The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : Yeltsin brings Myskina luck

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 05, 2006

Sport

Sport - Olympic Games

Yeltsin brings Myskina luck

PARIS: Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin was at Roland Garros as a fan on Saturday, and 2004 champion Anastasia Myskina considers him a lucky charm.

``When he watched before, I never lose a match,'' Myskina said after her 6-2, 6-3 win over Anna Ivanovic of Serbia in the third round. ``So I hope he is going to stay here.''

Myskina spoke with Yeltsin after the match and autographed a straw hat he handed her.

``He gives his heart for tennis, he loves tennis,'' Myskina said. ``He's just the biggest fan that I've ever known in my life.''

She'll now face 2003 and 2005 French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Henin-Hardenne has won six of eight career meetings against Myskina, including in the 2004 Olympics semifinals, when Myskina let a 5-1 lead in the third set evaporate before losing it 8-6.

Groenefeld's injuries

Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld will soon be shedding at least some of the tape she's been shrouded in for most of the week.

Groenefeld's right arm and both ankles have been swathed since the No. 13th-seeded player ran into a wall during a doubles match on Wednesday, twisting her right ankle and injuring her arm.

``It looks probably a little worse than it is,'' said 19-year-old Groenefeld, referring to the strips of tape that go from wrist to shoulder.

Still, neither the injuries nor the bandages seem to have hampered her game.

She'll face Argentina's Gisela Dulko in the fourth round — hopefully sans tape.

With her arm feeling better, Groenefeld was ``getting rid of at least one'' of the bandages, she said.

Doing Israel proud

Shahar Peer upset 2004 French Open runner-up Elena Dementieva 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to become the first Israeli woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament since 1998.

``We have maybe four clay courts in Israel,'' the 19-year-old Peer said.

``The rest is just hard courts. But I think the way I play and the way I move, I can improve and play better and better on clay.''

She'll face five-time major champion Martina Hingis for a quarterfinal berth.

The last Israeli to reach round of 16 at a major was Anna Smashnova, who also did it at Roland Garros.

Smashnova's opponent in the fourth round eight years ago?

Hingis, who beat her.

Peer ``has had a good tournament, a good win,'' Hingis said. ``But still, you know, I'm higher ranked, so potentially I should have good chances out there.'' — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail