Incomplete Olympic faction - French awarded fairplay and broadcasting excellence gold medals

There have been more gold medals to add to the French haul at the London 2012 Olympics after the  Independent Olympics Observers Committee awarded the country three special awards for fairplay, sportsmanship and broadcasting excellence.

The awards were handed out on Sunday evening at a special gala dinner in the presence of the guest of honour Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM who opened and closed the proceedings with yet another inevitable rendition of "Hey Jude".

Nelson Monfort (screenshot YouTube video)

In the category Best Reporter, the gold went to France 2's omnipresent Nelson Monfort for his excellent interview of the French women's 4 x 200 metres relay swimming team after they had won the bronze medal.

"Delicacy and tact were the trademarks of yet another fine moment in television sports journalism," the Committee noted, praising Monfort for the way in which he had managed to make one of the team, Ophélie-Cyrielle Etienne, feel completely at ease by reminding her that her mother had died recently.

Monfort, renowned for his one-note intonation and simultaneous translations skills when interviewing English-speaking athletes showed particular empathy when it came to questioning Etienne.

"We love your sensitivity," Monfort said. "You have suffered over the past year after a family bereavement. I imagine that's who you would like to dedicate this medal to tonight?"



Monford wasn't the only winner representing France Télévisions on the night though.

The whole organisation was honoured with a gold for the way in which it has so far provided balanced and objective coverage of the London Olympics, regularly interrupting events to inform viewers and commentators that the remainder of a match, bout, heat or whatever would now be continued on one of its other channels - either France 2 or France 3, depending on the schedules.

"Channel hopping has brought a delight and pleasure to millions of viewers in France," the Committee said.

"And it has ensured that no crucial moments have been missed while those at home have scrambled to find the remote control to avoid the closing credits on one channel before being treated to the opening ones on another."

Special mention was made for the way in which the men's doubles final - which featured the French pair of Michael Llodra, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga losing to the American twins Mike and Bob Bryan was shown to the exclusion of the women's singles being played at the same time.

While the odd mention was made of the manner in which Serena Williams was hammering Maria Sharapova in straight sets, the only glimpse of the game French viewers were treated to was that of Williams receiving her medal.

But the night's top award for Best Loser went to French rowers Jérémie Azou and Stany Delayre.

They were competing in the final of the men's lightweight double skulls and had reportedly made an excellent start to the race when it was brought to a halt suddenly because the British duo of Mark Hunter and Zac Purchase had problems with their boat.

Purchase's seat had slipped and as is traditional and part of the rules of rowing, he raised his hand and all the other teams stopped too.

After the restart the British went on to finish second, just behind the Danish pair of Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist, while the French missed out on the podium finishing fourth behind the bronze medallists Storm Uru and Peter Taylor from New Zealand.

And it was then that the French showed their true sporting colours and sense of fair play, blaming the incident on the failure of the British team for "misaligning their boat initially because of the wind" and criticising the jury's decision "for abiding by the rules and interrupting the race."

"The other teams were stronger when the race was restarted," explained Delayre

"It's always frustrating finishing fourth and is perhaps down to us being less experienced than the other teams in appearing in an Olympic final."

Which surely brings us to the time for a song, doesn't it?

Oh, go on then.

You just know you've been itching to hear it.

Virginie Razzano stuns Serena Williams in three-set thriller at Roland Garros

It might not seem like a big deal, but there's so much more to the story than the headline suggests.

And it's little wonder that the French sports pages are buzzing and the media is reporting the exploits of France's Virginie Razzano in the first round of this year's Roland Garros tournament.

Virginie Razzano (screenshot YouTube video)

Why?

Well first up of course there's the fact that Razzano - currently ranked 111 in the world - beat former number one and the 2002 winner Serena Williams.

No mean feat in itself as Williams was seeded fifth in this year's tournament and had never lost a first round match before in any of the four majors.

It was also the manner in which the 29-year-old Razzano beat her opponent, turning her game around from the brink of defeat.

At 1-5 down in the second set tie-break, after having lost the first set 4-6, the game pretty much seemed lost for Razzano.

But as often happens in tennis, Razzano rallied (sorry) taking the next six points to win the tie-break and the set.

More was to come in the final set though as Razzano clearly on a roll, raced to 5-0 lead, had three games taken off her by Williams and then needed eight match points to seal victory.

