Kuerten Dances With Dewulf and Skips Into Final

PARIS — Some came running . . . and some preferred to skip into the French Open men’s final.

While carrying the weight and responsibility of being the last seeded player remaining in the men’s field, two-time champion Sergi Bruguera of Spain reached Sunday’s final by outlasting Patrick Rafter of Australia, 6-7 (8-6), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1).

Much lighter on his feet was unseeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, who skipped and hopped about during his semifinal match Friday against Filip Dewulf of Belgium. Kuerten’s glee at making it this far in the tournament was evident in his 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory on a warm and muggy day at Roland Garros.

They are an unlikely pair to make it to the final of a Grand Slam tournament: Kuerten has never made the final of any tour event; Bruguera hasn’t won a tournament since 1994.

Friday’s matches were made more difficult by the weather. For the first time during the tournament, umbrellas were brought out to shade the players during changeovers. The temperature was 86 degrees, the humidity cloying.

Rafter and Bruguera, seeded 16th, were drenched in sweat during their 2-hour 53-minute match. Toward the end, each showed signs of fatigue--smacking tired first serves into the net and spraying shots off the court.

Rafter has paid the physical price for two weeks of his aggressive serve-and-volley and chip-and-charge style, but denied its impact.

“I looked tired, but I know I could go another set easily,” he said.

Rafter noted he had numerous chances to change the outcome of the match. For instance, he had a 5-2 lead in the third set and let that slip.

“At 5-2, I think maybe he was a little bit anxious to win that game,” Bruguera said. “I had the impression that he was maybe too fast; he wants to win very fast.”

Rafter had two set points in the 12th game of the fourth set, but those, too, slipped away.

Kuerten, 20, was playing in only his 48th professional match. He has been running on the energy of youth and the adrenaline of success. He also has been enjoying his newfound celebrity and has spent more time dealing with the media than he has on court.

“More media will come for me; I get more fans come for my autograph,” he said, puffing his cheeks in mock exhaustion. “My life, I can’t change the way I am. I can’t change just because one tournament I have good success. I think I’m never going to change the way I am. I try just to be simple, to be like everyone, because everybody is the same.”

Dewulf, on the other hand, has been slowly crushed under the weight of rising expectations. The son of a pharmacist, Dewulf, who is ranked No. 122 and made his way through qualifying, has been overwhelmed by the response in Belgium to his success. Dewulf spoke with distaste of the national frenzy at his becoming the first Belgian in the open era to reach the men’s semifinal of a Grand Slam event.

“My family was telling me what was happening in Belgium,” he said. “It was absolutely enormous. For me, it seemed a bit ridiculous. When everybody’s very excited for me, I do the reverse. That is my personality.

“I was not having fun on the court anymore because there were so many things around. I felt it was a bit too much. Once I went on the court, the desire to fight was just not there.”

Just to remove any trace of subtlety regarding the match’s importance to his countrymen, Prince Philippe of Belgium was watching from a courtside box.

Kuerten’s entourage has been minimal over the two weeks here, but it expanded with the arrival Thursday of his mother and grandmother.

Kuerten has mentioned his grandmother, Olga Schloesser, several times. Her interest in the sport grew when her grandson’s interest in it turned serious. She appointed herself scout, keeping Kuerten abreast of his opponents’ tendencies.

At dinner Thursday night, Kuerten said he and his grandmother were separated, “So she don’t start with the tips,” he said.

After Friday’s game, he shot a mischievous glance at Larri Passos, his coach, and said, “He almost lost his job today.”