Tim Henman's dream of repeating his great 2004 run at the French Open evaporated in the Paris sunshine when tough Peruvian baseliner Luis Horna stopped him in the second round with a 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 win on Wednesday.
The British number one, who reached the semi-finals last year and had high hopes for this season's claycourt Grand Slam, could not find an answer to Horna's powerful baseline play.
The usually cool Briton seemed distracted by the atmosphere at times and was once warned by the umpire for swearing. He also appeared to be suffering from a recurrent back problem but he insisted neither factor affected the outcome.
"It was really tight to begin with but he played really good tennis," he said.
"At a couple of key times, he hit some great returns and great passing shots. I certainly give him a lot of credit for the way he played.
"It's disappointing but I feel he played better than me and deserved it."
The elegant Henman, seeded seventh for his 10th consecutive French Open, had often struggled on the Roland Garros courts but proved last year that his attacking, serve-and-volley game could also work on clay.
The 30-year-old Briton, who had never reached the last four of a Grand Slam other than Wimbledon until he shone here last year, will now look forward to the grasscourt season.
The 24-year-old Horna, who had never progressed beyond the second round of a Grand Slam before, will face either Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela or Romania's Victor Hanescu next.
CLIJSTERS SCURRIES
While Henman suffered, Kim Clijsters scurried into the third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Slovakia's Ludmila Cervanova. Despite sporting a heavily strapped right knee, Clijsters, who was considered a doubtful starter for the tournament because of sprained ligaments, moved effortlessly to record her third successive victory over Cervanova.
A runner-up here in 2001 and 2003, the Belgian 14th seed will next run into either another Slovakian, Daniela Hantuchova, or Catalina Castano of Colombia.
Venus Williams, like Clijsters a former world number one, had earlier needed three sets to move past Colombian Fabiola Zuluaga. The athletic 24-year-old, who was a runner-up here in 2002, confirmed that the era of total domination by the Williams sisters was over by struggling at times during the 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory.
The American, whose younger sister Serena pulled out of the tournament because of a sprained left ankle, overcame a second-set fightback and allowed Zuluaga to come back after building a 4-0 lead in the third set but finally won through.
Elena Dementieva, a losing finalist here last year and one of several Russian contenders, was also made to work before taking control over Croatian Sanda Mamic to win 7-6, 6-2.
Mary Pierce, the 2000 champion, then gave the home fans something to celebrate with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Croatia's Jelena Kostanic.
With the crowd roaring her on, the 30-year-old local favourite sealed the win in 58 minutes.
GAUDIO STROLLS
Men's champion Gaston Gaudio strolled into the third round without hitting a ball after his Russian opponent Dmitry Tursunov withdrew with a knee injury.
World number one Roger Federer barely put a foot wrong during his first match and he will be looking to continue in similar fashion when he meets Spain's Nicolas Almagro later on Wednesday.
Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, regarded as the player most likely to spoil Federer's dream of a first triumph on the Paris clay, will also be action later in the day, against Belgian Xavier Malisse.
The excited youngsters shrieking in the alleys around the courts on the traditional children's day -- there is no school in France on Wednesday -- came neither for Federer nor for Nadal but for Richard Gasquet.
The 18-year-old, France's best chance in the men's competition, thrilled his young fans, serving superbly on his way to a 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 over Dutchman Peter Wessels.
He will probably face Nadal next.
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