Serena Williams is giving the U.S. someone to root for but not so her male counterparts. Since American men went 0-9 in the first round of the French Open - the WOIRST showing in the open era - it's not anti-American by any stretch to root for some of the more exciting foreign players who actually showed up in Paris prepared and ready to guts out some long matches. I mean, if Rafael Nadal can make it to the final of Wimbledon on just his second try, you'd think top-tenners Andy Roddick or James Blake could make it to the second round of the French Open - one of the greatest championships in their sport.
OK, so that's off my chest.
How 'bout that Lleyton Hewitt?
The fiery Aussie, who treats any match on any surface as do or die, rallied from two sets down for the fourth time in his career Thursday and beat 2004 champion Gaston Gaudio 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round. In my French preview last week, I picked Hewitt as one of my dark horses so I'm glad to see him pull that match out after missing two months because of a back injury before returning at the Rome Masters in early May.
Two-time defending champion Nadal also advanced, extending his record at Roland Garros to 16-0 while the women's game's top two marquee draws, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, both won in straight sets. Serena and her sister Venus are the only Americans left in the singles draws of either the men or women.
The eighth-seeded Serena Williams, the reigning Australian Open champion, raced through the first set but was stretched in the second against Milagros Sequera, finally winning 6-0, 7-6 (3). Serena won the tournament in 2002 and is a threat to win any tournament she enters this year - even though she has entered very few of them due to nagging injuries.
Sharapova, who missed nearly two months of the season because of an injured right shoulder, easily beat Jill Craybas of the United States 6-2, 6-1. She returned to the tour last week in the warm-up event in Istanbul but lost in the quarterfinals.
She and Serena may be injured a lot, but when they show up, anything can happen because they WANT it and have tremendous self-confidence. It will be for the good of the game if both make ot to the later rounds and at least one of them is in the final.
OK, back to the guys: No. 6 Novak Djokovic, who I think is a real multi-surface threat to the players ranked above him, reached the third round by beating Laurent Recouderc of France 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. The 1998 French champ, Carlos Moya, also won. He is seeded 23rd this year but is always a threat on clay.
"Everybody now expects me to be the guy who can hurt the best two players in the world," said Djokovic, who has won three titles this year -- including one on clay.