On Sunday, Fabrice “the Magician” Santoro played what he says is the last professional tennis match of his 20-year career, losing to James Blake 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Paris Masters. After the match, Blake and Santoro exchanged “jerseys” and Santoro took his own kind of victory lap around the Bercy arena.

“Thank you for supporting me all these years, forcing me to push myself,” Santoro told his home crowd. “That way I could get the most of my passion. In principle, at the age of nearly 37, I should not be on the centre court at Bercy. So I am happy to pass the mantle on to youth.” (via the UKAP)

With all the publicity around Andre Agassi’s recent admission that he hates/hated tennis with a deep, dark passion, it’s nice to hear Fabrice talk about the joy tennis has brought him (via tennis.com):

“… thirty years devoted to tennis. It’s also thirty years that have passed very quickly. When you’re passionate, you don’t calculate the number of hours spent training, traveling, fighting on court. Everything comes naturally. Like today, I’ve always given the maximum.”

“All aspects of my career will be missed: the adrenaline, the contact with the press, the public and the uncertainty of the profession… it must be 525 tournaments [I've played]. And I have lost 519 times, it’s a lot (smiles).”

“Today, I’m content that all this stops and I can start a new life, a normal life.”

Blake – who won the first five-set match of his career against Santoro at the 2007 US Open (he had been 0-9 in five-setters before this) – praised Fabrice after Sunday’s match:

“He’s had a great career. It’s unbelievable how much success he’s had in singles and doubles and how well liked he is by his competitors, which I think says a lot about a person, when they do retire, how respected they are by the rest of the tour.”

The 36-year-old Frenchman, famous for his trick shots, spins and a mischievous gap-toothed grin, was not well-liked (at least on the court) by fellow post-Bercy retiree Marat Safin. Safin complained about Santoro’s longevity at this year’s French Open: “I regret he (Santoro) didn’t retire earlier… He destroyed a couple of tournaments in my life, and thanks to him, I couldn’t achieve some tournaments. So, he should have retired many years ago.”

The 2001 French Open was one of those tournaments:

Marat’s also been quoted as saying: “Being told I would play Santoro was being told I was to die.” The Frenchman owns their head-to-head 7-2.

Unlike Safin, Santoro never made the Big Time in singles (his best result at a Major was the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2006), but he’s accomplished quite a bit in his long career:

• Santoro has defeated 17 players who were ranked World No. 1 at some time during their careers (Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Thomas Muster, Marcelo Ríos, Gustavo Kuerten, Carlos Moyà, Pat Rafter, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer). (via Wikipedia)
• Santoro’s won 6 ATP tour singles titles and 24 doubles titles. In doubles, he’s made the finals of every Major except the US Open, winning the Australian Open twice with partner Michael Llodra.
• Santoro won the longest singles match in the open era. At the 2004 French Open, he beat fellow Frenchman Arnaud Clément in a 6 hour, 33 minute first round match 6–4, 6–3, 6–7(5), 3–6, 16–14.
• With his participation in the 2008 Australian Open, Santoro broke Andre Agassi’s record in Major appearances over his career with a total of 62 tournaments played (Agassi’s record was 61). He made his 69th appearance at the 2009 US Open.

Given his impressive Major streak, the Magician may have one more trick up his sleeve – though he says he considers Sunday’s match his last, he may play the 2010 Australian Open. Having turned pro in 1989, doing so would make him the first player to participate in Majors spanning four different decades. A bientôt, Fabrice! See you Down Under.

So let’s bring out some Santoro highlights, shall we?

A classic point against Roger Federer:

Huh, this “tweener” looks familiar:

Defense? Santoro invented defense, son.

Spadea, Santoro definitely ain’t afraid of ya’

“You can’t out-trick the Magician.” But you can make Nalbandian even more hot and bothered than he already is.

Pete Sampras nicknamed Santoro “The Magician.” Here’s Pete getting sawed in half at the 1995 Rome Masters:

There are two story lines to any tournament – what you experience as a fan and what actually happens on court. For example, these are the experiences that stick in my mind after attending Day 3 of the US Open on Wednesday:

1.   Witnessing a lady puking near the big fountain at about 11:30 a.m. (Hope she just had one too many Honey Deuces!)

2.  Cracking up at Marion Bartoli’s over-zealous practice swings between points.

3.  Taking a deep, yogic breath upon learning that the concession stand was out of chicken fingers (after standing in line for 10 minutes specifically for chicken fingers.)

Obviously these are not the major stories coming out of the US Open on Wednesday, so let’s move on. . .

I also witnessed Marat Safin’s four-set flame out to Jurgen Melzer in his first and last match of the 2009 US Open. It was more painful than normal because this is Marat’s last US Open – the tournament being the site of his first Major title almost ten years ago against Pete Sampras.

Painful for me, I mean, not Marat. “I don’t care about losses anymore,” he said after the match.

But what did I expect? Marat Safin is a heartbreaker – he’s not the guy who’s going to make that one last run to glory (with the help of a stoic girlfriend, an elderly coach and a cheesy soundtrack.) He has movie star looks, sure, but he never promised a Hollywood ending.

