Costa Houdini Act Continues; Ferrero Wins in Five

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
Spain's Al Costa recovered from two sets down (again) to reach the French Open semifinals Wednesday with a 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 win over countryman Tommy "The Choke" Robredo on Wednesday. After the first two sets Brother Al got tired of standing 50 feet back, "so I changed my tactics and it worked. I did move more into the court when receiving. I served harder and faster. I really forced him to play his forehand. He saw I was changing tactics and he began to doubt. Then I just managed to catch up with him and that was it. I won the match today but he could have won it just as well." The inexperienced Robredo did his part to implode in the final sets, throwing in key doubles faults and slamming his racquet to the terra battue. And at the start of the fourth, blowing up over a line call. Nice effort, good luck sleeping the next two days, up 2-0 sets on a guy who was exhausted, yet your legs and mind ran out. Another Spaniard came out ahead in another five-setter when No. 3 seed Juan Carlos "The Favorite" Ferrero outlasted No. 19 Fernando Gonzalez 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, his first win over the Chilean. The two battled for over 3 and a half hours of pretty ugly, uneven tennis. Gonzo went hit and miss, while Ferrero tried hard not to gag it. However, the end was pretty incredible as Gonzo fended off five match points in dramatic fashion before falling to his Spanish rival. In tomorrow's semis Ferrero will face Costa, who he choked a bone against last year, and Coria will face Verkerk.
In doubles semifinal action today it's (11)Haarhuis/Kafelnikov vs. (10)Arthurs/Hanley, and (3)Bryan/Bryan vs. (5)Paes/Rikl. If the Bryans win it all, can U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe still deny them a spot?

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Yesterday was doubles-only for the women, with (1)Ruano Pascual/Suarez beating (11)Husarova/Schett, (2)Clijsters/Sugiyama beating unseeded Matevzic/Nagyova, (4)Black/Likhovtseva beating (12)Dechy/Loit, and (9)Hantuchova/Rubin easing by unseeded Bovina/Molik, all thrilling straight-set affairs.
Today is the women's semis featuring (1)Serena vs. (4)Henin-Hardenne, and (2)Clijsters vs. Petrova.

TOUR NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Tommy Haas' shoulder still isn't ready, and he's pulled out of next week's grasscourt event in Halle, Germany: "I'm training regularly, but I'm not 100 percent healthy. The serve is especially important on grass and I still have problems with it."...Martin Verkerk has become known as the man of many facial expressions after winning big points at Roland Garros: "It's ugly. But I'm not here to be beautiful. I mean, I'm here to win."...Guillermo Coria was banned seven months from the men's tour and fined after testing positive in 2001 for the banned steroid nandrolone, which he said was the result of a contaminated nutritional supplement: "Be very, very careful about the vitamin supplements you take," Coria told France-2 television Wednesday. "It's extremely dangerous." Wink wink, nod nod, say no more. Coria, by the way, is suing the supplement manufacturer...Does anyone think it's wierd that Hewitt's parents are often watching Clijsters' practice sessions?...Justine Henin-Hardenne's advance to the semifinals has assured that the Belgian will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 3 on Monday, knocking Venus Williams down another notch...Spaniard Conchita Martinez will return to the Top 20 for the first time since August 2001 on Monday...Verkerk spent Thursday night tending bar at his hotel...The ATP/WTA and Grand Slams are meeting Thursday morning to decide if the Slams should hand over money/funds to the struggling tours...If Fernando Gonzalez stands any further back on a tennis court, he'd be in Chile...STAT DU JOUR: Albert Costa joins Frenchman Nicolas Escude as the only two players to in Open Era history to ever comeback from 0-2 set deficits in the same event. Escude did it at the 1998 Australian Open…WEATHER: Looks good…TV TIME: ESPN is live at 8am with women's semi action.