PARIS(AP) American Robby Ginepri says he likes clay just fine, especially this week.
The unseeded Ginepri has come from behind twice at the French Open to reach the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in two years. He'll next face 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Andy Roddick is the only other American man still in contention. He's scheduled to face Teimuraz Gabashvili in the third round Saturday.
John Isner and Mardy Fish, both from Tampa, Fla., were eliminated Friday, while Ginepri beat Potito Starace 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Ginepri, from Kennesaw, Ga., has lost in the first round at Roland Garros six times, but he doesn't blame the surface.
``I always enjoyed playing on the clay. It has never been that issue,'' he said.
His approach this week?
Just pretty much taking a hard-court game onto a clay court,'' he said.I can hit the big shots through the court when I need to, and grind if I have to.''
Ranked 98th, Ginepri arrived in Paris with a 1-7 record this year and little optimism.
I didn't really have too many expectations,'' he said.Usually that's when good things happen, when you least expect it.''
Ginepri has faced Ferrero only once, beating him at Wimbledon in 2004. He expects the rematch to be a different kind of tennis.
I'm going to be ready for some long points,'' Ginepri said,and try to apply my power to his game and see what happens.''
Isner lost in the fourth round to No. 15 Tomas Berdych, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Isner had 38 aces in his second-round win but only nine against Berdych, and he lost serve seven times.
Fish was eliminated by No. 14 Ivan Ljubicic 6-2, 6-7 (8), 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 in a second-round marathon that took 4 1/2 hours over two days.
Fish, a former top-20 player, suffered rib and knee injuries last year, and his ranking is now 97th.
It's tough to swallow that that's just the second round,'' Fish said.I'm trying to get my ranking back up there. I certainly don't feel like I'm playing at whatever I'm ranked. But that's where I'm at.''
REIGN ENDS: Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova lost her third-round match at the French Open, and she'll lose her top-10 ranking, too.
Kuznetsova was beaten Friday by fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
The defeat wasn't a shocker. Kuznetsova has a .500 record this year, and she had to save four match points to survive her second-round match.
She'll fall out of the top 10 for the first time in four years.
You cannot play all the time great,'' Kuznetsova said.It's ups and downs. I have not been playing well this clay-court season, but it happens, you know. I'll be back. I have the game. It's fine. It's just a matter of time.''
Kirilenko, seeded 30th, advanced to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time. She also beat Kuznetsova on clay at Rome this month and defeated Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open in January.
I feel more, like, confident now, because I had really good wins this year,'' Kirilenko said.I'm happy the way I played at the end of the match. I was so aggressive.''
Kuznetsova saved two match points, but on the third she pushed a backhand wide.
The last repeat champion at Roland Garros was Justine Henin in 2005-07.
It was very hard, anyway, to defend, with the tennis I have been playing this season,'' Kuznetsova said.I didn't come here with my best game, but I gave it my all.''
SO SAD: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga called the showing by his countrymen at the French Open ``sad.''
The eighth-seeded Tsonga was the only man from France to reach the third round at Roland Garros this year, matching the country's worst showing at the tournament since it began allowing foreigners to enter in 1925.
There were 19 Frenchmen in the field.
``What do I feel about it? Well, it's sad,'' Tsonga said.
The last time only one man from the host nation reached the French Open's third round was 1995; it also happened in 1993 and 1969.
Tsonga was left alone when Florent Serra and Nicolas Mahut lost Friday.
Tsonga, at least, gave his country something to cheer about by making it into the fourth round with a 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Thiemo De Bakker of the Netherlands.
Of the 12 women from France who began the tournament, two reached the third round: No. 13 Marion Bartoli and No. 15 Aravane Rezai.
AP Sports Writer Sam Petrequin contributed to this report.