“Bye bye, bye bye, and bye bye again.” Marat summed it up.

Another popular player played his last singles match at the US Open on Wednesday – Fabrice Santoro – who lost to veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero: 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. (Santoro is still alive in doubles.)

Santoro, who has been on tour for over twenty years – almost twice as long as Safin’s pro career has lasted – said that it was the love of the game that’s kept him playing as long as he has. This is how he said he’d like to summarize his career:

If I use one word, I would say passion. I love my sport. I did it in this life for so many years. I was so happy to be on the court. You can’t do it if you’re not completely in love with your sport. Can you do it for two, five, eight years maybe, but not 21. One thing I will never forget for sure is when Pete (Sampras) said in Indian Wells probably 2000, he’s a magician. That’s one I will never forget.

Sniff! Sniff!

But for every retirement, nowadays, there seems to be a comeback – and today Kim Clijsters was the feelgood story. The 2005 US Open Champ took out 14th seed Marion Bartoli in three sets:

It was also nice to see Mama Mirka making her comeback, as well:

And then there’s the other woman:

Roger Federer is through to the third round after a tough, 3 set night match against Simon Greul. He faces Lleyton Hewitt next. Rafael Nadal beat Richard Gasquet easily in his first round match. (Click here for more on Rafa and Roger.)

In other men’s results, Del Potro defeated Juan Monaco, Monfils defeated Chardy and Hewitt defeated Chela. Kiefer advances to play Nadal in the second round and Ginepri, Simon and Ferrer are also through. Click here for more men’s results.

On the women’s side, both Williams sisters advanced, Wozniak took out Mauresmo, Pennetta double-papdumed Mirza, and Vania King upset US Open darkhorse Sam Stosur. Kirilenko scored another upset over Agnieszka Radwanska. Zvonareva and Azarenka are also through. Click here for more women’s results.

It’s always fun to hear what the players have to say, especially in the pressure cooker of a Grand Slam tournament like Roland Garros. Here are some of my favorite quotes so far:

Marat Safin, on being booted out of his last Roland Garros:

MARAT SAFIN: Well, as you can see, I didn’t draw the heart, and I didn’t lay down and I didn’t cry and I didn’t all those things … it’s not me

Fabrice Santoro, asked to reflect on the Greats he’s played on court:

FABRICE SANTORO: Federer is different, because when he’s playing at his best, everything is just perfect on the court, what he can do with the racquet and the ball. I remember a few matches I played against him, and I was looking at him when I was playing, saying, ‘Wow, how is it possible to play so well?’

Andy Murray begs to differ:

ANDY MURRAY: Santoro for the, I guess, different style of play and for the entertainment. Out of the top guys, Nadal, I like watching.

More from Fabrice, on his scary decision to play the French Open at age 37:

FABRICE SANTORO: Out of the 15 tournaments I have scheduled this year, Roland Garros was the one that’s most scary for me. I thought, is it reasonable at my age to play such long matches on clay? Then I thought, is it reasonable to refuse to do it?”

Fabrice waxes poetic on his own unique style of play:

FABRICE SANTORO: I use what I have. That means not a lot. Many players are 15 kilograms heavier than me, 15 centimeters taller than me, and when they hit the ball, they want to hit it strong. And I can understand that.

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. So when I arrived, I was, you know, 20 years late already. So managing to get good performances for 20 years when you’re 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.

Dinara Safina, when asked if her coach was happy with her 6-1, 6-1 victory in the second round:

DINARA SAFINA: If one day he’s going to be happy, I think I’ll finish my career. He’s never happy. Even today, he’s not happy.

Fedophile Marion Bartoli, when asked in a recent interview about her dream mixed doubles partner:

MARION BARTOLI: Roger Federer. He always says hi. He’s really friendly. I love him but I would get really nervous if I had to play with him.

Some real tennis insight from Gilles Simon:

Q. When you look at Murray and Santoro, I have the impression that these players play more with their brains than their arms. What about you?

GILLES SIMON: Not necessarily. These players are players who don’t necessarily ‑‑ well, it’s different. These players don’t use their strengths. This is the difference. They’d rather use the weaknesses that the other player has. That’s why you have the impression they play differently, whereas others think it’s more reassuring to play your style whether it works or not and to do this all the time.

James Blake, after losing to Leonardo Mayer in the first round:

Q. Is that same court you played Gulbis on last year?

JAMES BLAKE: Yeah.

Q. And is that your least favorite court in all of tennis?

JAMES BLAKE: No. The court I broke my neck on was my least favorite court, I would say.

Serena Williams, on finding time for her kids:

Q. Must be kind of nice to go back to your own place [her apartment in Paris]?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I want to go home and see my kids and relax.

Q. Dogs?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Could be [said with a coy smile].

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, explaining the tie and polo combo he wore to his press conference:

Q. So the idea of the tie, where does it come from?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: In other sports when you come to a pressconference, you have to respect, to comply with a dress code, so I thought thatin tennis, too, we could show we have certain ethics. I believe it’s important. We have beautiful tournaments, and we shouldshow a bit of respect.

