Santoro is making Headlines. He is so happy that he shed tears! What a guy! This shows that power tennis doesn't always win, which is good news for people like Santoro and Hingis. Read below:
Finally, a major breakthrough for Santoro
By DENNIS PASSA, AP Sports Writer
January 22, 2006
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Fabrice Santoro sat in his ********* chair, buried his head in a towel and shed a few tears.
Finally, at 33 and playing in his 54th Grand Slam, he made it to the quarterfinals of a major. The Frenchman beat 11th-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 Sunday in the fourth round at the Australian Open.
"At one point, it's great that it's coming so late," said Santoro, who played his first Grand Slam at the French Open in 1989. "I've been playing since I was 16, and when your first quarterfinal arrives at 33, it's a long time."
He is best known for doubles, with 18 career titles and a pivotal win in France's 2001 Davis Cup title triumph. Pete Sampras once described him as "The Magician" because of his unique style. But come singles in majors, he has struggled.
He's lost in the first round of majors 21 times, the second round on 18 occasions, the third 11 and in the fourth three times. One fourth-round loss came at the 1999 Australian Open, the others at the 1991 and 2001 French Opens.
Still, he's finished 2005 ranked in the top 100 in singles for the 11th time in 13 years, and he has four career singles titles.
Santoro said Sunday's outcome might have been different if the heat hadn't forced the roof at Vodafone Arena to be closed. That gave the players shade and air conditioning instead of an unrelenting sun and furnacelike wind.
"If we played outdoors, I think my chances would have been very, very small," Santoro said. "When I woke up this morning and I saw the temperature, I said 'OK, we're going to play indoors,' and that it was maybe a sign."
Before knocking off Ferrer, Santoro beat Vincent Spadea, Andrei Pavel and former French Open champion and eighth-seeded Gaston Gaudio. Next up is fourth-seeded David Nalbandian, whom Santoro beat on clay in Rome last year in three sets.
"Phew, you have no time to rest," Santoro said. "Every opponent makes you run and I hope the temperature will be pretty high and we can play indoors."
Santoro changed his game recently. He is attacking serves, coming to the net more and generally taking a more aggressive approach. He credits his doubles play with making him stronger at the net.
"In the first 10 years of my career I was playing very defensively," he said. "Now I know what I can do and what I can't do. I know my game."
This style would seem suited to grass, although Santoro has never done well at Wimbledon. He attributes that to the preceding major -- the French Open.
"It's very important for every French player, and I am trying to play every year all the clay-court season," Santoro said. "After 1 1/2 months on clay, I am too tired to play on grass. I always have a small or big injury."
But he might change his schedule this year in an attempt not to miss Wimbledon for the seventh time because of injury.
First, though, he'll have to deal with Nalbandian.
"I am still alive, reaching the first quarterfinal of my career," he said. "I'm going to fight. I'll be there."
Finally, a major breakthrough for Santoro
By DENNIS PASSA, AP Sports Writer
January 22, 2006
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Fabrice Santoro sat in his ********* chair, buried his head in a towel and shed a few tears.
Finally, at 33 and playing in his 54th Grand Slam, he made it to the quarterfinals of a major. The Frenchman beat 11th-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 Sunday in the fourth round at the Australian Open.
"At one point, it's great that it's coming so late," said Santoro, who played his first Grand Slam at the French Open in 1989. "I've been playing since I was 16, and when your first quarterfinal arrives at 33, it's a long time."
He is best known for doubles, with 18 career titles and a pivotal win in France's 2001 Davis Cup title triumph. Pete Sampras once described him as "The Magician" because of his unique style. But come singles in majors, he has struggled.
He's lost in the first round of majors 21 times, the second round on 18 occasions, the third 11 and in the fourth three times. One fourth-round loss came at the 1999 Australian Open, the others at the 1991 and 2001 French Opens.
Still, he's finished 2005 ranked in the top 100 in singles for the 11th time in 13 years, and he has four career singles titles.
Santoro said Sunday's outcome might have been different if the heat hadn't forced the roof at Vodafone Arena to be closed. That gave the players shade and air conditioning instead of an unrelenting sun and furnacelike wind.
"If we played outdoors, I think my chances would have been very, very small," Santoro said. "When I woke up this morning and I saw the temperature, I said 'OK, we're going to play indoors,' and that it was maybe a sign."
Before knocking off Ferrer, Santoro beat Vincent Spadea, Andrei Pavel and former French Open champion and eighth-seeded Gaston Gaudio. Next up is fourth-seeded David Nalbandian, whom Santoro beat on clay in Rome last year in three sets.
"Phew, you have no time to rest," Santoro said. "Every opponent makes you run and I hope the temperature will be pretty high and we can play indoors."
Santoro changed his game recently. He is attacking serves, coming to the net more and generally taking a more aggressive approach. He credits his doubles play with making him stronger at the net.
"In the first 10 years of my career I was playing very defensively," he said. "Now I know what I can do and what I can't do. I know my game."
This style would seem suited to grass, although Santoro has never done well at Wimbledon. He attributes that to the preceding major -- the French Open.
"It's very important for every French player, and I am trying to play every year all the clay-court season," Santoro said. "After 1 1/2 months on clay, I am too tired to play on grass. I always have a small or big injury."
But he might change his schedule this year in an attempt not to miss Wimbledon for the seventh time because of injury.
First, though, he'll have to deal with Nalbandian.
"I am still alive, reaching the first quarterfinal of my career," he said. "I'm going to fight. I'll be there."
