Updated: May 25, 2004, 6:31 PM ET

Roddick looking to reach third round

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By Howie Schwab
Special to ESPN.com

We know which player the fans will be rooting for as No. 2 Andy Roddick takes on Olivier Mutis at Roland Garros on Wednesday, although the Frenchman is a decided underdog. Good thing Roddick doesn't care; as long as the crowd's cheering, he feeds off of it.

Mutis lost two first-round matches (Munich to Luis Horna, who beat Mark Philippoussis in the first round at Roland Garros; Casablanca to Albert Portas) prior to the French. At 125 in the world rankings, Mutis has never made it past the second round at the French, a trend that should continue. He did beat American Robby Ginepri in straight sets in round one, but Roddick's serve figures to be too much.

If that's how it plays out, Roddick will reach the third round to equal his best appearance at the French Open, in 2001.

Potential show stoppers

  • Argentine Guillermo Coria, ranked No. 3 in the world, is one of the favorites to win this event, and his draw seems favorable early. Juan Monaco, a 22-year-old also from Argentina, is in his first French Open. Monaco did win his opening-round match in four sets. Problem is, he also lost a set 6-0 in his first qualifying match, so what will happen against one of the premier clay-court players?

    Justine Henin-Hardenne
    Henin-Hardenne

  • No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne showed signs of rust in edging Sandrine Testud 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. Tathiana Garbin, an Italian, actually has a winning record at Roland Garros (6-4), so this could be a bit of a challenge for the top seed.

  • Maria Sanchez Lorenzo of Spain is ranked 47th in the world and made the third round at the French last year, upsetting Elena Dementieva before falling to Vera Zvonareva. Could this be a challenge for Lindsay Davenport, who despite reaching the semifinals in Paris in 1998 has never won a title here?

  • At first glance, it's a mismatch between No. 5 Carlos Moya and Fernando Vicente as Moya is 10-0 lifetime against Vicente. Only three of those matches ended in straight set victories. Vicente also can look back at last year's second-round result at the French -- an upset of Sebastien Grosjean in straight sets -- for confidence.

    Tim Henman
    Henman

  • Brit Tim Henman cannot afford to fall down two sets the way he did in the first round against Cyril Saulnier. Oddly enough, Lars Burgsmuller won their only prior meeting on clay, but that was back in 2001 (Hamburg).

  • Can American Meghann Shaughnessy pull off the upset against No. 15 Silvia Farina Elia of Italy? Farina Elia lost in the third round of last year's French Open to Venus Williams, and the Italian is favored to advance here.

  • How many times do you see a player score a major upset -- such as when Jerome Haehnel sent Andre Agassi packing on Monday -- and then lose in the next round? It should happen again as Haehnel takes on Michael Llodra in this battle of Frenchmen.

  • Magui Serna is ranked 40th in the world and reached the round of 16 at last year's French before being wiped out by Amelie Mauresmo. No. 10 Zvonareva made the quarters at Roland Garros last year. If first-round results mean anything, this match won't be that close. Serna won 8-6 in the third set, while Zvonareva dropped just two games in her match.

    Off the show courts

  • Rita Grande of Italy could give 17-year-old Maria Sharapova a test despite Sharapova's No. 18 seeding. Grande has made the third round or better at the French three consecutive years, but she'll have to force an upset to extend that streak.

    Paradorn Srichaphan
    Srichaphan

  • No. 13 Paradorn Srichaphan is not known for much success on clay, while older Alex Corretja is trying to regain his past form. Srichaphan is past the first round of the French for the second time in four tries. Corretja has made the quarterfinals or better in five of his past six French Open appearances.

  • It's time 30-year-old Romanian Andrei Pavel gets some respect. He reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open before losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero. Pavel has two victories against Lleyton Hewitt (Miami, Rome) and a victory over Henman (Hamburg). Plus, Pavel, seeded 21, beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny in three sets in Rotterdam earlier this season.

  • In the first round, No. 28 Lisa Raymond (28) lost the first set 6-0 and trailed in the second before rallying to advance past the first round. She is trying to get past the second round of this tournament for the first time since 1997. Arantxa Parra Santonja, 21, of Spain is in her first French Open.

  • American Ashley Harkleroad is trying to make the third round at Roland Garros for the second straight year. She'll play Tatiana Perebiynis of Ukraine, who upset Jelena Dokic in straight sets in the first round.

    Howie Schwab is a coordinating producer for ESPN.

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