PARIS -- Both 2004 men's finalists were eliminated Monday at the French Open.
Defending champion Gaston Gaudio blew a 4-0 lead in the last set and lost in four hours to No. 20 David Ferrer 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4.
"I got too nervous, I guess, and after that I couldn't do anything," Gaudio said. "Always to lose is disappointing. Losing like this is even worse."
No. 8 Guillermo Coria, beaten by Gaudio in last year's final, lost to No. 12 Nikolay Davydenko 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2. Coria conceded that his opponent deserved the victory.
"He took risks on set points in my favor and won," Coria said. "There's nothing to be angry about."
No. 15 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain also advanced to the quarterfinals by beating third-seeded Marat Safin of Russia 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 4-6, 8-6. Robredo reached the last eight for the second time at Roland Garros. He last reached the quarterfinals in 2003.
|
|
| Guillermo Coria reacts during his upset loss Monday. (AP) |
Nadal had 35 winners and just 27 unforced errors in a match suspended Sunday night in the third set. The 18-year-old Spaniard extended his winning streak to 21 matches, all on clay, and will next face Ferrer.
No. 9 Guillermo Canas advanced to the men's quarterfinals when No. 28 Nicolas Kiefer withdrew hours before their match because of a sore neck.
The fifth-seeded Gaudio busted his racket in anger while losing a third-set tiebreaker, but the worst was yet to come. Ferrer, who came to Roland Garros with a career Grand Slam record of 5-9, won the final six games.
"The end was a bit strange," Ferrer said. "That's what tennis is all about. Anything can happen."
Safin was trying for his second straight Grand Slam after winning the Australian Open this year. The Russian also won the U.S. Open in 2000.
Safin threw a brief tantrum in the third set of his marathon, leaving a hole in the base of his wooden changeover chair when he smashed it with a racket.
