FRENCH OPEN DAILY REPORT : Not Much in Way of Opposition for Muster and Graf

Both defending French Open champions had light work in the third round Saturday, as Thomas Muster and Steffi Graf faced opponents who retired because of injuries.

Muster was leading Adrian Voinea, 6-2, 5-2, before Voinea took a hard fall and injured his ankle.

It was Voinea who had beaten Muster in the tournament at Indian Wells the week Muster rose to No. 1. That match was contentious, with the players spitting at each other and Muster mocking Voinea for medical treatment he received.

The Austrian did the same thing Saturday. As Voinea’s ankle was being taped by a trainer, Muster grew impatient and took some of the non-sticky pretape from the trainer’s bag and began to wind it around his head, mummylike.

Voinea was able to play only one more point before retiring, but he did use Muster as a human crutch as the players left the court. Muster was not amused.

Graf, on the other hand, was amusing. Like Muster, the German plays at a scorching pace and can hardly bear to sit during changeovers. While her opponent, Petra Langrova of the Czech Republic, was being treated for a groin strain, Graf directed the ball boys and girls to gather the tennis balls at the service line.

Graf began a series of serving drills. That accomplished, she fished a racket out of her bag and handed it to a ball boy, who all but trembled as he rallied with the No. 1 women’s player in the world.

Langrova was unable to continue and the match was abandoned with Graf leading, 6-0, 1-0.

*

Gala Leon Garcia, an unknown qualifier from Spain, continues to surprise. The 22-year-old defeated 16th-seeded Barbara Paulus of Austria, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. At No. 107, Leon Garcia is the lowest-ranked player to advance to the round of 16.