Remarkable stuff for both those lucky enough to be among the crowd at the Court Philippe Chatrier and those following the game on telly; three hours and three minutes of great sport.

But wait.

There's more.

Because Razzano's victory provided the starkest of contrasts to her first round match at last year's Roland Garros.

Just a week before the 2011 tournament, Razzano had lost her coach and fiancé Stéphane Vidal.

The pair had been together for nine years and shortly before he died, Vidal, who had a brain tumour, had made Razzano promise that she would play in Paris to "honour him".

Although she lost in her first round match, the press conference after the game was probably one of the most moving moments of the two weeks and led Europe 1 sports journalist Christophe Lamarre to describe how touched those present had been by the dignity and courage shown by Razzano.

Asked (a daft sports reporter's question) on Tuesday after beating Williams, whether the win was some sort of "sign of destiny" Razzano preferred a level-headed answer.

"Is it fate? I don't know," she said.

"What's certain is I wanted to win this match," she added.

"Honestly though, the past is the past. I've mourned and now I'm ready to move forward with my life. It took some time. But today I feel good."

Razzano's second round opponent will be 22-year-old Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands.

Even if you're not that keen on tennis, you'll surely feel the tension in the two accompanying videos of the last game of the match.

French tennis player Alizé Cornet forgets to turn her mobile 'phone off during match

It was match point against her when French tennis player Alizé Cornet's mobile 'phone stared ringing.

Caroline Wozniacki serving for the match when Alizé Cornet's 'phone rings (screenshot from YouTube video)

We've all heard those announcements at the theatre, the cinema, a classical music concert, a live sporting event or whatever.

The reminder to those present to (if the organisers are feeling particularly polite) "Please turn off you mobile 'phones". Or at least put the ruddy thing on mute.

Ho hum.

No sooner said than done. And woe betide you should you fail to do so.

But what happens when it's not a member of the public but one of those being watched or listened to, who forgets?

This.

It was a first round match at the Swedish Open in Bastad between the world's number one ranked woman player, Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark and France's Alizé Cornet.

At 6-4, 5-3 and 40:30 up, Wozniacki was serving for the match when she - and everybody else present - heard a 'phone ring.

Wozniacki kept her cool and prepared to serve again, but once more the wretched thing went off.

Bemusement from Wozniacki and then a huge smile and laughter from everyone as the camera focused on her opponent who, realising she was in fact the offender, hurried to her kitbag to turn the thing off.

Applause and more laughter all round although it was hardly the "tremendous stuff" as suggested by the commentator on the accompanying video.

Wozniacki lost the game but went on to win the match 6-4, 6-4.

Virginie Razzano's tribute to Stéphane Vidal, her late fiancé

It might not have been the match of the tournament and it lasted just over an hour, but Tuesday's first round tie at Roland Garros between France's Virginie Razzano and Australia's Jarmila Gajdosova and and the subsequent press conference were both rich in emotion.

Virginie Razzano (screenshot from BFMTV report)

Gajdosova ran out the winner in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, but the day really belonged to her 28-year-old opponent who was keeping a promise she had made to her fiancé and coach, Stéphane Vidal, who died on May 16 of a brain tumour.

It was at the press conference after the game that Razzano showed her strength and dignity as she prepared to answer the questions, that Europe 1's sports journalist Christophe Lamarre said on his blog, nobody dared to answer.

"I was very moved because I was playing for Stéphane," said Razzano, understandably battling to hold back the tears.

"It was so hard walking on to the Philip Chatrier court; there was a lot of emotion and pain," she continued.

"I tried to pay homage to Stéphane today and even though it was virtually impossible, I tried my best."

"I feel alone even if I have a lot of support from family and friends, But I've still got the strength in me to keep going, little by little.

"I'm in mourning and it's difficult when you lose someone who - excuse me - will always be the man of my life, who I love and will always love."

Razzano then went on to pay tribute to the man who had been both her coach and partner for the past nine years; the bravery Vidal had shown in fighting his illness, the strength and courage both of them had discovered in one another.

Lamarre described how moved those present at the press conference were.

"Her distress overwhelmed us," he wrote.

Some journalists had tears in their eyes, others bowed their heads in respect, he continued."

"I don't know Virginie Razzano personally but I'm not about to forget this lesson of life, courage and dignity."

You can hear a recording of Razzano's speech here (click on "audios").

