French Mens Semis Preview; Connors in Roddick Camp

Ljubicic talks a big game, especially considering he has beaten Nadal only once in three attempts on his favorite hardcourts, and is appearing in only his first Grand Slam final.

Good luck there.

In the other semifinal, at least on paper, David Nalbandian poses just as much a threat to Roger Federer as his rival Nadal, sans any Slam titles.

In their last meeting a few weeks back on clay, Federer edged Nalbandian in a third-set tiebreak at Rome. Before that, Nalbandian showed what was in past years some sorely lacking, nerve and guts, in coming from two sets down to defeat the Swiss in the Masters Cup final.

If the Argentine doesn't let Federer get on top of him early, this one could easily get away from the Swiss. Nalbandian is stronger, has a better return of serve and backhand, and has the memories of dominating Federer in their matches before the Swiss rose to No. 1.

"We know each other well, and matches between us always end up being very long and very tight," Nalbandian said. "I'm going to try to be aggressive and attacking. He's on form, though, and getting better and better on clay."

Kuzy Steals French Final Berth v Henin-Hardenne

Coming back from one set down to upset world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo and former No. 1 Venus Williams, Nicole Vaidisova looked like she didn't know what to do with a one-set lead Thursday in the semifinals at the French Open, with the 17-year-old Czech losing the advantage and the match to 20-year-old Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-2.

The Russian served for the first set at 5-3 before seizing up and dropping the set, then in the second it was Vaidisova's turn, failing to close the match out serving up a set and 5-4, turning in a flurry of unforced errors. After losing the second-set tiebreak, the Czech folded physically and mentally as Kuznetsova ran out a 3-0 lead and didn't look back.

"I had my chances," said Vaidisova, who left the court in tears and showed her lack of confidence in the post-match conference. "Even when you're 5-4 up and serving, you know you're so far from winning it...I don't think I went crazy nervous or started shaking. It wasn't a factor. It just happened."

Kuznetsova reined in some early unforced errors, ending the match with less than half that of her opponent.

"At the start, I was solid but suddenly I wanted to win points too fast," Kuznetsova said. "I let her go a little bit...I had a little bit more experience than she had. I was better physically at the end."

In the final the former US Open winner will get a shot at defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, who dismantled the game of fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters 6-3, 6-2.

It will be the third consecutive year that Kuznetsova has faced the potential eventual winner at the French: in 2004 losing to Anastasia Myskina, and last year to Henin-Hardenne, in both instances after holding match points.

Clijsters could not hang in the long rallies with Henin-Hardenne, and found balls that would have gone for winners coming back on the slow clay.

"I felt like a lot of the times, the rallies, I was dominating the points, but I just couldn't finish them off," Clijsters said. "I knew that was going to happen because I know she's a player who defends incredibly well out there on clay. On a hardcourt, you can hit a shot and most, like 99 percent it's a winner. Here on clay, they keep coming back. Twice, three times they come back. I don't think I was consistent enough to keep going for those lines."

Early in the second set Clijsters looked to turn the match around before dropping serve at 1-1 with a double fault on game point, never getting back into the match.

Henin-Hardenne has won 10 of her 11 career meetings with Kuznetsova, including the last six dating to 2004.

"She's going to be a tough opponent. Justine is amazing," Kuznetsova said. "She's probably the best claycourt player on the tour. But I'll have nothing to lose."

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
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