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Costa beats Robredo in five sets

Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero volleys to Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in a quarterfinal match of the French Open at Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

French Open marathon man Albert Costa dug another big hole in the red clay of Roland Garros, and again found his way out.

The defending champion erased a two-set deficit for the third time in five matches Wednesday, wearing down Tommy Robredo for an improbable quarterfinal victory, 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

In a rematch of last year's final, Costa will play Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals Friday. The No. 3-seeded Ferrero outlasted No. 19 Fernando Gonzalez 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

When Costa beat Sergio Roitman in the opening round after losing the first two sets, it was the first such comeback in the Spaniard's 10-year career. Then he did it again in the third round against Nicolas Lapentti.

"I promise it's not a strategy," Costa said. "When I am two sets down, I still think I can win the match. I don't know why."

Comeback Costa also won a five-setter in the second round. He has played 23 sets and 227 games totaling 18 hours, 32 minutes to reach the semifinals.

Costa is the first player in the Open era to win four five-set matches in a single French Open. The only other player to overcome a two-set deficit three times in a Grand Slam tournament was Nicolas Escude at the 1998 Australian Open.

Leaving the court after 3:29 of high-wire tennis Wednesday, Costa was told he didn't even look tired.

"Maybe it's the smile," he said. "But I am tired, very tired."

He needs two more wins for a second consecutive French Open title. It would also be his second title in the past 89 tournaments.

After trailing the No. 28-seeded Robredo for most of the match, the ninth-seeded Costa won the final five games. A backhand volley winner on match point gave Costa the victory, and he fell on his back with a scream of jubilation.

"The only thing I tried to do was to continue and to think I could still do it," he said. "Why not repeat the same success if my body allows it?"

The Ferrero-Gonzalez match was exactly the same length as Costa-Robredo -- 3:29 -- and the ending was even more dramatic. The big-swinging Gonzalez saved five match points, four with winners, before Ferrero finally won and sank to his knees in relief.

Ferrero broke serve eight times in the roller-coaster match and benefited from Gonzalez's 15 double-faults.

"It's pretty difficult to play against him," Ferrero said. "He strikes the ball very hard and never gives you time to breathe."

Robredo was trying to upset a Grand Slam champion for the third match in a row. He beat top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt in the third round and three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten in the fourth round.

He dominated the first two sets against Costa, but the defending champion then changed tactics. Instead of trying to rally from 2m behind the baseline, he tried to take balls early to shorten the points.
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