Q. Are you going to wear a tuxedo in the quarterfinal or in the final?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, I wanted to come with a tuxedo in thebeginning, but my equipment provider didn’t really want to. Now I found a solution.

Q. Are you going to wear a butterfly tie?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: If I win, I’ll wear whatever you want, but not a G-string.

What a tease!

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and press conference quotes via rolandgarros.com

Serena quote via tennisreporters.net

Safin quote via The Guardian

And the Marat Safin heartbreak tour rolls on. . .

Marat Safin was knocked out of the second round of the French Open on Wednesday, losing to French wild card, Josselin Ouanna, in five tumultuous sets: 6-7,6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 8-10.

Some called it thrilling, I called it torture.

As the light faded into the fifth set, Marat raged against his fate. He howled, beat his breast with his racquet and hurled himself onto the clay. He ravished the net with a fierce kiss when a net cord went his way. I wished I was the net and prayed that my hero would blaze a brick-stained path to glory. How could the tennis Gods deny one of their own?

But the tennis Gods are cruel – to Marat and his followers. I watched helplessly as Marat suffered his defeat.

At least for this match, the French practiced a different theology. The partisan crowd cheered on its David as he fought Goliath on the battered brick of Court Philippe Chatrier. I’m no convert, but even a Safinite like me had to acknowledge Ouanna’s audacious effort to become France’s newest hope.

In a bittersweet coincidence, Fabrice Santoro also played his final singles match at Roland Garros on Wednesday. The veteran lost to Christophe Rochus in four sets, in a first round match continued from the day before. The wily Frenchman, who is also retiring this year, was asked in his press conference to name his favorite Roland Garros memory. His answer: his five set victory over Marat Safin in 2001.*

FABRICE SANTORO: “Marat, No. 1, because there was a special atmosphere and all the ingredients were there for a beautiful day. It was Marat Safin. It was center court. Crowded, good match, quite a bit of suspense. And I won, so it was a perfect story.”

Now that Fabrice is gone, the French have a new perfect story, once again at Marat’s expense.

(*Santoro was probably riffing off Marat’s comment from a couple days ago: “I regret he (Santoro) didn’t retire earlier… He destroyed a couple of tournaments in my life, and thanks to him, I couldn’t achieve some tournaments. So, he should have retired many years ago.”)

If you happen to care about people other than Marat, Maria Sharapova and Mandy Moore, take a gander at Wednesday’s results, below. (Who’s betting Rafa bagels Lleyton Hewitt in the third round?)

French Open Results – Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Second Round – Men’s singles
[1] R Nadal (ESP) d T Gabashvili (RUS) 61 64 62
[3] A Murray (GBR) d P Starace (ITA) 63 26 75 64
[7] G Simon (FRA) d R Kendrick (USA) 75 60 61
[8] F Verdasco (ESP) d P Petzschner (GER) 61 62 63
[12] F Gonzalez (CHI) d R Machado (POR) 62 63 62
[13] M Cilic (CRO) d D Sela (ISR) 60 63 61
[14] D Ferrer (ESP) d N Kiefer (GER) 63 57 64 36 62
[17] S Wawrinka (SUI) d N Massu (CHI) 61 61 62
[18] R Stepanek (CZE) d [LL] M Montcourt (FRA) 64 46 64 64
J Ouanna (FRA) d [20] M Safin (RUS) 76(2) 76(4) 46 36 10-8
[23] R Soderling (SWE) d D Istomin (UZB) 64 76(4) 64
[30] V Hanescu (ROU) d M Youzhny (RUS) 75 75 75
[31] N Almagro (ESP) d E Gulbis (LAT) 67(4) 76(5) 63 62
J Tipsarevic (SRB) d [28] F Lopez (ESP) 67(9) 64 76(4) 63
L Hewitt (AUS) d A Golubev (KAZ) 64 63 61
[10] N Davydenko (RUS) vs D Junqueira (ARG) 46 63 60 22 – Suspended due to darkness

First Round – Men’s Singles
A Clement (FRA) d [21] D Tursunov (RUS) 63 36 64 61
C Rochus (BEL) d F Santoro (FRA) 63 61 36 64

Second Round – Women’s Singles
(1) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. (Q) Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) 61 61
(8) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 61 62
(9) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Kristina Barrois (GER) 76(1) 75
Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (11) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 62 16 86
(Q) Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR) d. (15) Zheng Jie (CHN) 64 63
(20) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 61 60
(22) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) d. Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 62 64
(25) Li Na (CHN) d. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 61 64
(27) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Julie Coin (FRA) 62 76(2)
(29) Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 62 60
(32) Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 61 62
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 76(5) 06 62
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (Q) Polona Hercog (SLO) 36 64 62
Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 63 67(3) 75
(Q) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. (Q) Arantxa Rus (NED) 60 62
Lucie Safarova (CZE) leads (3) Venus Williams (USA) 76(5) – Suspended due to darkness

First Round – Women’s Singles
(21) Alize Cornet (FRA) d. Maret Ani (EST) 64 75

Press conference comments from rolandgarros.com

Results via: Craig Hickman’s Tennis Blog

Marat rues his fate: AP Photo/Michel Euler via Daylife

Marat, bowed and broken PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images via Daylife