Mathieu Magic Is Here To Stay in 2003

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HOT PICKS Dec. 23, 2002 http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/news/news/hotpicks_mathieu.asp Mathieu Magic Is Here To Stay in 2003 --Winner of two ATP events, Mathieu climbed 111 positions last year to finish No. 36. This story is the latest installment of ATPtennis.com's "Hot Picks" series, highlighting rising stars who could make some noise on the ATP circuit in 2003. The players profiled in this series could make excellent additions to your team in the ATP Fantasy Tennis 2003 game. Today's "Hot Pick" is Paul-Henri Mathieu. Make no mistake about it. Paul-Henri Mathieu has always been a tennis star in the making. Since a young age, Mathieu has been focused on playing, and succeeding, professionally. At the tender age of 11, he left his home in Strasbourg to train three hours away at a sports school in Reims. He was the kind of child who was mesmerized by his sport. When he received a new racquet, he slept with it. When he left for school each day, he carried it with him. And while other students enjoyed their recess, he hit tennis balls against the wall. At age 15, "Paulo" traveled even farther from home. Mathieu entered the Bolletieri Academy in Florida full-time in 1997, hoping to further his professional ambitions. "As a young boy, it had been hammered into my mind that in order to get there, I had to work hard," he says. "I knew that talent was not enough, that you had to work a lot." He and his family admit it was a difficult time: the separation, the distance from home. His father, Patrick, says Paul-Henri grew tougher from the adversity. "We have raised him with certain values as far as work is concerned," Patrick has said. "But they were reinforced during his stay in the United States, which was a difficult time for him and us." "Over there, I learned how to get along on my own, but also how to motivate myself on my own," says Mathieu. "Some weekend, I did not have anything to do, nobody to see, and I pushed myself to go running. I learned this determination to never give up from the American mentality." Three years of intense training in Florida, during which time Mathieu had two knee operations, made him one of France's top junior prospects when he returned to his home country in 1999. The following year, the man they often call PHM, won the junior title at Roland Garros. But success was not around the corner. After winning his first ATP match at the Generali Open Kitzbuhel in 2000, Mathieu did not win a single ATP match in 2001. He finished the year No. 147 in the Entry Rankings. It was at 2002 Roland Garros, where Mathieu's career took a turn. He beat three veteran players - Wayne Ferreira, Fabrice Santoro and Jiri Novak - en route to the fourth round. In the round of 16, Mathieu lost to Andre Agassi in five sets, surprising the former champion with his shotmaking ability. "I thought he hit the ball incredibly big," said Agassi. "He has a great flair for the game. So I was surprised. I wasn't expecting him to make so many quality shots." PHM continued to make strides. In August, he defeated Pete Sampras in the first round at the TD Waterhouse Cup on Long Island. But the best was yet to come. In October, Mathieu won his first ATP title, winning in Moscow at the Kremlin Cup and becoming the first qualifier since Albert Portas in May 2001 to capture an ATP event. "I think I can improve even further," he said after winning in Moscow. "And then I will see how good I can be. Right now I want to win as many matches as possible." And win more matches he did. Mathieu proved he was not a one-tournament show, coming back the next week to win the Grand Prix de Lyon. This one came on home soil and saw him come back from match point down in the semifinals. "Both victories are sweet," he said. "But champagne tastes better than vodka." Well said for a man who has lived in the world's champagne capital of Reims. Mathieu's magnificent indoor play earned him selection for France's Davis Cup final against Russia in early December. Captain Guy Forget knew it was a risk to play the inexperienced Mathieu, but his other standout singles player, Arnaud Clement, was not 100% healthy. Just 20 years of age and his first full season of ATP tournaments, Mathieu found himself playing in the fifth and deciding match against another 20-year-old, Mikhail Youzhny. With a French crowd of 15,000 on hand, Mathieu was upstaged by Youzhny, who came back from two-set deficit to win Russia's first Davis Cup. Clearly devastated by the loss, Mathieu took a few days off to reflect. "Big defeats make you improve as well as great victories," he told L'Equipe a few days after the match. "It is true many thing have happened, but I don't want to focus on that. I'm still the same. I will go on training. There is still work to be done and I know it." And Paul-Henri Mathieu has never been one to shy away from hard work. -- French sensation... -- ‧ ★ ◣▁▂▃▅▄▂▁_ █▇▉◢▇◣◢▇◣█◣▉◢▇▉█▇▉◢▇◣█▇◣ ▂▄▅◢█ ▁▃▅ ▉▉▉█ ▉█ ▉██▉█▅▆ █ █▆▉█▅█ ▄▂◥█◤▁▃▅█ ˙ ‧ ▉▉▉◥█◤◥█◤█◥▉▇▅◤ █ █ ▉█◥▆ ˙ ▆▄▂█▆▅▃▂▁_盈月與繁星歡迎蒞臨參觀 ms.twbbs.org IP：211.20.183.53 盈月與繁星提供您免費撥接帳號：cf06 密碼：cf06 電話：40508888(全省通用) ※ Origin: 盈月與繁星 (MoonStar.twbbs.org) ◆ From: 218.187.34.35