FRENCH OPEN / MEN : Courier Smooth on Court, a Bit Touchy Off of It

PARIS — The winner, and world’s top-ranked player, snapped at a reporter’s seemingly innocuous question Sunday after another straight-set victory.

The loser, a 17-year-old qualifier from Kiev, was entertaining in describing one of the biggest moments of his career.

It was all part of the personalities of the French Open, where No. 1 Jim Courier reached the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Andrei Medvedev on a rain-delayed day at Roland Garros Stadium.

Courier, continuing his onslaught against all comers, has yet to drop a set here, and Sunday marked the occasion with his 21st consecutive victory. Next up is Goran Ivanisevic, a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 winner over Carlos Costa of Spain, the hottest clay-court player coming in to the tournament.

Courier, the defending champion who starting learning French in the past year, was asked how comfortable he was using the language during a French television interview.

“Where is all this coming from?” he asked curtly. “I don’t have to read more about that crap. It’s like a soap opera.”

Although later calling the reporter to the side and apologizing for the outburst, Courier, 22, clearly is uncomfortable in front of the media glare.

Medvedev, five years Courier’s junior, obliged all questions. Reaching the fourth round of his first Grand Slam event, Medvedev was the winner in the fun department Sunday.

His assessment of the world’s top-ranked player?

“I had no chance, he was just too fast for me,” Medvedev said.

“He is playing like a machine. He doesn’t miss too much. He is so confident. He is just a great fighter, you can feel it.”

Medvedev was not through, saying it will be difficult for any player at Roland Garros Stadium to unseat Courier.

“Almost impossible,” he said. “He is fast. He is cool. He is mentally tough. His serve is great. If he improves his volley and his backhand a little bit, it will be really funny to play against him.”

Funny?

“Yeah, because you feel like an idiot because you can’t find the hole, you are just playing the wall, you hit the ball in the wall and you get it back faster than you hit it.”

The Medvedev Show might return soon, because this 6-foot-3 Ukranian has a future.

“He’s definitely going to be a good player, no doubt about it,” Courier said.

Courier, often insightful when talking about his game, but guarded when questions turn to his private life, said he is having a good time in Paris. One of his coaches, Brad Stein, said last week that Courier was concentrating solely on the tournament, trying to eliminate any distractions.

Although many find the red-headed player cool to the point of cocky, whatever he is doing must be working.

“I just feel confident on the court,” he said.

Tennis Notes

No. 11 Andre Agassi was leading his fourth-round match against Emilo Sanchez of Spain, 6-1, 6-3, 1-1, when play was suspended because of rain. . . . Goran Ivanisevic said he is suffering from an irregular heartbeat that doctors believe is caused by stress. He said he was given medication to control the problem, but did not know the name of the drug. Ivanisevic, 20, said he had a thorough examination in a Monte Carlo hospital during a clay-court tournament earlier this spring. “They kept me there four days and gave me all the tests,” he said. . . . Jim Courier, on the bottom half of the men’s draw in which all seeded players except No. 7 Petr Korda have been eliminated: “Somebody is going to get there. I’ll guarantee you, somebody will be in the final.” . . . One who will not is Michael Chang. The day after losing a five-set match to Nicklas Kulti of Sweden, Chang flew to Frankfurt, Germany, to a visit an exotic fish wholesaler. Chang, who owns a large aquarium, was shopping for some new additions. . . . Ten unseeded men reached the round of 16, including qualifiers Andrei Medvedev, Diego Perez and wild-card Henri Leconte. It is the most unseeded players to advance to the fourth round in the Open era. Last year, nine reached the fourth round.