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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:35 a.m., Saturday, May 31, 2008

Tennis: Ginepri likely to earn Olympic berth

By STEVEN WINE
Associated Press

PARIS — Robby Ginepri's stay at the French Open is lasting longer than anticipated, and his travel schedule for August has been scrambled, too.

He's Beijing-bound.

Ginepri clinched a berth on the U.S. Olympic team by winning three matches this week at Roland Garros. On Saturday he became the lone American to reach the fourth round, beating Florent Serra 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Ginepri is projected to climb from 88th into the top 60 in the next rankings, and the cutoff for making the men's singles draw is expected to be in the mid-70s. Olympic slots will be filled based on the rankings of June 9, the day after the French Open.

"I'm definitely pleased to have the opportunity to play," Ginepri said. "It wasn't on the prior schedule, so we're going to have to sit down and probably rearrange some things."

James Blake and Sam Querrey will also play singles for the United States in Beijing, and the top-ranked doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan will make the squad.

The U.S. women's team is expected to include Venus and Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Ashley Harkleroad and top-ranked doubles player Liezel Huber. The Williams sisters are likely to play doubles together, as well as singles.

Davenport won the gold medal in singles in 1996. Venus Williams won a gold in singles and another in doubles with sister Serena in 2000.

With a handful of players declining to play at Beijing and others hoping to receive special places, Olympic rosters won't be announced until late June. Rankings could be affected by the results of small-circuit tournaments next week.

Teams will consist of up to six men and six women. Americans Andy Roddick and 2004 silver medalist Mardy Fish have decided to skip Beijing and remain Stateside to prepare for the U.S. Open, creating an opportunity for Ginepri even though he's behind them in the rankings.

One potential spot on the U.S. men's team may go unclaimed. Likely to fall just short of the rankings cutoff are Wayne Odesnik, who won two matches at the French Open, and Donald Young.

Young is ranked 83rd. Odesnik is projected to climb from 106th to about 84th and said he hadn't even considered the possibility of playing in the Olympics until his surprising showing in Paris.

"It would be a great experience," Odesnik said. "If I don't make it this year, hopefully the next time."

American John Isner, ranked 82nd, plans to skip Beijing even if eligible.

Players from other countries are scrambling for Olympic slots, too. Spain has seven men ranked in the top 24, and a maximum of four from one nation qualify for singles.

Nicolas Massu of Chile, who won gold medals in singles and doubles in 2004, has fallen out of the top 100 — too low to make the singles tournament based on his ranking. But six places in the 64-man draw are awarded at the discretion of the International Tennis Federation Olympic committee, and Massu is expected to apply for one of those.

"You would think that the defending champion could sneak his way in somehow," said Fish, who lost to Massu in the 2004 final. "That would be a shame if he can't play."