Tennis: Medvedev fends off French challenge

Andrei Medvedev came within two points of defeat yesterday before seeing off the Frenchman Arnaud Boetsch 2-6, 7-6, 7-5 in a two and a half hour semi-final at the Paris Open. The Ukrainian has started slowly all week, but for a long time Boetsch, the only unseeded player left in the draw, looked likely to end his run of recoveries. He ran away with the first set and then broke to take a 5-3 lead in the second before Medvedev fought back. Boetsch dropped his service game to love and although he managed to reach 30 on Medvedev's serve in the 10th game, the Ukrainian held him off, dominated the tie-break and won on his second match point.