Virginie Razzano to play Roland Garros in memory of her fiancé

It'll doubtless be a moving moment when French tennis player Virginie Razzano takes to the court for her opening match at Roland Garros which begins on May 22.

Virginie Razzano, US Open 2009 (from Wikipedia, author Robbie Mendelson)

And the thoughts of many a home fan will be with the 28-year-old during the French Open, not because of fierce national pride but instead in support of a woman who will still be in mourning following the death of her fiancé and trainer Stéphane Vidal on Monday.

"Four or five days ago I asked him whether he wanted me to play at Roland Garros," she writes in a touching letter published in Tuesday's edition of the sports daily L'Equipe.

"He replied that I had to because he wanted me to get on with my life and continue playing for both of us."

It's very much a pattern the couple had followed for the past nine years ever since Vidal was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

They met 11 years ago when Razzano started training at a club run by his parents.

"Over time we became friends," she writes.

"And little by little, as we got to know each other better, we fell in love."

But it was a relationship overshadowed by the Vidal's diagnosis and even though he accompanied Razzano as her coach on the Tour and was always by her side, the illness took its toll over the years.

Vidal's condition worsened at the beginning of this year and although Razzano continued travelling and playing in tournaments until last month - at the insistence of her fiancé - it became clear in April that the 32-year-old was dying.

"I've never met anyone as good or as strong as Stéphane," writes Razzano.

"It's hard, but with the strength he gave me, I'm still alive."

Currently ranked 93rd in the world and competing at Roland Garros for the 14th time, Razzano might not be among the favourites to lift the title, but there's always hope.

And wouldn't it be a fitting tribute?

French tennis open stays at Roland Garros

The Fédération Française de Tennis (French tennis federation, FFT) has decided that the French Open will continue to be played at Stade de Roland Garros (Roland Garros Stadium) in Paris.

At the weekend it voted to renovate and enlarge the existing venue on the outskirts of the capital's 16th arrondissement rather than move to a new site in the suburbs.

(Screenshot from TF1 news)

Roland Garros had been up against stiff competition from three other alternatives, all aiming to host the clay court event which is the second of the annual four Grand Slam tournaments.

It was a process that had begun almost two years ago when the FFT invited bids to stage the French Open from 2016 because the current site, which had been its home since 1928, was considered too small and difficult to extend.

The other candidates had been Gonesse in the northeastern suburbs of Paris almost 17 kilometres from the centre, Versailles - home of the famous palace - 17 kilometres to the west, and Marne-la-Vallée - a new town 32 kilometres to the east and best known perhaps for being the home of Disneyland, Paris.

But in the end the FFT plumped for tradition and in the process bucked the trend of, in the words of its president Jean Gachassin, "Having things on a grand scale."

"When we began looking at how we could modernise the stadium at Roland Garros our ambition was to be able to offer a real plan that would ensure the future and the high quality of the event," he says on the federation's website.

"By choosing Paris and deciding to modernise, expand and completely rethink the historical site of Roland Garros, the FFT has opted for a magnificent and unique project which allows us to distinguish ourselves from other tournaments and remain true to our values."

Among the renovations are the building of a retractable roof over the Philippe Chatrier centre court and a totally new 8,000-capacity court.

Costs of course also played an important part in the decision with renovation of Roland Garros put at €275 million rather than the €460 million plus price tag of the other three alternative sites, all of which would have required building from scratch.

While Vincent Eblé, who is president of the regional council of Seine-et-Marne, the département in which Marne-la-Vallée is located, congratulated Paris on its "win" he also had a word of warning.

"As is the tradition in sport we are 'fair play' and wish Paris and the federation all the luck in creating a stadium that France needs," he told Agence France Presse .

"But it is far from being faced with an easy job," he added ominously.

And reflecting a certain disquiet among some over the decision was Amélie Mauresmo, a former world number who retired in 2009.

"I hope the federation won’t get in trouble by taking this decision,” Mauresmo, who is now co-director of the Open Gaz de France, said.

“I don’t know if the tennis aspect prevailed in - I have my doubts."

The "trouble" could be the extension of the site to include part of the neighbouring botanical gardens, le Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil, which Yves Contassot, a councillor in Paris for the ecology party Les Verts, says represent just one of any number of judicial and administrative obstacles.

