RG UPDATES More news on the confirmation.
[EDIT]This is the translation of the article that Marie posted below. Thanks Ana for fosting this to the forum ^^[/EDIT]
Ferrero defends his title
The Spaniard, reigning champion of the tournament, has assured that the will play tomorrow, Tuesday, in Roland Garros despite his physical problems. "I'm not at 100% but I'm going to play. I still have pain, but I'm going to try," said Ferrero after his practice session on the courts of Paris.
Paris, May 24- The player had said on Sunday that there was a 60% chance that he would not defend his title at Roland Garros, but he preferred to wait until today to make a final decision. The truth is that Ferrero has only played 7 matches on clay this season, and he wasn't able to practice between May 10 and 17, which means he arrives very green at his favorite tournament.
Ferrero will debut against a very difficult opponent, the German Tommy Haas, who despite being a better player on hard court, could send the Valencian home at the start if he isn't careful and doesn't make use of his experience. It must be very difficult for Ferrero to arrive like this in Paris, after his victory here last year.
Ferrero has not played again since April 21, when he lost in the first round at Montecarlo against Alex Corretja. The injury in the ribs, caused May 7 has not allowed him to. He missed the TMS Hamburg because of it and previously the TMS Rome, though this one was by choice to regain his confidence and game. It has been a dramatic year when it comes to injuries and mishaps, beginning with an injury in the abductor in the left leg, though despite it he was able to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open. Later chickenpox caused him to miss the American spring hardcourt season, and then that unfortunate fall during one of his practice sessions that caused the wrist and rib injury.
"I'm not at 100%, but I will go out and play," commented Ferrero after his last practice session that lasted just 40 minutes, on court 17, the same where two years ago he also decided to compete with an injury in his right ankle. Later came the final with Albert Costa. The Spaniard will play the 4th match on Central court, just like he had requested of the organization. This court opens at 11:00 Spanish time. "We'll see how I am, because the pain continues," said the Valencian who today looked much better and was hitting with more confidence. Just at the end, when he practiced serve, did the pain appear again. "Today he's hit much better," said Antonio Martínez Cascales, his coach, "we hope that with the treatment from the doctor Angel Ruíz Cotorro he'll go on court tomorrow feeling better and able to serve. But he'll do it knowing that he has this inconvenience." Cascales added that his pupil had been hitting the ball well from below and that he'd "do what he could," with his state. "We've been considering the decision since last Thursday and what's clear is that if we were in Spain he probably wouldn't play, but since we're here, it's to play."
Ferrero had an ultrasound that confirmed his injury has scarred. He is till wearing a bandage for prevention and in hopes that the pain will reduce little by little. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow and if he's lucky and wins, we'll have 48 hours to recover. I don't know if the situation is better or worse than two years ago," continued Cascales, referring to the ankle injury, "but I don't like it." The doctor, Angel Ruíz Cotorro, was also positive. "The injury is in the process of scarring and there are no bruises around it, but he has pain when he breathes, runs or moves. We are in the usual process of recovery (3 weeks)," he said. Ferrero is being treated with mesotheraphy and physiotherapy to reduce the inflammation in the area. Tomorrow he will warm up 10 or 15 minutes before the match, but the doctor is confident that the treatment will have effect. "It bothers him especially when he hits the forehand on the rush and when he serves. Psychologically there are two aspects, the negative- the worrying about the injury, and the positive- the desire to compete. Juan Carlos is a natural winner and that's why he's going out to play tomorrow. If later he has to retire, it will be because he can't."
-------------------------------
ANOTHER ARTICLE
Ferrero's decision
After a practice session Monday, defending champion Juan Carlos Ferrero planned to play in the French Open despite a rib injury, Spanish tennis federation spokesman Pedro Hernandez said.
Ferrero, scheduled to play his first-round match Tuesday against Tommy Haas, said Sunday there was a 60 percent chance he would withdraw.
Tournament spokesman Christophe Proust said organizers hadn’t heard from Ferrero on Monday, and they assumed he was waiting until Tuesday to make his final decision.
Ferrero bruised his right ribs in a fall May 8 while practicing in Spain.
>>taken from
msnbc
--------------------
...
Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain was out practicing on court 18, trying to decide if he was healthy enough to defend his title here. Ferrero bruised a rib in a fall during practice on May 7 and was forced to withdraw from two tournaments. But after his training session (and a pain-killing injection), he told Spanish reporters that he intends to play his first-round match against Tommy Haas on Tuesday.
...
>>taken from
NYTimes
-------------------
...
On Monday, it was learned Ferrero will take the court for Tuesday's first-round match with Tommy Haas. Henin-Hardenne, the other defending champion, scratched out an ugly 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sandrine Testud of France.
"Yes, he plays. It was obvious he would wait for the last minute to make a final decision about pulling out, given the importance of the tournament," ATP spokesman Nicola Arzani told Reuters. Ferrero fell on his right wrist and ribs practicing in Valencia two days before the Hamburg tournament began.
...
>>taken from
ESPN
------------------
Apparently there are various news about it, so we should see tomorrow for the exact confirmation. hopefully by tomorrow JC are healthy enough to star playing on competing level.
NON-TENNIS NEWS JC at Prince Felipe's wedding. 'Live commentary' of the ceremony starting with the guest arrivals.
