Rios can claim first grand slam title on favourite surface

Greg Rusedski should feel completely at home in Paris. He enjoys good food and wine, speaks fluent French, courtesy of having grown up in Montreal, and adores the laid-back lifestyle.

Unfortunately, he also hates the red clay of Roland Garros.

It is the slowest surface in tennis and as such reduces Rusedski's fearsome serve, timed at a world record 149 mph earlier this year, to the realms of ordinariness.

Which is why Britain's number one, whose serve and volley game along with that of Tim Henman adheres to the British stereotype, goes into the French Open starting tomorrow with his usual big grin but no great confidence.

"I've only won once on clay all season," said Rusedski. "But at least that's better than last year when I did not win a single match."

Rusedski, a first-round loser to Swede Magnus Norman last year, should have enough power this time to overcome Belgium's Johan Van Herck, who at 97 in the world is light years behind Rusedski's number five listing.

Henman, whose rivalry with Rusedski has provided a massive boost for British tennis over the last three years, should also gain his first victory at the French when he takes on Armenian Sargis Sargsian who is world ranked 94.

Henman, for the first time, has played a full clay season and though he insists his game has progressed, the rewards have been meagre - the highlight being a 61, 6-0 victory over an exhausted Fabrice Sanporo of France.

And coach David Felgate is realistic. "He's never won more that two successive matches on the ATP tour on clay," said Felgate. "To make the second week would be a huge advance but the aim is to win more than one."

Two victories could well see Henman clash with world number one Pete Sampras, his practice partner in Paris for the past week.

"I'm improving all the time on clay," said 23-year-old Henman. "I actually enjoy playing on it, even if it is the surface I'm going to struggle on most. It takes a lot of adjusting and I've got to pick my opportunity when to come in.

"I've got to develop a style of play which will be effective. It's a challenge."

Meanwhile Sampras, for all the brilliance which saw him at world number one for 102 successive weeks until he lost that prized possession for a couple of weeks to Marcelo Rios in March, has never won the French.

It is the only Grand Slam tournament which has eluded him and he believes he will not be regarded as one of the game's true greats until he has won on all surfaces.

Only four men in history have accomplished that feat - Don Budge in 1938, Rod Laver 1962 and 1969, and Fred Perry and Roy Emerson.

A determined Sampras, who faces a tough first round against fellow American Todd Martin, believes he has a date with history.

But to do that he will have to get past Rios - the pony-tailed Chilean who was burning up the world's clay courts until an elbow injury halted his progress.

The hugely gifted left-hander, fully fit again, has never won a Grand Slam and wilted badly in January's Australian Open final.

He cruised to the Italian Open title a fortnight ago, however, without hitting a ball after his opponent Albert Costa pulled out of the final with a sprained wrist.

But on the way he demolished Henman and, more significantly, brushed aside reigning French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in the semi-final.

"I never expected to play so well," said 22-year-old Rios, who with 32 victories boasts more wins than any other player this year. "But I've got a ranking to maintain."

That presently stands at number three. The smart money says he could rule the world in two weeks time.

American MaliVai Washington pulled out of the tournament yesterday after picking up an injury to his left knee. The American, who reached the Wimbledon final two years ago, will be replaced by the German qualifier Bernd Karbacher.