by Jim Plautz
Pete was in the quarterfinals and still was getting no respect from the media. 80% of the questions they asked were about Lisa or Ambre. The occasional inquiry about his tennis game were phrased something like, “How do you explain your success this week?” or “Do you feel you had a soft draw considering Agassi was injured?” Nobody asked him how he developed his consistent two-handed backhand, his big serve or his exceptional footwork. Nobody asked where he learned to fight and compete like the Argentineans and Russians. It was frustrating for me to watch and I’m sure, frustrating to Pete.
We were able to cash in on Lisa’s popularity by getting Pete a contract to endorse a national pharmacy that offered 1-hour film development and digital downloading. $250,000 wasn’t bad for an afternoon’s work. Lisa received $1.5M for endorsing a competitor. Lisa also picked up another 1M Euros with a Fuji film endorsement.
Today, Pete faced an Argentinean, Guillermo Canas, the #9 seed, and one of four Argentines seeded in the top 10. Pete had made it back to center court. Canas was known as a bulldog that would stay on the court for hours. He had already played two five-set matches in this tournament. Pete could expect a long afternoon and would need to be patient.
4 ½ hours later Pete had his first match point, serving at 5-2 in the fifth set. Lisa was in the family box, but Ambre had to leave after the first set. She was scheduled to play next on the same court after Pete’s match and was in the locker room watching on television as Pete served out the match. He later said that he could still feel her support.
Pete had played a perfect clay court match, staying patient during the long, backcourt rallies, and then aggressively attacking when he got a short ball or had Canas on the run. Canas, known for his fitness, appeared a little slower in the 4th and 5th sets and made more unforced errors. Pete’s serve clipped the line and Canas’ return sailed long, earning Pete a spot in the semifinals of the French Open.
Pete came back out on the court to acknowledge the crowd and received polite applause, a far cry from the warmth and mania that followed Lisa’s victories. I was sorry that he wasn’t getting the respect he deserved, but reaching the semis at Roland Garros wasn’t chopped liver.
Pete tried to head off the questions about Lisa by opening his press conference with; “You all know Lisa is my great hero, but I’m going to let her answer her own questions. I’m open to questions about my tennis game and my next opponent.” Part of the reason was that Pete felt silly referring to his little sister as my great hero, but he also wanted the media to focus on his tennis.
He was only 50% successful. The first question was about Ambre. “Are you and Ambre dating?” a reporter asked.
“We are good friends,” Pete replied. “We first met at the Orange Bowl in Miami and later trained together at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Tampa, Florida. We have been friends since.”
“I heard you were more than just friends at Saddlebrook,” another reporter stated, obviously having done some homework. “Is it true that you were lovers until Carlos took her away?”
The room went silent waiting for my response. “I’ll say it again. Ambre and I are good friends. She has always believed in my tennis game and supported me. I don’t think I could have come back against Gonzales without her support. Now, if there are no questions about my tennis game, I’ll assume this press conference is over.”
There were no more questions. The press had their lead for tomorrow’s story and the alluring possibility of a grudge match if Pete and Carlos should meet in the finals.
Pete dressed and went out to watch Ambre’s match. He slipped into the player’s box, trying to keep a low profile. Ambre was already up a set and leading 4-2 against the 15-year old girl from Bulgaria who earlier had upset Venus Williams. The youngster looked tired and washed out. Ten minutes later it was over; 6-1, 6-2 and Ambre had made it into the semifinals.
Ambre’s press conference was dominated by questions about Pete and Carlos and their time at Saddlebrook. Fortunately, Pete had managed to get advance word to Ambre so that she was forewarned. “Ambre, is it true that you and Pete Simpson were an item at Saddlebrook before you dumped him for Carlos?”
Ambre gave the reporter a disarming smile. “Gee, fellows, I was only 15 or 16 back then. I was just a kid. Kids have lots of friends. Nobody goes steady anymore.”
Most of the reporters laughed, but a few persisted. “Are you admitting that you dumped Pete back then?”
“Listen, Pete and I are good friends and I am so happy for him that he reached the semis. That’s all there is to it.” Ambre was getting angry.
“Are you still friends with Carlos?”
“Carlos is an entertaining guy and a great tennis player. Yes, we are still friends. Can we talk about tennis for awhile?”
“Did Carlos introduce you to drugs?” a tabloid reporter asked, obviously referring to her one-year suspension.
If looks could kill, the saying goes. Ambre was visibly upset and stormed out of the press conference. Most of the reputable news agencies were furious with the reporter that asked the question, but everyone would write about it.
“Roland Garros Terrorist Escapes,” the headlines screamed. The CIA misses an opportunity to capture Agbu, the Basque terrorist believed to be the mastermind behind last Sunday’s plot to blow up Roland Garros.” The story went on to detail the CIA’s decision to withhold information from the French regarding the whereabouts of the doctor that treated Agbu’s wounds suffered in last week’s terrorist attack that was thwarted by French police. “The CIA has paid dearly for their arrogance,” a French inspector was quoted as saying.