"There'll have to be changes made in planning regulations in Paris and that'll have to go to a local, departmental and national level as well," he told French television.

"Commissions will also have to determine what happens to a site classified as of 'historical interest' and at least two ministries will be involved," he continued.

"I don't believe that by 2015 there'll be an extra court on the site which is currently occupied by the gardens."

Game, set and match, it seems, is far from being called.

Maybe Mickey and friends can still hold out hope.

Roland Garros reste à Paris

Richard Gasquet innocent in doping charges

Good news for Richard Gasquet, the former French number one men's tennis player.

He has been cleared of any claims of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

While "justice has been done" as far as Gasquet is concerned, and he's "ready to turn the page and get on with his career", it seems as though the 23-year-old still has a few scores to settle and rumours to scotch.

Most notably the remarks made by a former fellow professional, Henri Leconte, who had been less than supportive when the story first broke, and rumours surrounding his relationship with the publishing, media, aerospace and retail mogul, Arnaud Lagardère.

On Thursday the CAS threw out an appeal made by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which had wanted him banned for two years for testing positive for cocaine.

Back in July a three-man independent ITF tribunal had accepted Gasquet's version of events surrounding "the kiss" that had led him to becoming "inadvertently contaminated" during a tournament in Miami; one in which he had been scheduled to play but had withdrawn from before the first round because of a shoulder injury.

The tribunal had given Gasquet a two month and 15 day suspension retroactively from May 1, effectively clearing him to return to competition.

But both the ITF and WADA had appealed to tribunal's findings, requesting that the player be banned from competition for two years. It was that appeal that the CAS rejected on Thursday, effectively supporting Gasquet's claims of having been an innocent victim in the affair.

Since the verdict, Gasquet has given interviews across the French media - an indication perhaps on how much interest there has been in this country in the story over the past eight months.

Appearing on national radio on Friday, Gasquet said he had appreciated the support he had received from people close to him and many other professionals on the tennis circuit, but that he would never forget the comments Leconte had made which had questioned his version of events.

"There weren't a lot of negative remarks thank goodness, and by far the most virulent reaction was from Leconte," he said.

I don't know why he said that. Perhaps he wanted to make himself sound interesting," he added.

"He's not the most refined or intelligent person we know in Paris.

"I won't forget, that's for sure."

Richard Gasquet règle ses comptes avec Henri Leconte
par Europe1fr

On Thursday just hours after the verdict, a relieved Gasquet appeared on the mid-evening television news magazine "Le Grand Journal" on Canal +, alongside Lagardère: a chance for the player to recount what life had been like since the story first broke, his plans for the future and for the two men to put paid to rumours that they had been lovers.

And about those rumours, after Lagardère had unequivocally denied there being any truth of a sexual relationship between the two men, Gasquet added, "Homosexual with Arnaud....Drugged and homosexual, definitely not."

Could the world of French tennis turn to Disney?

Tennis fans worldwide and lovers of tradition could be in for a fright if the French Tennis Federation (Fédération française de tennis, FFT) sees through plans that are apparently in the pipeline.

The French Open, one of the four prestigious Grand Slams in tennis could be on the move from its current home at the Stade de Roland Garros (Roland Garros Stadium) on the outskirts of the capital's 16th arrondissement to Disneyland.

Yes, you read correctly. Mickey and friends are in the running to play host to future winners of a tournament that has been one of the sporting highlights of the part of the French capital's sporting calender since 1891 (at Stade Français) and from 1928 at Roland Garros.

Of course there's nothing new in the rumour, as a move of some sort has been the subject of discussion for some time especially as the tournament expands and the space available at its current location is limited.

Redevelopment and extension plans of Roland Garros have apparently been agreed, but for Jean Gachassin, the president of the FTT, it's simply unlikely to be enough in the long term.

"We're looking for 20 hectares and there has already been interest expressed," he told the sports daily, Le 10 sport.

Indeed according to Gachassin there are two confirmed candidates in the running; one at Sarcelles, a northern suburb of the French capital and the other, in Marne-la-Vallée, 32 kilometres (20 miles) to the East and of course home to Disneyland Europe.

But wait. For those of you about to throw your hands up in despair. There's hope. And it comes from the director of the tournament, Gilbert Ysern.

He downplayed the rumours of a move although he admitted that negotiations to expand the current site and build a new stadium (Georges Hébert) close to the existing venue, weren't without their difficulties.

