Corretja made Kuerten work hard for three sets

And he was big enough to pay tribute to the man who had handed him such a crushing defeat.

"On clay he's shown that he's the best," Corretja said of his Brazilian opponent.

"And he showed in Lisbon on a fast surface when he won the Masters Cup that he can play well anywhere - he's got nothing to prove."

But it was no walkover, and after claiming the first set on a tie-break, Corretja had a chance to break Kuerten at 5-5 in the second set, but was unable to take it.

Aggressive

"He missed a backhand down the line at break point and I think that point could have changed things if he had won it," said Kuerten.

"After that I started to play so aggressive that I put him under pressure."

Kuerten compounded the Spaniard's missed opportunity by breaking his serve in the very next game, and from there the match turned.

"When he plays like he did in the last two sets it's very difficult," said Corretja.

"I think I still had a chance after I lost the second set, but after I lost the third set I lost my focus, I lost my game."

Kuerten finally paid tribute to his coach Larri Passos and his family for their support.

"I don't see how I could do all this by myself," he said.

"All the time I talk about me and my family and him together - what I do represents all of us."

With age on his side, Kuerten's love affair with Roland Garros may still have many years to run.