2-3 in the fifth set.

PMac: 15-0, first point to Ferrero.

Cliff: 15-30.

Even in the fifth. [3-3] Most unpredictable matches every day here at the French. Looked like Gaston Gaudio, after losing the fourth set badly, was going to make his move and win the fifth easily, but no.

PMac: Struggling with that serve

Oh, whoa (as Gaudio hits a bad drop shot)!! No no no no no no no Wonder if he’s losing his legs a little bit, Gaudio, cause it will show up on the serve, and this was just a mind cramp here. Ferrero could have crawled up to that one!! 0-15

(Ferrero hits a drop shot.)

Yep, Gaudio’s not moving for it, and Ferrero senses it, taking advantage. That wasn’t even a great drop shot and Gaudio didn’t even move a whisker.

0-30, second serve.

Cliff: Warning to Gaudio.

[move from ESPN2 to ESPN]

4-3, Juan Carlos Ferrero leading Gaston Gaudio. He’s got the break now, he was down a break, very nearly down two breaks in the fifth.

Question now is, how much more gas does Gaudio have in the tank? Look at how many break points Ferrero has had. Patrick, you’ve been talking about it, really interesting stats.

PMac: Well, he’s converted the last five, so that’s the good news for him. That’s often extremely difficult to come back and put that out of your mind, but Ferrero has done an excellent job.

Gaudio playing a beautiful point, knocks off the volley so maybe he still has a little bit left in that tank. 15-30 now.

Yeah, if Ferrero had been able to capitalize on those opportunities, this would have been a straight set situation out here Then again, we could say something like that about how many matches we’ve seen in the past few days?

Cliff: Yeah, well, exactly. It’s just been unbelievable. Gaston Gaudio’s got break points back here, to level the match Just when you think he’s out of it, he comes back!! Or does he? Got chances here, anyway.

Ferrero saves one.

(Ferrero serves an ace down the T.)

PMac: Wow, was that large!! Ferrero, not known for the big first delivery, comes through on the 4-3 break point.

PMac: Missed it!! Pulled it wide!! Ferrero feeling the pressure, Cliff. He knows what an opportunity he has in this tournament to finally win it. They’ve been talking about him in Spain the last few years as a guy that can break through and win, not just this but maybe on a hard court Break point again.

Cliff: Ohhhh, he’s not finished yet!!

PMac: Ferrero losing to Kuerten in the semis last year. They were the two best claycourters during last year’s campaign. And with Guga out, Ferrero has to be considered, probably along with Agassi, the two favorites. They play in the next round if Ferrero can sneak through here.

Overruled, you know they’re gonna check this mark. Ferrero pointing at the wide mark, Gaudio seeing it. Yeah, you better get out of your chair when it’s 4-3 in the fifth deuce. I mean, you don’t want to take any chances! Good move by the chair umpire.

Cliff: Game point Ferrero.

Well, he serves pretty well, does he? Even in the tight situations, he’s been broken a lot, lately anyway, but Ferrero’s now four points away from a date with the last eight.

PMac: You know, that’s why, Cliff, even on the clay, having that ability to hit some big first serves is so crucial. You get in a match like this, you’re grinding, it’s over 3 and a half hours, both guys pretty even from the back of the court . . . but Ferrero has more mustard on the serve. He’s also got a better kick serve than Gaudio, could prove to be the difference. Gaudio’s not getting any free points with that serve. Maybe he hits that big kicker here in the ad court to set it up . . .

Cliff: Three points away now for the Spaniard.

Ohhhhh, he [Ferrero] missed it!! Drew Gaudio in, hit a very good drop shot, had a good – he picked it up for Gaudio, actually, because he got it very deep.

PMac: Good slice on it, too – [Gaudio has] the racquet ready, in position, slides through it, made Ferrero come up with the running pass.

Cliff: So easy to overhit that when you’re moving so quickly forward. Good control from Gaudio, 30-15.

PMac: If Gaston Gaudio loses this, he’s going to go back with his coach – he’s had such a great claycourt season and say, what can I do to have a chance to win this tournament next year? Beef up that serve, gotta beef up that serve.

Oh, that’s good stuff from Ferrero!! He just rips those forehands.

Cliff: Match point coming up now for Ferrero.

PMac: Ferrero camp out of their seats. Corner to corner, Gaudio just can’t run that down. Too much pace, too much spin.

A little too much pressure, huh? (Cliff is laughing in the background) It’s match point down, after 3 hours, 45 minutes. First ball, just hit the forehand winner. Just go for it. Why not? Right inside the line. [Gaudio hit the winner off the return.]

Oh, what matches we’ve had the last couple days.

Oh, the double!! Ugh, the serve has let him down in this fifth set.

Cliff: Andre Agassi in a tremendous match earlier today on Chatrier, we’ll show you that when this is over. It could be one more swing.

Oh, he [Ferrero] tried to make it one swing!!

PMac: Did he break a string?

Cliff: Yeah, he did.

PMac: Oh, boy (laughing)

Cliff: You break a string at match point.

PMac: What haven’t] we seen the last couple days on the men’s side?

Cliff: What, indeed!! Stamina, comebacks, broken string . . . .

PMac: Oh, they’re showing us that play from earlier in the game when Gaudio touched the net after that volley.

Oh! It’s exhausting just watching it

Cliff: And there is no rest for the weary, either. You cannot, even for a moment, let up here in these matches cause you’ve seen so many if you’ve been sitting along side us watching them, that, yeah you can be up a break in the fifth and what does that mean?

Gaudio holds on, he’s not through yet, Ferrero will have to serve for it, for a place in the last eight here.

Juan Carlos Ferrero serving for the match in the fifth set against Gaston Gaudio. 5-4 he leads, second serve.

Double fault!!

Cliff: That one is finally out of reach, 15-all.

PMac: It’s always a smart play to go behind a player on the dirt, particularly when you know you’re opponent’s tired; that much tougher to change direction quickly when those legs are burning.

Cliff: 30-15.

Match point!!

PMac: That’s just two clay court warriors right there, and Ferrero showing lots of guts. A break down in the fifth, he dominated the first couple of sets, lost a couple of tiebreaks he should have won, and comes back to win it in five over a very, very tough dirtballer and one of the favorites coming in still alive, the Spaniard.

Cliff: Gaston Gaudio of Argentina goes down here at Stad Roland Garros.