French Open: 'third-world' Americans Fail Again on French Clay

If Robby Ginepri had not reached the last 16 of the French Open this week, it would have been the first time at any slam since the Australian Open in 1973 that no player from the United States had made it through to the last 16 in both the men's and the women's singles. And in 1973 no Americans bothered to make the trip to Melbourne.

As one US commentator has been opining for years: "We are a third-world tennis country." Which is a little unfair to the third world. But it certainly seems an age since Andre Agassi made his courtly bows to the adoring French crowd on the final Sunday in 1999, having become only the fifth player in the history of the men's sport to win all four slams.

It still takes some believing, but that was the year he re-invented himself, emerging from grey years of under-achieving and sullen sulks to more than double his previous grand slam wins, and become the purveyor of much tennis wisdom. Nobody talks the talk that Andre proffered in his latter days. Or walks the walk, for that matter ... those little mincing twiddle-toed steps pacing backward and forwards.

The American men have since been a minor force on clay - Andy Roddick had managed just four wins in seven years here, and this time decided to stay away - but there was usually the Williams sisters to keep the interest alive during the second week. Not this time. The sisters sledgehammer had gone by the first Friday, both of them losing to opponents that would not normally be expected to last more than an hour against them on any other surface. Venus was so transfixed by the horror of it all that she forgot to inquire of the umpire whether her third-round match should continue. Perhaps she couldn't see him. It was 9.47pm when it finished.

So god bless Ginepri, that pale imitation of Agassi, who prior to this year had failed to win a single match at the French Open in five attempts, losing to such clay-court luminaries as Alberto Martin, Olivier Mutis, and Diego Hartfield.

Ginepri, the last US man standing but only just. He had enough tape holding his body together to parcel up the Eiffel Tower. Early on in his match against Chile's Fernando González today he ripped much of it off from his right arm, but any freedom it afforded his swing was negated by Gonzo's blistering power as he won in straight sets.

So then there were none - unless you count Larry Stefanki, González's Californian coach.