DOB:25.4.1976 Nationality:Germany World Ranking:27 Previous French Open results: 2001 ::first round 2000 ::first round 1999 ::first round 1998 ::n/a

The German's visits to Roland Garros have not been happy ones. He has yet to record a victory on the Parisian clay courts.

He turned professional back in 1995 but only really started to make an impact last season with a string of impressive performances.

He has carried that form forward to this season, his best showing when he reached the final in the International Series event in Munich, Germany.

Ominously for his opponents, his passage to the Munich final came on clay.