PHOTO OF THE DAY Defending champion Gustavo Kuerten hits a forehand to Juan Carlos Ferrero in a French Open semifinal match. Kuerten won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. GRAND SLAM SNIPPETS Andy Roddick fully expects to play at the Queen's Club tournament later this month. "I will be fine by then," said Roddick, who is receiving treatment for a strained left thigh that forced him to retire from his match June 1 against Lleyton Hewitt. "It's recovering even better than I thought, which is good. I'm really optimistic right now," the 18-year-old American said. Roddick said he hasn't felt any pain the last couple of days and planned to play Thursday for the first time since the injury. He stayed at Roland Garros for an awards banquet Tuesday, where he was honored as the No. 1 junior player of 2000. "It was kind of weird getting an award for juniors -- like turning back the clock a little," he said. Last year Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters lost in the first round of the French Open; this year they are in the final. In women's professional tennis history, that has never before happened at a Grand Slam. The closest anyone came was at Wimbledon 1995, when Steffi Graf defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the final, after they lost in the first and fourth rounds respectively in 1994. Perhaps losing early is the key to eventually winning the French. In 1999, the 2000 champion Mary Pierce lost in the second round. In 1998, the 1999 champion Steffi Graf, did not even play in the tournament due to a calf injury. Crystal ball It was early in the French Open when Jennifer Capriati set her sights on Kim Clijsters. Within the first four days of the two-week tournament several stars -- Venus Williams, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Amelie Mauresmo -- had already been eliminated. There was talk the women's draw had fallen apart. "I don't think it's fallen apart," Capriati, seeded fourth, said last week. "There's the young players, up-and-coming players, for sure -- Clijsters." A week later, the two meet in the final. The 18-year-old Belgian was flattered Capriati had singled her out. "It's really nice of Jennifer to say that," she said. "I feel like I still have to keep my feet on the ground." Should the No. 12 Clijsters win the final, she would be the lowest seeded player to win the French Open. She is also the first Belgian to reach a Grand Slam final. AROUND ROLAND GARROS Sign language: In the semifinals, when Juan Carlos Ferrero sent a service return into the doubles alley on match point, Gustavo Kuerten reacted with a gleeful hop-skip behind the baseline, fist raised. His coach since 1989, Larri Passos, applauded and pointed to his right arm. Why the gesture? "Because he had to practice with me two days, and he couldn't move his arm anymore," Kuerten explained. Elite company: Jennifer Capriati, the reigning Australian Open champion, will be aiming to become only the fifth player in tennis history to win the first Grand Slam of the year Down Under and follow it up with a victory on the red clay at Roland Garros. Only four players -- Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles -- have managed to win both the Australian and French Opens in the same year. Sticking to it: Juan Carlos Ferrero will not play at Wimbledon unless the seeding system is changed, the Spaniard said Friday after losing in the French Open semifinals. "At the start of the season it was one of tournaments I marked with a little cross, but I've already said that if they don't put the seedings where they should be I won't play," Ferrero said after his 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Brazilian top seed Gustavo Kuerten. Kuerten said he likely won't play at Wimbledon later this month, citing a need for rest after the French Open final. "I have played so much tennis to get to this stage. ... last year I played at Wimbledon and got sick. ... it was not so good an experience," he said. "Maybe this year I will have a little break that I didn't have (last year)." OVERHEARD JENNIFER CAPRIATI After her defeat of Martina Hingis: "This is the best tennis I've played, and I'm being so consistent. But also it's been a long time." KIM CLIJSTERS After defeating her friend Justine Henin: "Of course she's very disappointed, but in a few days she'll be over it. At least I hope so." JUAN CARLOS FERRERO After losing to Gustavo Kuerten: "I wouldn't say it's the worst moment of my career. It's an important loss but I'm still young and there's plenty of time to suffer more defeats."