French Open Tennis Tournament

Tracy Austin knows what it's like to be No. 1. And so, Austin looked at how Yevgeny Kafelnikov went six tournaments without winning a match and became No. 1 by sliding in the back door--more like sneaking in through the service entrance--and called it an "embarrassment" to men's tennis. The former champion and USA Network commentator found herself on an airplane, trying to explain the ATP computer to a fellow passenger. No, it had not become a premature victim of Y2K mania.

Dynasty delayed? The expected teen takeover of the women's tour by the Williams sisters hit an unexpected development Sunday at the French Open. Fifth-seeded Venus Williams was not supposed to lose to qualifier Barbara Schwartz of Austria in the fourth round, and certainly not after holding three match points. Yet the unthinkable happened.

She is not the 14-year-old who came within two matches of winning the 1990 French Open in her Grand Slam debut, charming the world with her groundstrokes and precocious kid-speak, referring to Napoleon as that "little dead dude." Nor is she the troubled, angst-ridden teenager who had brushes with the law amid a cloud of drug use. Of course, these days, that plot would be practically light-hearted on an episode of "Dawson's Creek."

Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil is the only player remaining at the French Open who can stop that impressive reign of Yevgeny Kafelnikov at No. 1. Sarcasm aside, Kuerten is out there alone after his countryman Fernando Meligeni defeated third-seeded Patrick Rafter of Australia, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, in a third-round match Saturday. Rafter needed to reach the quarterfinals if he had a shot at supplanting Kafelnikov.

Patrick Rafter of Australia is close to becoming No. 1 in the world, and Andre Agassi is the only American left after three rounds at the French Open, preparing for a marquee fourth-round match against defending champion Carlos Moya of Spain. Interesting developments, certainly. But that isn't the most unusual twist at Roland Garros. The clear winner is the presence of Canadian-turned-Brit Greg Rusedski in the fourth round.

Michael Chang had visions of his tennis obituary, out of the French Open and into the land of "Early Edition," reading tomorrow's news today. He feared the worst. "I hope you guys aren't writing me off," he said. "Give me a little more time." Well, what gave him that idea? Perhaps it floated into his mind after questions led him to talk about his post-tennis career, possibly doing missionary work or going back to school.

The 25-year-old woman who is one match away from completing half a Grand Slam still has some teenage instincts stirring beneath the surface. Parisians may be known for their blase attitude, but Jennifer Capriati does not share that emotion. Not long after defeating Martina Hingis of Switzerland, 6-4, 6-3, in Thursday's French Open semifinals, Capriati jumped into the arms of her father, Stefano, in the players' lounge. She said she felt reincarnated.

When something is crushed by Galo Blanco, the tendency is to think of wine grapes, not Pete Sampras. But it took a little more than two hours Thursday for Blanco, not a little old wine maker but a Spanish tennis player, to end Sampras' latest attempt to win the French Open.

Every so often, the movie "Hilary and Jackie" is shown on cable TV--and, for those who haven't seen it, the film has nothing to do with former first ladies Hillary Clinton or Jackie Kennedy. It contains no mentions of tennis, either. But one scene of cellist Jacqueline Du Pre and her love-hate relationship with the instrument reminded me of a certain female tennis player. Jackie tried to abandon the cello, leaving it outside in the snow on a balcony or in a cab.

It may have been his destiny to be the King of Clay--or is that King of Pain?--yet cosmic rules also demanded that Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten repeat his gesture of a week ago, perhaps even better it. Oui and oui. The defending champion drew a heart on the court after he survived a match-point scare against American qualifier Michael Russell in the fourth round. Surely, Kuerten must have known something when he drew the heart.