Kafelnikov crashes out of French Open

Paris:

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the number 17 seed and former French Open champion, became the latest seed to fall at this year's tournament today after the Russian was beaten in a marathon five-set match by unseeded Argentinian Flavio Saretta. Kafelnikov twice came back from a set down but Saretta eventually triumphed 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 6-7 (0), 6-4 and goes into the third round for the first time in his career. A break of serve in the ninth game of the final set proved crucial and Saretta closed out the match in a marathon three hours and 55 minutes. Saretta's opponent in the third round will be either compatriot Mariano Puerta or Galo Blanco of Spain, the conqueror of 16th seed Alex Corretja. (AP)