05/24/99  Patrick Rafter on towards Roland Garros
 
It was a very content and relaxed Patrick Rafter who stepped in front of the press at Rome's Internazionali d'Italia last week. "It's very satisfying," he said. "I keep getting better and better."

 Rafter had just booked himself a spot for the quarterfinals by defeating Andre Agassi 6-1 and 7-6(4). "Here and today is probably the best I have played in eight or nine months," Rafter said. "Last year's US Open was the last time I felt I had a
complete game."

Agassi was impressed, too: "He served incredibly  well today." At his fifth career appearance in Rome, Rafter had finally got past round two.
 
No stranger to Paris
 
He went on to reach the final, and even had a chance to reach the top spot of the ATP Tour Rankings had he won. He did not - Gustavo Kuerten took the title home.

Nonetheless, Rome was the highlight in a season that had taken off to a sluggish start for Rafter - first and second-round losses in Adelaide, Syndey, Scottsdale and Indian Wells marked the beginning of the year. At the Australian Open, he lost third round in singles, but won the event in doubles (together with long-time doubles partner Jonas Bjorkman).

And although the clay is certainly not the surface of choice for a serve-and-volleyer, Rafter enters the French Open with confidence and good results - surprisingly good results: "In a way it's a bit of a shock to do so well on the clay," he said in Rome.

He followed this up with a solid performance in Dusseldorf at the Peugeot ATP Tour World Team Championship. He defeated Pete Sampras in straight sets to help his team to the final. There he defeated Thomas Enqvist, to whom he lost at the Australian Open, and then won the doubles with Sandon Stolle to ensure the title for his team.

With these sort of performances one should not be surprised if he does well. The Aussie is no stranger to Roland Garros and it should not be forgotten that he was a semifinalist in 1997.