France were on Tuesday 90 minutes away from completing their worst ever performance at a major tournament, or restoring their tarnished reputation.
When the France players visited a township on Sunday, the man all the children wanted to touch was the Cup’s most famous substitute, Thierry Henry.
No image available
/ 11 November 2009
World number two Rafael Nadal said this week tennis was free of doping and repeated his view that the testing procedures were too tough.
No image available
/ 3 November 2007
Argentine David Nalbandian extended his brilliant run of form by crushing local favourite Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-4 on Saturday to set up a Paris Masters final against world number two Rafael Nadal. The unseeded Nalbandian needed just over an hour to take his record against the Frenchman to a perfect 5-0.
No image available
/ 19 October 2007
![]()
Argentina ended the World Cup the way they had started it, running in five tries to tame France 34-10 in an ill-tempered third-place playoff at the Parc des Princes on Friday.
No image available
/ 30 September 2007
![]()
Two tries by wing Christophe Dominici helped France crush Georgia 64-7 in their final Pool D match on Sunday to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals. Needing four tries to secure a bonus point, France ran in nine in Marseille with Dominici becoming his country’s record try scorer in World Cup history.
No image available
/ 8 September 2007
![]()
South Africa test their World Cup credentials against the rugged Samoans on Sunday in Paris in a warm-up for their Pool A decider against defending champions England next Friday. The Springboks, who were knocked out in the quarterfinals in 2003, have had a relatively smooth preparation compared to their own rocky standards and are regarded as one of few sides capable of stopping the All Blacks.
Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko overcame Argentine baseliner Guillermo Canas 7-5 6-4 6-4 on Tuesday to set up a semifinal showdown with world number one Roger Federer. World number four Davydenko (26) showed more composure when it mattered to reach the last four at Roland Garros for the second time in three years.
World number one Roger Federer faces a tough task in his bid to win the French Open for the first time. The Swiss, dreaming of capturing the only grand slam title to have eluded him, was drawn on Friday in the same half as several dangerous opponents, including former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.