Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Hewitt gets ready for Gaudio test

May 31, 2007 10:31 IST
Lleyton Hewitt will be eager to test his new-found confidence on clay against former champion Gaston Gaudio in the French Open second round on Thursday.

The Australian 14th seed has found his feet on clay after runs to the semi-finals in Hamburg and Poertschach, while his Argentine opponent has claimed successive victories only once this year -- albeit thanks to a retirement.

The winner will face a fourth-round clash with double champion Rafael Nadal, who plays Italian qualifier Flavio Cipolla.

In the women's draw, Serena Williams will aim to join sister Venus after her second-round match with Milagros Sequera was postponed due to a rain disruption at Roland Garros.

The backlog of matches mean Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and U.S. Open holder Maria Sharapova will have to play for a second day running.

Seeded fifth, Mauresmo should extend her 3-2 win-loss record against fellow Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy while Russia's Sharapova has a first meeting with American Jill Craybas.

Another Russian-American clash sees third seed and 2006 runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova facing Meghann Shaughnessy.

Pritha Sarkar
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.