"It's more than a little premature to be talking about such a project (as Disneyland), he told the sports daily L'Equipe.

"The possibility of it happening cannot be ruled out but as yet no negotiations (for such a move) have been started," he added.

"We're still actively working on sorting out the Georges Hébert project but there are distinct political and technical difficulties that need to be overcome and the worst case scenario would see us unable to complete the project and being forced to leave Roland Garros entirely."

So not exactly full backing Gachassin's seeming enthusiasm to embrace Mickey and friends.

Maybe Ysern together with the local authorities can come up with a solution that'll prove that the lyrics from the track "One God" on the British alternative rock group Beautiful South's 1996 album "Blue is the colour" really weren't as prescient as they might have appeared at the time.

"The world is turning Disney and there's nothing you can do".

It was all "in a kiss" - Gasquet returns to the tennis circuit

France's former number one tennis player, Richard Gasquet, has been given the all clear to rejoin the ATP tour after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Wednesday accepted his explanation of events surrounding his positive control for cocaine back in March.

It decided to impose a two month and 15 day suspension retroactively from May 1, effectively clearing him to return to competition immediately.

You might remember reading about Gasquet testing positive for cocaine during a tournament in Miami, one in which he didn't actually participate. He was scheduled to, but withdrew before his first round match because of a shoulder injury.

Instead the 23-year-old went partying to a nightclub, one in which the use of illegal recreational drugs - including cocaine - was well known, and where according to Gasquet, he had been "inadvertently contaminated" while kissing a girl.

He maintained his innocence at a hearing of the ITF's three-man independent anti-doping tribunal in London at the end of June. And on Wednesday the panel delivered its decision, accepting that Gasquet's version of how cocaine traces had been found in his urine was "more plausible than not" and it had "found the player to be a truthful and honest witness, and a man of integrity".

The ruling was also relatively lenient one. The ITF could have handed down a two-year suspension as it did most notably to Martina Hingis in 2007 after she tested positive for cocaine; a decision which led the former women's world number one to announce her retirement.

In reality Gasquet's punishment is more along the lines of one given in 1995 to the former top-ranked Swedish player Mats Wilander and his Czech doubles partner, Karel Novacek, who tested positive for cocaine at the French Open but denied deliberately using it. They were both suspended for three months.

"Given the unique characteristics and likely 'exceptional' circumstances of this case, it would have been unjust and disproportionate to have imposed a 12-month ban on Gasquet," read the statement issued by the ITF on Wednesday.

And that was a decision greeted with relief by the national technical director of the French tennis federation, Patrice Dominguez.

"Richard has been punished but within reason," he said.

"Of course we were concerned because there had been the risk of him being banned for two years, but the tribunal decided that would be have been disproportionate," he continued.

"It's excellent news and will allow him to return to his highest level of play."

By deciding to suspend him for a limited period from May 1, Gasquet is effectively eligible to return to the ATP tour immediately and in particular begin preparations for the US Open, the final Grand slam tournament of the year which begins at the end of August.

He has already missed both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Gasquet of course is happy that he'll be able to play once again and that his name has been cleared, but for him the past couple of months haven't been easy.

"It has been intense suffering for the past two and a half months for me, and it was terrible not to be able to play either the French Open or Wimbledon," he told national radio.

"My name has been dragged through the mud in the media but I thank all of those who have supported me throughout the whole experience."

Ah yes, it really was "all in a kiss."

Richard Gasquet: Ma suspension "a été une souffrance atroce"
by Europe1fr

Mathieu Montcourt - death of a tennisman

His name probably isn't one that is on the lips of many a sports fans, but on Tuesday, French tennis player Mathieu Montcourt made the headlines for the saddest of reasons.

The body of the 24-year-old was found in front of his apartment in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt in the early hours of the morning, and police are investigating the circumstances of his death.

Initial reports suggest that Montcourt died of a pulmonary embolism.

According to police the body of the 24-year-old was found in the early hours of Tuesday morning by his girlfriend on the staircase of the apartment block in which he lived.

An autopsy is due to be held on Wednesday to discover the exact causes of the player's early death.

Montcourt turned professional in 2002 and although his wasn't a glittering career on a par with his better-known French contemporaries such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils or Gilles Simon for example, Montcourt was placed 119th in the world in the latest rankings released on Monday.

