Old guard lead Spain's challenge

Kevin Fylan

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Angeles Montolio and Marta Marrero will lead the challenge of three "generations" of Spanish women in the French Open next week.

Women's tennis in Spain has been dominated for so long by Sanchez-Vicario, 29, and Conchita Martinez, 28 -- two players with iconic status in the country -- that it has been hard for younger players to establish themselves.

It would be unwise to write off the veteran pair, who between them have five Grand Slam singles titles to their credit and a wealth of experience at the highest level.

But Spain's young players are at last starting to emerge from the shadow of the top two and could be about to strike a blow for youth at Roland Garros.

Confidence will certainly not be a problem for the 18-year-old Marrero, who shot to stardom with her run to the quarter-finals on her debut in Paris last year.

"It will be difficult to do better than in 2000," said Marrero, who is on her way back from injury but expects to be fit in time for next week.

"But why not? I'm more consistent than I was last year and I'm feeling more and more fit."

TEENAGE GENERATION
Along with the 17-year-old Maria Jose Martinez, who beat the Austrian fifth seed Barbara Schett in the first round at Madrid this week and is coming into form at just the right time, Marrero is one of the "third-generation" players in Spain.

The teenagers are finding it easier to establish themselves in the game than the mid-20s wave of players who have never managed to surpass the old guard.

"It's possible that the players who are slightly older than me had difficulties with the shadow cast by Arantxa and Conchita," Marrero recognised. "But for us it's not a problem."

Into the middle category come the likes of Gala Leon and Virginia Ruano, both 27, and perhaps even Magui Serna, who is still only 21 but has been playing Grand Slam tennis for the last five years.

All are fine players but have not quite managed to fulfil the early promise they showed.

The one in-form player in the middle group is the 25-year-old Montolio, who has two WTA title to her credit this season. She was born in Barcelona and raised on clay and after her successes at Estoril and Bol this term she will be one to watch at Roland Garros.

OLD GUARD
As for the old guard, neither Sanchez-Vicario nor Martinez would claim to be in the best form of their careers as Roland Garros approaches but they do have reason to be confident going into the tournament.

Sanchez-Vicario, who has won the event three times, reached the quarter-finals in Berlin and Rome, only to lose each time to Martina Hingis.

"I'm feeling good," she said at Madrid this week. "I just hope to win as many games as possible here to tune up for the French.

"Of course I feel like I'm in with a chance but there are so many good candidates."

Sanchez-Vicario is seeded 12th for Roland Garros, while Martinez is ninth after regaining her place in the top 10 with a run to the semifinals in Rome.

Martinez emerged as the winner when the two met in the French Open semifinals last year before going on to lose out to Mary Pierce in the final in straight sets.

It would doubtless be better for the sport in Spain if the younger players were the ones to keep the flag flying at Roland Garros over the next two weeks.

But no-one should be surprised if once again the last Spanish women left standing in the tournament are the two gutsy baseliners who have done it all before.