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© St. Petersburg Times, published September 23, 2002
France eliminates U.S. in Davis Cup semifinals
Andy Roddick and James Blake couldn't change the luck of the United States on the clay at Roland Garros in Paris.
Sebastien Grosjean overcame an ankle injury and beat Roddick 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, giving France its third win in the best-of-five competition and clinching a spot in the final of the Davis Cup. Blake, who lives in Tampa and trains at Saddlebrook, beat Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3 in 49 minutes in the final singles match, but France won 3-2 overall.
The loss was the United States' fifth to France in five appearances at Roland Garros. The U.S. team hadn't played at the home of the French Open since 1932, but Roddick, Blake and Todd Martin struggled on the slow surface -- just as their predecessors had.
"We're going to be a force on clay," U.S. team captain Patrick McEnroe pledged after the loss.
Defending champion France plays Russia, a 3-2 winner over Argentina in the other semifinal, in the Nov. 29-Dec. 1 final. The French are seeking their first back-to-back titles since 1932.
"He just stayed there mentally the whole time," Roddick said of Grosjean, ranked No. 9 in the ATP's entry system. "When I didn't make one or two forehand errors in a service game, he was ready to come up with the shots.
"I don't know if I wouldn't have minded a faster surface, but you've got to play with the cards that you're dealt."
The United States, the winner of a record 31 Davis Cup titles, last reached the final in 1997 and has not won the event since 1995.
MORE TENNIS: Serena Williams rebounded from a shaky start and beat Kim Clijsters 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Toyota Princess Cup in Tokyo. ... Elena Bovina won her second WTA Tour title, beating Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian 6-3, 6-4 in the Bell Challenge in Quebec.
NBA: The brother of missing former player Bison Dele reportedly is on life support, and FBI agents were wrapping up their investigation in Tahiti. The Los Angeles Times reported that Dele's brother, Miles Dabord, is "dead, living only through artificial means," according to his mother.
COLLEGES: Former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson says he's open to the possibility of coaching again. Richardson coached the Razorbacks for 17 years and was fired after last season. ... The Florida State women's soccer team held on for a 3-2 win against visiting South Florida. Forward Cindy Schofield, midfielder Katie Talley and midfielder Summer Corum scored first-half goals for FSU (5-2-2). Midfielder Tia Oplinger scored on a diving header, then forward Berna Breirem scored on a 28-yard shot to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the 69th minute for the Bulls (3-4). "We showed up the second half," USF coach Logan Fleck said. ... The host Stanford women's soccer team beat Florida 4-0. UF goalkeeper Jordan Kellgren had in a season-high seven saves. ... The Saint Leo women's soccer team lost its second Sunshine State Conference game, 3-1 to host Lynn. Sarah Wright of Clearwater scored the Lions' goal. ... Senior forward Gabe Salgado of Plant City scored two goals as the South Florida men's soccer team defeated visiting Florida Atlantic 4-2.
OLYMPICS: The Swiss bid to host the 2010 Winter Games received a setback when voters in a key region overwhelmingly refused to shoulder a share of the financing. The crucial ballot was in the canton, or state, near Bern, where 217,884 voters opposed taking a loan of $5-million to join in co-financing the national bid.
FOOTBALL: A woman who jumped from the fourth floor of a burning apartment building in Edmonton was saved when a group of players from the city's CFL team who were able to break her fall.
SOCCER: Peter Nowak and Ante Razov scored second-half goals as host Chicago earned a MLS playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over Columbus. ... New England's Taylor Twellman won the MLS scoring title. He finished with 52 points, three more than Los Angeles' Carlos Ruiz -- the league goal leader with 24.
RUNNING: Paula Radcliffe left Elana Meyer and Sonia O'Sullivan well behind in winning a 10-kilometer race in London. She crossed the finish line in 30 minutes, 38 seconds.
TRIATHLON: Cyrille Neveu won the long-distance world championship in Nice, France, in 6:19:45. In the women's competition, Ines Estedt was fastest overall.
CYCLING: Roberto Heras ousted Oscar Sevilla from the overall leader's post by winning the 15th stage of the Tour of Spain in Angliru.
HORSES: The combination of jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher swept the handicap races at Belmont Park, with Finality winning in an upset in the Jamaica and Maddie May taking the Schenectady as the favorite.
ROWING: The United States won the women's eight in the final day of the World Championships in Seville, Spain.
WRESTLING: Dremiel Byers drove Mihaly Deak-Bardos to the mat in a burst of power that won him the 264-pound title at the Greco-Roman World Championship in Moscow. It was the American team's only medal.
VOLLEYBALL: Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs won the FIVB gold medal with their 21-13, 19-21, 15-10 victory over Misty May and Kerri Walsh in Vitria, Brazil.
SURFING: Shea and Cory Lopez of Indian Rocks Beach lost in the third round at Figueira da Foz, Portugal.
SUMO: Hawaiian Musashimaru won his 12th Emperor's Cup on the final day of the Autumn Grand Tournament.