More regularly seen on the Challenge tour in Europe, his most recent appearance in a Grand Slam tournament was in the French Open at Roland Garros in June, where he made it through to the second round.

Perhaps part of the explanation for Montcourt's failure to progress more quickly in the rankings was that a cloud had been hanging over his career for several months.

In August last year he was fined and suspended for eight weeks by the ATP for betting on tennis matches back in 2005.

He took the case to appeal and in May this year the Lausanne-based Court of arbitration for sport reduced the suspension to six weeks.

Interviewed on national radio, Michael Llodra, fellow French tennis professional and a close friend of Montcourt on the professional circuit, expressed his shock.

'It's horrible, tragic," he said.

"I've been upset ever since I heard the news. To go like that at 24 years of age is terrible."

Justine Henin - from centre court to centre stage

Belgium's former world number one tennis player, Justine Henin, will take to the stage later this year when she makes her theatre debut.

According to the Belgian news agency Belga, Henin is slated to play the part of Chloé in the play "Arrête de pleurer Pénélope!" from October.

It's a long-running comedy that has played to packed houses throughout France and which revolves around the lives of three 30-something women "waving goodbye" to their youth.

The role of Chloé is described as "an intellectual who's always asking question about love and never understanding it."

Although it'll be Henin's first attempt at treading the boards, it won't be her first stab at acting.

In May this year she appeared in an episode of the daily French soap opera "Plus belle la vie", although regular viewers might be forgiven for having missed it as she popped up on screen for just a few seconds to deliver her lines.

And she has also recently appeared on Belgian television in a programme entitled "Les douze travaux de Justine Henin", which as the name suggests challenged her to undertake certain tasks such as "singing" (you can judge for yourself whether you think the inverted commas are necessary) alongside singer-songwriter Salvatore Adamo.

Ahem. Perhaps the kindest thing to say is that her performance was one which didn't exactly live up to her abilities on the tennis court.

And if it's an indication of what theatre-goers to the Belgian capital can expect later this year, maybe now is the time to rethink her job options.

Henin of course had a glittering career in tennis, winning seven Grand Slam titles, including four at the French Open. She also picked up the gold medal at the Olympic games in Athens in 2004.

The only title that eluded the 27-year-old, in spite of two appearances in the tournament's final, was on the grass courts of Wimbledon.

To the surprise of many in the tennis world, she quit the professional circuit in May 2008 just weeks before she would have defended her title at Roland Garros.

Roland Garros - it's over before it has begun for Gasquet

France’s Richard Gasquet will be missing from this year’s draw for the French Open at Roland Garros, which begins on May 24.

Nope, Not because of injury, which plagues many players on the professional tennis circuit - but drugs - or cocaine to be more precise.

On Monday the French tennis federation confirmed that Gasquet would be suspended from this year’s tournament - one of the four Grand Slam events in the tennis calendar.

The signs of likely problems for Gasquet first broke on Saturday when the French daily sports paper L’Equipe reported that he had tested positive for cocaine back in March in Miami.

And a day later the 22-year old confirmed the rumours,

"The result of the B sample test I took at the end of March during the Miami tournament in which I didn’t participate, confirmed the positive result of the A sample test taken on the same day," he said.

"Given the complexity of the case, I’m in the process of gathering all the evidence to prove my innocence before fixing a more appropriate time to explain myself," he added, admitting that he had been out partying one evening during the Miami tournament.

There is however a complication in Gasquet’s case, aside that is from the wider implications that cocaine use is illegal.

Under purely anti-doping regulations it’s only "forbidden" if it’s being used as a performance-enhancing drug or stimulant during competition.

Gasquet tested positive for cocaine during a tournament in which he didn’t actually participate. He was scheduled to, but withdrew before his first round match because of a shoulder injury.

The news came as a bombshell to many in the French tennis world with veteran player, Fabrice Santoro, expressing his shock on national television.

"I’ve known Richard since he was a young boy," he said.

"I know how he lives, we see each other a lot on the circuit and it’s completely out of character," he added.

Former French professional player, Henri Leconte, was perhaps more forthcoming when questioned for his reaction.

"Unfortunately I think he has to accept the consequences, he said.

"Even if you say ’oh it was like that for one evening’ - he’s an example for French tennis."

