Fabrice Santoro has confirmed his retirement after losing 6-4 6-3 to James Blake
in the first round of the ATP Paris Masters.

Men's tennis won't be the same without Fabrice's unique combination of Selesian
groundstrokes and crafty spins. On the women's side, there's always Monica
Niculescu.

In fact, Fabrice at #53 is currently the only known Selesian in the ATP's top
200 (with Ilija Bozoljac and Raemon Sluiter just outside at #205 and #208,
respectively). It could be a long time before we see a Selesian in the main draw
of the Men's Singles at a Major again.

Or it could be as soon as January 2010. Fabrice mentioned that he was
contemplating playing the Australian Open in order to become the first player
ever to play Majors in four different decades. He appears to have abandoned that
plan now, although with several weeks to think about playing the Australian
Open, hopefully he still will.

Selesian women's tennis, meanwhile, continues to go from strength to strength,
with the WTA's top 200 currently containing Marion Bartoli (#12), Peng,Shuai
(#45), Lucie Hradecká (#65), Ayumi Morita (#78), Monica Niculescu (#91), Arantxa
Parra Santonja (#93), Vitalia Diatchenko (#116) and Aiko Nakamura (#193).

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://abroad.sqweebs.com/tennis/seles/selesians.html


Santoro ponders last, record-breaking trick
(Reuters, Saturday 7th November 2009)
By Chrystel Boulet-Euchin (writing by Patrick Vignal; editing by Justin Palmer)
>>>
* Santoro bids farewell to French public at Paris Masters.
* Does not rule out Australian Open appearance.

Frenchman Fabrice Santoro - once nicknamed "the Magician" by Pete Sampras for
his habit of mystifying bigger, stronger opponents - could perform one final,
record-breaking trick before his remarkable career ends.

The Paris Masters, starting on Sunday, is likely to be the last tournament for
the 36-year-old, although he has not totally ruled out taking part in the
Australian Open in January.

If he does compete at Melbourne Park, Santoro - who played the first of a record
67 Major tournaments at the 1989 French Open - would be the first player to have
played Majors over four decades.

"I don't know what I'll decide," he told Reuters in an interview.
"My idea was always to finish my career at [Paris Masters venue] Bercy, but at
the same time, going to Melbourne would make me worthy of a Trivial Pursuit
question."

For the time being, his mind is set on the Paris tournament, and his last
appearance before the French public.

"I want emotions, suspense, and, if possible [a final game against] a player I
have sympathy for," he said.

That could be Russia's Marat Safin: ironically playing his last tournament this
week in the French capital.

"That would be funny," Santoro said. "The best memory of my career remains my
victory against him at the French Open, when he was the world number-one."

MEMORABLE ACHIEVEMENT

One of the few major players on the men's circuit to hit both shots
double-handed, Santoro has won many admirers over the years for his finesse and
sense of strategy.

His famous third-round match against Safin - in fact the world number-two then -
at the 2001 French Open definitely ranks among his most memorable achievements.

Santoro, leading two sets to one and understandably feeling tired, gave away the
fourth set, which the Russian won 6-0, before bouncing back in the fifth, taking
it 6-1 to seal victory.

The Tahiti-born Frenchman has plenty of other great memories - notably two Davis
Cup triumphs in 1991 and 2001 - and also a few regrets: particularly the fact
that he could never shine at Wimbledon.

"I was rarely injured in my career, but when I was, it was always at Wimbledon
where I had elbow-, foot- and then thigh-problems," he said.

"The only year I played well there was 2001, and my wife called me before my
third-round match against [Russian Mikhail] Youzhny to tell me she was having
contractions.

"I played - or rather did not play - for two sets, and then pulled out. I joined
my wife 45 minutes before she gave birth to my daughter [Djenae]."

Santoro, whose plans include working as a radio pundit, and taking over the
management of the Metz ATP tournament, said he felt quite happy to be leaving
the frantic world of competitive tennis.

"I spent 20 years of my life in a tumble dryer," he said. "I had satisfactions,
but also frustrations. Now I'll take time to live my life."
<<<

Magician Santoro produces final disappearing act
(Reuters, Sunday 8th November 2009)
By Patrick Vignal (editing by Kevin Fylan)
>>>
* Santoro bids farewell with Paris Masters defeat.
* Oldest player on men's tour loses to Blake in first round.

Frenchman Fabrice Santoro brought down the curtain on a remarkable and atypical
career by losing to American James Blake in the first round of the Paris Masters
on Sunday.

The oldest player on the men's circuit, Santoro, who will turn 37 next month,
confirmed after a 6-4 6-3 defeat that he was now retiring.

"I've had lots of fun, but now it is time to take a break," he said after his
15th and final Paris Masters appearance.

The pocket-sized Santoro, once nicknamed "the Magician" by Pete Sampras for his
habit of mystifying bigger, stronger opponents, had earlier suggested he might
play the Australian Open in January before bowing out.

Had he done so, he would have recorded the remarkable feat of competing in at
least one Major tournament during each of four decades: the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
and 2010s.

"It was a good match played in a great atmosphere, and that's what I wanted,"
said Santoro, who traded shirts with Blake, and was hugged by the American after
match-point.

"I don't feel sad; I even feel relieved in a way," added the Frenchman, who
played a record 69 Major tournaments, won six titles in a career spanning over
20 years, and took part in France's Davis-Cup-winning campaigns in 1991 and
2001.

The Tahiti-born player, whose plans include working as a radio pundit and taking
over the management of the Metz ATP tournament, peaked at number 17 in the
rankings in 2001, and retires as world number 53.

"It's been great, but I was finding it more and more difficult to train," he
said. "What I'm really proud of is that I did the very best I could, given my
potential."

The only major player on the men's circuit to hit both shots double-handed,
Santoro has won many admirers over the years for his finesse and sense of
strategy.

"It's sad to see him go," Blake said. "He's a classy guy, a great competitor.
He's had unbelievable success, and is respected a lot by the rest of the tour.

"If my body has not fallen apart at 36, I'll be surprised," added the American,
who will turn 30 next month. "His longevity has a lot do with his style. It's
unique. He's a very smart player. For a guy his size, what he has achieved is
really impressive."
<<<

TENNIS.com - News Headlines - The Ticker (Kamakshi Tandon)
http://tennis.com/news/ticker.aspx
>>>
Fabrice Santoro calls it a career, losing 6-4 6-3 to James Blake in the Paris
Masters.

"It's a beautiful defeat," said Santoro, "with a quality-match against a good
[opponent], Blake, with a good atmosphere and lots of people in the [stadium].

"...thirty years devoted to tennis. It's also thirty years that have passed very
quickly. When you're passionate, you don't calculate the number of hours spent
training, travelling, fighting on court. Everything comes naturally. Like today,
I've always given the maximum.

"All aspects of my career will be missed: the adrenaline, the contact with the
press, the public, and the uncertainty of the profession... it must be 525
tournaments [I've played]. And I have lost 519 times - it's a lot. <smiles>

"Today, I'm content that all this stops, and I can start a new life: a normal
life."

Santoro has not ruled out playing the Australian Open to mark Major appearances
across four decades, but has said that he considers this week's Paris Masters
the official end of his career either way.
<<<