TENNIS / FRENCH OPEN : Rafter Leads Newcomer Flood

The tennis world got a look, if not exactly at its future, then at some new faces Friday at Roland Garros Stadium.

In a third-round upset, Patrick Rafter of Brisbane, Australia, who has not won a singles title in his four-year career, ousted No. 11-seeded Thomas Muster of Austria, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, in one of the most mean-spirited matches of the early rounds of the French Open.

Rafter was but one of the relatively anonymous players to come to the forefront Friday. Mikael Tillstrom of Sweden, who had not qualified for a pro tour event this year and had never played in a Grand Slam tournament, upset No. 16 Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3, and will face top-ranked Pete Sampras in the fourth round.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Tillstrom, ranked 226th. “I hope I can make him play a very tight match.”

And on Center Court, Greg Rusedski of Pointe Claire, Quebec, who had never played at Roland Garros or advanced past the first round of a Grand Slam event, impressed No. 4 Andrei Medvedev of Ukraine in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 defeat.

“He just played great,” Medvedev said. “I don’t know if he can play better, but today he was great.”

Rusedski was the first Canadian to reach the third round of the French Open since 1968.

The play of Rafter, Tillstrom and Rusedski overshadowed dominating performances by some of the game’s biggest names--Sampras, Jim Courier and Sergi Bruguera of Spain. Sampras’ big serve was at its best in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands. No. 7 Courier defeated Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1, and No. 6 Bruguera ousted Ronald Agenor of Haiti, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

But it was on Court 1 where the day’s most compelling drama unfolded.

Muster, whose left knee was mangled five years ago by a drunk driver in a Miami parking lot, began complaining about line calls late in the first set and continued into the tight second set, igniting the crowd against him. He made circles in the red clay with his racket where he thought balls had hit out in an effort to get chair umpire Dana Loconto to overrule the line judges.

As the match went on, fans started whistling at Muster’s challenges. And when Rafter mocked Muster by marking obvious long balls, they clapped. At one point Muster cursed to himself, “It’s a . . . sewer here.”

“(It) shouldn’t happen after 11 years to get upset with the crowd,” Muster, 26, said.

Although showing little poise, Muster won the second set. With Rafter serving at 2-3, Muster yelled at Loconto about a called ace. When Rafter finally won the game, he leaped over the net and used his racquet like a pen to mark the spot where the winning shot landed. As Rafter walked away, Muster appeared to spit at him.

“I don’t know if I was spitting,” Muster said later.

Three games later he rubbed two tennis balls in the clay before throwing them to Rafter as the Australian was about to serve.

“I just made them slower,” he said in defense of his actions.

Rafter, 21, who reached the third round of Wimbledon last year and the third round of the Australian Open last January, said he enjoyed the show.

But it was Rafter who was warned by Loconto after the Australian leaped over the net in the second set.

“He told me to settle down a little bit,” Rafter said. “I told him I wasn’t too over-impressed about (Muster’s) little drawing of the marking.”

Despite all the niggling, Rafter and Muster played a hard-hitting match that turned on the Australian’s tough serving.

Each time Muster tried to take control of the tempo, Rafter, who faces Bruguera next, came back with a big serve or a big volley.