Currently 21st in the ATP rankings, Gasquet has made it as high as number seven, and with five career titles to his credit and a losing semi-finalist at Wimbledon back in 2007, he has finished as the top-ranked French tennis player in three of the past four seasons.

Gasquet’s fate will be sealed within the next two months when he is expected to appear before an anti-doping tribunal.

The maximum penalty is a two-year suspension, which could effectively put an end to his playing career in much the same way it did to that of a former women’s world number one, Martina Hingis, back in 2007 when she faced similar allegations.

The dream continues for Gaël Monfils

France is once again basking in potential tennis glory as Gaël Monfils carries the hopes of the country in today’s semi-finals of the French Open at Roland Garros.

If he makes it past the world number one, Switzerland’s Roger Federer, Monfils will be the second Frenchman to make a Grand Slam final this year.

In January, against all expectations, fellow French tennis ace, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, made it to the final of the Australian Open, before losing to the Serb, Novak Djokovic.

Perhaps the exploits of Monfils at this year’s French Open are all the more extraordinary as he wasn’t really given much of a chance going into the tournament. He’s currently only ranked 59th in the world and he had been short of match practice going into Roland Garros, winning only five matches on the ATP tour this year.

The 21-year-old had been nursing a hamstring injury, which forced him to withdraw from the last two Grand Slams in the United States and Australia.

And in his short professional career Monfils has been overshadowed by other French players of his generation such as Richard Gasquet.

But now the 21 year-old has come of age as far as the French are concerned, and they will be willing him on not just to make it through to the final, but also become the first Frenchman to lift the trophy on home soil since 1983.

His appearance in today’s semi-finals also marks the first time a Frenchman has made it this far in the tournament since Sébastien Grosjean in 2001.

In Wednesday’s quarterfinal match against number five seed, Spain’s David Ferrer, Monfils grunted his way through four sets to upset the Spaniard.

Appearing on French prime time news later in the evening, he was uncharacteristically coy about his exploits, preferring not to mention his planned strategy for this semi-final duel with Federer.

Of course the odds are stacked against Monfils causing an upset. The two players have only met three times before with Federer coming out the winner on each occasion - the last time was on clay in Monte Carlo in April. Indeed Monfils has never taken a set off the Swiss.

The Frenchman might well start as the underdog, and in a sense will be mixing it with the modern greats of the game, cutting a somewhat odd figure perhaps alongside the three most highly ranked players in the world going into the final four.

But don’t underestimate the power of the centre court crowd who will surely be right behind him.

And let’s not forget, Federer doesn’t have the best of track records at Roland Garros. The French Open is the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection.

Should Monfils against all the odds make it through to the final, he would then have a crack at becoming the first French player to win the men’s singles title since 1983, when Yannick Noah famously scored a straight sets win over Sweden’s (then) defending champion Mats Wilander.

France is hungry for success at its own tournament as was clear from the front pages of all the country’s national dailies, which carried pictures of their new hero ahead of today’s match.

Although it has been a long wait for a French victory in the men’s singles, there has been more recent success in the women’s draw with Mary Pierce lifting the title back in 2000.

Serbs shine at Roland Garros

This year’s French Open tennis championships currently entering their final days in Paris are fast turning into a sporting fest for Serbia.

In the women’s tournament it’s assured of having one player in the final and in the men’s competition 21-year-old Novak Djokovic has a fair shot of repeating his success in the year’s opening Grand Slam tournament in Australia.

Not bad going for a nation of just over 10 million and tennis federations from many other countries, who spend millions in nurturing new talent, will be looking on enviously.

Thursday will see Ana Ivanovic take on fellow Serb Jelena Jankovic in a match which pitches both the world’s and the tournament’s second and third ranked players against each other for a place in the final.

Ivanovic has already reached the final of one Grand Slam this year – in Australia – and was runner up at Roland Garros last year, losing in the final to Belgium’s Justine Henin.

And she has been the bookies’ bet to lift this year’s title ever since the surprise defeat of the pre-tournament favourite and world number one, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, in the fourth round.

She also holds a 5-1 lead over Jankovic in head-to-heads, although the self-effacing 20-year-old was quick to point out after her quarter final win that even though the two had played each other in the past and had tough matches, they had not yet met in a Grand Slam tournament.

Neither Ivanovic nor the 23-year-old Jankovic has exactly had a tough time of it in this year’s competition, dispatching opponents with clinical ease without dropping a set between them.