“Those jerks,” Chris screamed as she threw the paper away in disgust. “We lose two good men trying to help them and all they care about is protecting their butts. Screw ‘em,” she muttered to herself. It had been a long night, and the newspapers couldn’t lay any more blame on her than she laid on herself. What if they had picked up the doctor earlier, would he have talked? She hadn’t told the French about the doctor because of the danger of a leak. It was well known that the French police were riddled with Basque sympathizers. In the end, she was sure that she had made the right decision. How could anyone know that Agbu would blow up his friends just to cover his trail? She would make the same decision again, and in fact she did.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” her boss, Earl Donavon, had asked her last night. “The French will be really pissed when they find out.”
“I know, but if word leaks out that Juan is still alive, Agbu will change his plans.”
Thinking back, Chris thought about the events leading up to the ill-fated raid the previous evening. A wiretap had been placed on the doctor‘s phone within an hour after the CIA learned his identity. “Chris, I think we have something,” the agent on duty reported. “The good doctor just received a message asking him to meet his Spanish friend at seven this evening.
“Tremendous, this may be the break we have been waiting for! Have Ray and Alex follow him and see where he goes. I’ll have a backup team right behind them. We’ll go in right behind the doctor, as soon as everyone is in place.” They had three hours to prepare which wasn’t enough time to bring in the French police, even if she had wanted.
Dr. Munyo left his home at 6:25 with Ray close behind. Alex was in a 2nd car following closely with instructions to switch positions with Ray every mile. Chris and four agents were in a minivan, two blocks behind. All three vehicles were in constant radio contact. At 6:55 Ray announced they were stopping and moments later Dr. Munyo entered an apartment building.
“There are eight units,” Ray radioed from the lobby. “I have no idea which apartment he is in. Do you want me ring the manager and see what he knows?”
“Yes, but take Alex with you and be careful. Agbu might be in there. Keep your radio open so we can listen in.”
Several minutes later Chris heard the knock on the door and a young man answer. “May I help you?”
“There he is,” Ray shouted. “Raise your hands! D
rop it! Drop it!”
“Let’s go,” Chris shouted as the five agents piled out of the van. They reached the top of the stoop when the first floor apartment exploded, knocking them to the sidewalk. “Oh God,” Chris cried as she got to her feet and entered the hallway. There was a body lying in the hallway. The inside of the apartment was total destruction. Nothing could have survived the blast. Chris entered and confirmed the both CIA agents were dead as well as two other victims. She recognized Dr Munyo from a photograph, but did not recognize the fourth body. She hoped it was Agbu, but had her doubts.
Three hours later French forensics confirmed that the body was not Agbu’s, but instead was the body of one of the two men that shared the apartment, the man in the hallway was the other. Miraculously, Juan had been thrown clear of the blast and escaped with only a concussion and minor injuries.
Chris made the decision to keep his good fortune a secret.
Lisa was riding a high. The early returns from Nikon were fantastic, 25% better than their most optimistic projections. Sales were up everywhere; Europe, China and especially the United States. Lisa’s endorsement on Good Morning America was a gigantic boost as was her appearance yesterday on BBC whose co-anchor insisted on Lisa taking his picture. Lisa’s convincing victory Monday propelled sales even higher. Everyone loves a winner, especially when she is young and beautiful.
Lisa played for the 2nd day in a row, a scheduling quirk needed to insure that the winner would have a full day of rest before Thursday’s semifinal matches, and the finals on Saturday. As a result, all four ladies’ quarterfinal matches were played on Tuesday.
Coincidentally, Lisa was playing on Suzanne Lenglen court while Pete was playing on the Championship court. The cameras were there and the crowd was behind her, but that didn’t tell the story. This was a great tennis match. Both players were at the top of their game. Her opponent, Ana Ivanovic of Serbia-Montenegro, started off hitting out with reckless abandon and was catching all the lines. She won the first set at 6-3 before Lisa steadied and won the 2nd set by the identical score. The 3rd set was even at four-all when Lisa got unexpected help from a lineswoman. Ivanovic hit a ball deep into Lisa’s backhand corner that Lisa was just able to get a racquet on. Her return was short and weak providing her opponent with what would be an easy put away.
“Out,” called the lineswoman behind Lisa, apparently her view blocked by Lisa as she went for the ball. Play stopped and Ivanovic immediately appealed. The umpire started to get down from her chair to check the mark when Lisa walked over and signaled the shot was good. The crowd applauded her sportsmanship.
“Replay the point, the score is 30-all.” The chair umpire said correctly.
“What!” yelled Ivanovic, “I had a sure winner. The call didn’t hurt her shot. It was not made until after her return.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Ivanovic. Her return was in play, so I have no choice but to replay the point.” Ivanovic didn’t like it but walked slowly back to the baseline. The crowd hooted in derision. Obviously flustered, Ivanovic double faulted the next point and made an unforced error on the next point to give Lisa a 5-4 lead. Lisa held serve at love and to the wild delight of the crowd, was into the semi finals. Nikon, Fuji and the Walgreen’s Pharmacy 1-hour photo development business were ecstatic.
The big news of day nine was the departure of favorites Lindsey Davenport and Maria Sharapova. Davenport had nothing left after upsetting Kim Clijsters the previous day and Mary Pierce beat her easily in straight sets. Sharapova lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 French Open Champion. This was not an upset.
The women’s semifinals were set: Justine Henin-Hardenne vs. Ambre and Mary Pierce vs. Lisa Simpson
Henin-Hardenne and Mary Pierce were the betting favorites, but Ambre and Lisa were the crowd favorites.
Day 10 (Wednesday)
The Men’s Quarterfinals