Paris - Flamboyant Frenchman Fabrice Santoro is looking ahead to one last Wimbledon after ending his French Open career of 20 years with a 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 first-round loss to Belgian Christophe Rochus Wednesday. The 36-year-old will be retiring in November at the Paris Masters at Bercy but has a full schedule planned until that day.
"I had this feeling that I was turning a page, even though I still have 10 tournaments that I'll play," said the flashy right-hander, whose use of topspin and double-handed hitting make him a one-off.
"But I will never play singles in Roland Garros again. When you have played this tournament 20 years in a row...
"In May you start wearing your clay shoes, you start preparing to be able to play for three, four, five hours, even six hours, 33 minutes for my longest match. Next May I will no longer be a tennis player."
Santoro, like Russian Marat Safin, has decided to pre-announce the end, dealing weekly with the same questions and giving the same answers, instead of just walking away as did Belgian Justine Henin in 2008 as world number one.
But Santoro seems happy to look ahead to the one-month grass season, where he only once passed the second round of Wimbledon, in 2001.
"Despite the fact I'm 36, I'm convinced I can play a beautiful tournament in Wimbledon, I'll do everything I can to achieve that this year.
"That is the tournament where I really could have done things. When I started developing a game which was adapted to grass, then I started getting injured, and all my injuries occurred at Wimbledon.
"But I know my serve is good for the surface. Playing aggressive on grass is pure pleasure. So this is what I want to do. I want to make huge efforts to do and be in full shape for London."
The Swiss-based player will mark his 69th Grand Slam at the All England club, and will then play the US Open. He will start his autumn wrap-up in Asia.
"I want to go to Tokyo this year, because I never played in Japan. I'd like to play in Japan before I stop. So Tokyo and then Metz, Lyon, Bercy."
Santoro, who stands 1.77 metres and weighs just 74 kilograms, admits that his unorthodox style with has always been an antique.
"My game style was out of date when I arrived on the tour. I got on the tour in the '90s, and my style dated back to the '70s.
"When I arrived, I was, 20 years late already. Managing to get good performances for 20 years when you are 20 years late, that's difficult enough. But that was my challenge. And that's the beauty of my career, if I may say so."