Indeed Ivanovic’s progress this far has also included a 6-0, 6-0 fourth round drubbing of the Czech Republic’s Petra Cetkovska, after which she modestly said that the win had been much tougher than it had probably looked.

The two players are hard-hitting baseliners who are not afraid to come to the net and both of them are firm favourites with the crowds. Much has been made of Ivanovic’s looks – stunning by anyone’s standards – and the ever-smiling Jankovic never seems to let anything on court upset her.

Even though the 23-year-old Jankovic has been nursing a shoulder injury throughout this year’s competition, she remained optimistic after her quarterfinal straight sets win against Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder over her chances of reaching her first Grand Slam final.

While Serbia is guaranteed a player in the final of the women’s draw, it’ll be a much harder task for Djokovic to keep the country’s flag flying in the men’s competition.

He faces a semi-final clash with the three-times winner and reigning champion at Roland Garros, Spain’s Rafal Nadal. The two men have already met 10 times with the Spaniard leading 7-3 in head-to-heads. His most recent victory over Djokovic came just last month on clay in the semi-finals of the Hamburg Masters.

And even if the Serb makes it past Nadal there is always the spectre of possibly having to face Switzerland’s world number one Roger Federer in the final.

Mind you that shouldn’t frighten Djokovic too much. Even though the Swiss leads 6-2 in head-to-heads, Djokovic beat him in the semi-finals of the Australian Open this year, before going on to lift the title.

And he for an extra confidence boost he need look no further than last August’s ATP Masters series in Montreal, Canada, when he beat both Nadal in the semis and Federer in the final.

Muhammad Ali storms into the final

France is in the grips of tennis fever at the moment following the exploits of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the year’s first Grand Slam tournament in Australia.

The 22-year-old, who bears an uncanny physical resemblance to boxing legend Muhammad Ali, has knocked out his fair share of seeded players along the way.

It all started out just under two weeks ago, when he claimed his first scalp, the great hope of Britain, Andy Murray, in the first round. And since then there’s been no stopping the previously unsung hero of the court.

In the fourth round he beat French number one, and eighth seeded Richard Gasquet in a four-set tussle, and in the quarterfinals put on a sumptuous power display to dump 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny out of the tournament.

And then on Thursday, Tsonga overturned all the experts’ expectations by crushing the world’s number two, Rafal Nadal, in just over two hours to claim his place in Sunday’s final, where he’ll face third-ranked Novak Djokovic.

Although ranked just 38th going into the tournament, Tsonga’s arrival at the top level should not really come as that much of a surprise to aficionados of the game.

He’s part of the same generation of talented young French players such as Gael Monfils and sometimes doubles partner Richard Gasquet, and first came to prominence in 2003 when he won the US Open junior title and reached the semi-finals of three other junior Grand Slams.

Although he turned professional in 2004, a string of back and shoulder injuries threatened to put a halt to a promising career and kept him somewhat in the shadows of the better known Monfils and Gasquet. By the end of 2006 he had only competed in eight tournaments, ranking outside of the world’s top 200 and only earning a wildcard into last year’s draw Down Under.

The turnaround began last year, when he won four Challenger series titles – a sort of second tier for professionals who don’t quite make the grade with the big money-earners. He also beat Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt to reach the third round of the Queen’s tournament in London and followed it up by reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Thursday’s win over Nadal was an awesome show of strength and precision, with Tsonga conceding just seven games as he took sweet revenge for his straight sets defeat by the Spaniard in the third round of last year’s US Open.

Commentators back home went ballistic as the Frenchmen thumped home a series of winners (49 to Nadal’s 13) and out-Aced the Spaniard 17-2.

Beaming from ear to ear the young Frenchman punched the air after his victory, earned a standing ovation from the packed 15,000-strong Rod Laver Arena and heaps of praise from a sporting Nadal.

Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s final, there’ll be a new name on the winner’s roll of honours. Tsonga’s father, the former Congo-Brazzaville international handball player, Didier, and his mother, Evelyne, - both teachers in the French town of Le Mans, will be making the trip Down Under to see their son take on Djokovic. The two men have never played each other before.

And the French public television channel, France 3, has cleared its morning schedules to broadcast the match live and capture what would be the first singles title for a Frenchman at the Australian Open since Jean Borotra in 1928.

Persiflage