PARIS - American teenager Andy Roddick underlined his credentials as a future tennis star in reaching the third round of the French Open this morning (NZ time) with a gripping 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-7 7-5 victory over Michael Chang.
It was one of the bravest performances seen at Roland Garros since
Chang made tennis history by becoming the youngest ever Grand Slam winner on the same court.
In a contest tinged with poignant coincidences, a courageous Roddick finished the four-hour marathon in pain, barely able to stand as he closed out the contest with a forehand winner that Chang looped wide.
The victory sets up another intriguing third round clash where Roddick will take on one of the game's rising stars and one of its most tenacious competitors Lleyton Hewitt of Australia.
Hewitt stormed into the third round with a 6-0 6-1 6-3 demolition of 19-year-old Russian Nikolay Davydenko.
Hewitt, the sixth seed, had too much experience for his 19-year-old Russian opponent, who was making his debut at Roland Garros.
The Australian roared through the first set and had little difficulty wrapping up a straightforward victory on Court One.
Tournament favourites Gustavo Kuerten and Juan Carlos Ferrero blasted their way into the third round with powerful performances at Roland Garros.
Top seed and defending champion Kuerten hammered Argentine Agustin Calleri 6-4 6-4 6-4, while Ferrero outclassed Marcos Ondruska 6-2 6-2 6-0.
The clay court specialists were joined in the third round by 11th-seeded Briton Tim Henman, who crushed Dutchman Sjeng Schalken 6-4 6-2 6-2, and seventh-seeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
The 1996 French Open champion struggled past American lucky loser Cecil Mamiit 7-6 3-6 6-3 7-6.
In other men's action, two-time champion Sergi Bruguera was forced to retire with suspected sinusitis. The Spaniard, winner at Roland Garros in 1993 and 1994, was leading American Michael Russell 6-4 7-5 3-6 when illness forced him to concede the match.
Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic beat local favourite Cedric Pioline 2-6 6-4 6-2 7-5, and Olivier Rochus continued a good day for Belgium by knocking out 1999 French Open semifinalist Dominik Hrbaty in four sets.
In the women's draw, 12th and 14th seeds Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin of Belgium booked their third-round places with victories over Argentine opponents.
Henin lit up the sun-drenched Roland Garros Centre Court with some sparkling tennis as she beat Paola Suarez 6-3 6-4, while Clijsters defeated Mariana Diaz-Oliva 7-5 6-1.
Fifteenth seed Jelena Dokic, making her debut as a Grand Slam seed, beat America's Marissa Irvin 6-1 6-2 on Court Two, while 18-year-old Virginie Razzano gave the French fans something to cheer about with her 6-0 4-6 6-1 victory over Germany's Anke Huber.
Second round men's results:
Andy Roddick (US) bt Michael Chang (US) 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-5
Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) bt Mariano Puerta (Argentina) 2-6 6-3 6-3 6-3
14-Thomas Enqvist (Sweden) bt Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-5
Tommy Robredo (Spain) bt Jean-Rene Lisnard (France) 6-3 6-3 6-0
Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) bt Cedric Pioline (France) 2-6 6-4 6-2 7-5
Karim Alami (Morocco) bt Harel Levy (Israel) 6-4 0-0 retired injured
7-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) bt Cecil Mamiit (US) 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-2)
Olivier Rochus (Belgium) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-4
1-Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) bt Agustin Calleri (Argentina) 6-4 6-4 6-4,
Michael Russell (US) bt Sergi Bruguera (Spain) 4-6 5-7 6-3 0-0 retired injured
Guillermo Canas (Argentina) bt Alberto Martin (Spain) 6-2 4-6 6-2 2-6 6-4
Jacobo Diaz (Spain) bt Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-4
11-Tim Henman (Britain) bt Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) 6-4 6-2 6-2
4-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) bt Marcos Ondruska (South Africa) 6-2 6-2 6-0
Xavier Malisse (Belgium) bt Kristian Pless (Denmark) 4-0 retired injured.
Second round women's results:
Henrieta Nagyova (Slovakia) bt 7-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 7-5 7-5
Nuria Llagostera (Spain) bt Sylvia Plischke (Austria) 5-7 6-0 8-6
Barbara Schett (Austria) bt Asa Carlsson (Sweden) 6-3 4-6 6-2
Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) bt Tatiana Panova (Russia) 4-6 6-3 6-3
Virginie Razzano (France) bt Anke Huber (Germany) 6-0 4-6 6-1
15-Jelena Dokic (Yugoslavia) bt Marissa Irvin (US) 6-1 6-2
Daja Bedanova (Czech Republic) bt Andrea Glass (Germany) 4-6 7-5 6-0
Cristina Torrens Valero (Spain) bt Nicole Pratt (Australia) 6-4 6-2
Rita Grande (Italy) bt Jana Kandarr (Germany) 6-2 6-4
Nathalie Dechy (France) bt Joannette Kruger (South Africa) 6-3 6-2
Marta Marrero (Spain) bt Selima Sfar (Tunisia) 6-3 5-7 6-4
Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) bt Anne Kremer (Luxembourg) 4-6 6-2 6-3
12-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) bt Mariana Diaz-oliva (Argentina) 7-5 6-1
14-Justine Henin (Belgium) bt Paola Suarez (Argentina) 6-3 6-4
Lina Krasnoroutskaya (Russia) bt Lenka Nemeckova (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-3
Petra Mandula (Hungary) bt Rossana De los rios (Paraguay) 7-5 5-7 7-5.
PARIS - American teenager Andy Roddick underlined his credentials as a future tennis star in reaching the third round of the French Open this morning (NZ time) with a gripping 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-7 7-5 victory over Michael Chang.
It was one of the bravest performances seen at Roland Garros since
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