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Henman gate-crashing the claycourt party
Tim Henman will look like an alien in a strange land at the French Open on Sunday as the only serve and volley player among French, Argentine and Spanish players with a claycourt culture all in fourth round action.
Tim Henman will look like an alien in a strange land at the French Open on Sunday as the only serve and volley player among French, Argentine and Spanish players with a claycourt culture all in fourth round action.
The Briton, seeded nine, meets France's Michael Llodra, more renowned for his doubles partnership with Fabrice Santoro but a player who is trying to make a name for himself this year in singles.
Llodra had lost in the first round in his four previous appearances but he is currently riding on the unexpected wave of French success in the men's draw.
Nicolas Escude had also lost in the first round of his last four French Opens but he too made it to the third this year, and he will meet one of the big favourites, Argentine Guillermo Coria, the highest remaining seed in the tournament at third.
Olivier Mutis's French Open past was almost as bad as those of his compatriots - two first round losses and a second round defeat last year - but he has also fared unusually well and will meet Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela on centre court.
The last match on the men's programme will be an all-Spanish affair between 1998 champion Carlos Moya and Tommy Robredo.
The women's programme is hectic with Serena Williams meeting Japan's Shinobu Asagoe while Venus plays Colombia's Fabiola Zuluaga.
Third seed Amelie Mauresmo of France meets Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva while Lindsay Davenport, seeded fifth, takes on ninth seed Elena Demetieva.
Jie Zheng will be trying to become the first Chinese to qualify for a grand slam quarter-final against Arentina's Paola Suarez.
