The Hindu : Johansson wins battle of Swedes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2002

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Johansson wins battle of Swedes

Monaco, April 15. The Monte Carlo Masters served up a large helping of Swedes on Monday as Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson came off best against former world number one Magnus Norman.

Johansson took 2 hours 34 minutes to advance 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 after making an atrocious start, losing the opening game on service and falling 0-4 behind almost before he could draw breath. Dubbed the ``unknown Swede'' by French sports bible L'Equipe on his way to lifting his first Grand Slam last January, Johansson recovered his poise and moved out to 3-0 in the second set only for his dogged rival to close to 3-4.

A marathon eighth game saw Johansson, who had suffered five straight first-round defeats previously at the Monte Carlo Country Club, break for 5-3 but former French Open finalist Norman broke straight back to force the tiebreak only for Johansson to step up the pace and win it 7-4.

The 27-year-old from Linkoping dug deep in the decider, breaking for a 2-0 lead to shut the door finally on the tiring Norman and lift his career series against his compatriot to 2-1.

Earlier, another Swede, 14th seed Thomas Enqvist, departed the scene well and truly mashed, losing 1-6, 1-6 in 52 minutes to Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina.

Chela broke in the opening game and swiftly raced into a 4-1 opening set lead, going onto take the set imperiously in 27 minutes as his rival came up with a swathe of simple errors and the second set was a similar story.

Last year's beaten finalist Hicham Arazi cruised through with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Frenchman Arnaud Clement.

The 590th-ranked youngster saw off both men in straight sets and was facing Argentine Franco Squillari in his first round encounter.

The results: Thomas Johansson bt Magnus Norman 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Thomas Enqvist 6-1, 6-1; Hicham Arazi bt Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-3. — AFP

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