PARIS(AP) At nearly 6 feet, 5 inches, the big-serving Marin Cilic poses more of a threat on grass and hard courts. But the 10th-seeded Croat is finding the current conditions at Roland Garros may suit his game.
Cilic beat Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday.
It was pretty hot and the ball was bouncing,'' Cilic said.And I think it was pretty similar to last year. Compared to these other tournaments on clay, I think here (it) is a bit faster as the balls are pretty quick.''
Having dropped the second set and down a break in the third, Cilic put his recovery down to an improved mental strength.
``The third set, I think, made a big difference in the mental approach to the match, and afterwards it was much easier for me to play. I could let a few shots go and try something,'' he said.
Mello was full of praise for his opponent.
His serve is really good. He's very solid on the baseline,'' Mello said.When he serves, he's very tough to return. And when I served, he was good on the baseline. That's what makes him a tough player to beat.''
Cilic is currently ranked 12th in the world but reached a career high of No. 9 in February.
In January, he defeated Juan Martin Del Potro then Andy Roddick to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open. He won two hard-court titles this year and was a finalist earlier this month in Munich, Germany.
GETTING IT IN THE NECK: Being beaten in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament is painful for any seeded player, but it was taxing twice over for Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
The left-handed Spaniard lost 6-2, 6-4 to Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan in her opening match at the French Open on Sunday after battling a neck injury.
This morning when I practiced, I started to feel something but nothing important,'' said Martinez Sanchez, who wore a neck brace after her match.In the first two games, I started to feel it more and more.
Martinez Sanchez had to call a physiotherapist at 2-1 in the first set because she couldn't move.
Completely blocked, all the neck and the back,'' she said.I tried to do my best and fight until the end but I couldn't do anything more. It's bad luck because it's my first round in Roland Garros. It's one of the most important tournaments for me. But there is nothing to do.
``I took one anti-inflammatory before the match but it's not enough. I feel too much pain in every shot.''
Martinez Sanchez, who reached the third round in last year's French Open and beat Jelena Jankovic of Serbia earlier this month to win the Italian Open, still hopes to play doubles at Roland Garros.
GERMAN PHILOSOPHER: She loves junk food and watching baseball while in the United States, but Andrea Petkovic has still been tagged by her peers as an intellectual.
That's because the 22-year-old Petkovic speaks four languages - French, German, English and Serbian - and lists among her favorite writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the key figures in German literature.
I understand everything (when I read Goethe),'' Petkovic said after reaching the second round of the French Open by beating Elena Vesnina of Russia 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.But I have to admit that when I read (Jean-Paul) Sartre, I don't get everything - but I try my best.
``I don't know how I got this (reputation), but it's OK for me. I don't mind being an intellectual or whatever.''
LASTING TIES: Amelie Mauresmo retired last year, but at least one player has not forgotten her.
Svetlana Kuznetsova sent a message to Mauresmo on Sunday morning to see if she would watch her opening match at the French Open, and the Frenchwoman duly showed up at Roland Garros to see her beat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 6-1.
She supported me before the match,'' Kuznetsova said.So we had a chat in the dressing room. I appreciate her coming a lot. She's a very good friend of mine and I'm happy to see her again.''
Their friendship started in 2005 when Kuznetsova played doubles with Mauresmo at Wimbledon.
We had a lot of fun but we also played pretty well together and made it through to the final,'' Mauresmo said.We have been close ever since.''
Mauresmo, who won Wimbledon and the Australian Open in 2006, attended the inauguration on Sunday of the main alley named after her at Roland Garros for the duration of the tournament.
AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report