Big names fall in French Open
(crienglish.com)
Updated: 2005-05-31 10:29

Australian Open champ Marat Safin fell victim to an upset, just as last year's finalists Gaston Gaudio and Guillermo Coria did at Roland Garros.

Third seed Marat Safin of Russia returns a backhand to Spains Tommy Robredo, the number 15 seed, during their fourth round match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium May 30. [Reuters]

The third seed Russian bowed out to Spaniard Tommy Robredo 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 4-6, 8-6.

The win has earned the fifteenth-seed Robredo his second quarter-final berth at Roland Garros where he will face another Russian Nikolay Davydenko.

Earlier, last year's finalists, fifth seed Gaston Gaudio and eighth seed Guillermo Coria, crashed out of this year's tournament within minutes of each other.

Reigning champion Gaudio threw it all away against Spain's David Ferrer (20) after leading 4-0 in the fifth set (2-6, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4)

The intense fight lasted four hours and five minutes full of explosive tennis.

Coria, meanwhile, was rolled over by Nikolay Davydenko (12) 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 in 3 hours 6 minutes. The clay court harrier was overpowered by the hugely impressive Russian, who after a hesitant start was a model of hard-hitting consistency.

The early exit of the three big stars leaves the bottom half of the draw in shambles.

In the top half, Spanish teenage standout Rafael Nadal broke French hearts after putting an end to the spirited challenge of Sebastien Grosjean, France's lone representative left in the men's draw.

Nadal will face David Ferrer in the quarter-finals.

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