Second Day of French Open Turns Into One Big Washout

PARIS —  The French Open performed more than a fair imitation of its Grand Slam relative, that famous grass-court tournament in England, as the incessant rains that usually drench Wimbledon arrived a few weeks early, ruining the second-day play at Roland Garros.

Rain and cold weather is hardly unusual this time of the year in France. But no matches were played Tuesday morning or afternoon or evening. By late afternoon, the men’s first-round matches--the upper part of the draw featuring Andre Agassi, Magnus Norman and Carlos Moya--were postponed. Shortly thereafter, the women’s matches for the day were also called off, or “abandoned” as they like to say in Europe.

French Open officials weren’t certain the last time the weather created such an impact. But in 1973, the men’s final was postponed for two days, and finally, Ilie Nastase beat Niki Pilic, 6-3, 6-3, 6-0.

Tuesday, hundreds of patient fans huddled in the shelter beneath Court Central, looking like stranded travelers in a railway station or an airport. The players passed the time sleeping in the lounge, playing cards and, generally, trying to keep from unraveling.

“Everybody’s crazy already,” said 16-year-old Lina Krasnoroutskaya of Russia.

Said Anastasia Myskina: “It is true. Everybody plays some games. It’s so noisy there [in the players’ lounge].”

Krasnoroutskaya: “Everybody is sitting, talking, eating, drinking.”

Myskina, who is two years older, clarified that last statement.

“‘No alcohol,” Myskina said.

For Norman, it was a dreary 24th birthday.

“You can’t imagine,” he said. “I’ve been here since 9:30 in the morning. I wished to celebrate a little better than this. But that’s life. I’m still looking to play my match this afternoon. What can you do?”

Tournament director Patrice Clerc said that the men’s second-round matches in the lower part of the draw will be played today. “For that part of the draw, there is no impact,” he said.

Officials thought there would not be any rain today. “I think we will be back on schedule in another two days, without having to start earlier,” tournament referee Stefan Fransson said.

The Australian Open has had a retractable roof for its main court since 1988, and next year it will also have one for Show Court 1.

“The only time you could consider covering a center court is the final,” Clerc said. “I think it would be unrealistic to say four matches on a given day would be played in different conditions from the others.”

*

There was, perhaps, one male player more upset than Pete Sampras over a first-round exit.

Distraught by his 6-3, 7-6 (12), 7-6 (4) loss to Slava Dosedel of the Czech Republic, Greg Rusedski was acting as if his clay-court days were over. Gradually, he backed off when it was mentioned that Britain was likely to play some matches on clay in Davis Cup.

His coach, Sven Groeneveld, understood the frustration. Rusedski had been making progress in Paris on clay, reaching the fourth round here last year.

“He’s down and he’s hit rock bottom,” Groeneveld said. “I look at it from a positive angle because the only way is up.”

*

Apparently, Nathalie Tauziat’s recent controversial book is still having repercussions among the French female players. Julie Halard-Decugis, who lost in the first round on Monday, was upset by some veiled references about her husband/coach Arnaud in the book and responded in the French sports daily newspaper, L’Equipe.

The book said that one French coach was mainly living through his wife’s accomplishments. It didn’t name names, but Halard-Decugis didn’t have much difficulty figuring it was about her husband, and is not on speaking terms with Tauziat these days.

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Today’s Featured Matches

WOMEN

* Dominique Van Roost, Belgium, vs. Lindsay Davenport (2)

* Jana Kandarr, Germany, vs. Venus Williams (4).

* Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (8), Spain, vs. Pavlina Nola, Bulgaria

* Vanessa Webb, Canada, vs. Anna Kournikova (14), Russia

MEN

* Andre Agassi (1) vs. Anthony Dupuis, France

* Magnus Norman (3), Sweden, vs. Thierry Guardiola, France

* Gustavo Kuerten (5), Brazil, vs. Marcelo Charpentier, Argentina

* Mariano Zabaleta, Argentina, vs. Yevgeny Kafelnikov (4), Russia

* Fernando Meligeni, Brazil, vs. Alex Corretja (10), Spain

* Paul Goldstein vs. Mark Philippoussis, Australia