PHOTO OF THE DAY

Justine Henin-Hardenne celebrates her first Grand Slam win at the Eiffel Tower. Juan Carlos Ferrero also won his first major title in Paris.

GRAND SLAM SNIPPETS

• The four Grand Slam tournaments rejected a request by players for the events to commit more money to prizes, promotion and pension programs. The decision was announced Saturday after Grand Slam officials met with representatives of the men's and women's tours and the International Men's Tennis Association, a breakaway players' union. In March, the ATP and WTA Tour urged the chairmen of the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open to share more of their profits. Prize money at ATP events has decreased 10 percent over the past three years to just over $55 million in 2003, with the largest drop in payments for doubles. The men's prize money at the Grand Slam events rose 13 percent to a combined total of about $22.4 million last year.

Not a model day for Verkerk
A chagrined Martin Verkerk shook his head when told a Dutch supermodel was cheering for him from the front row during the French Open final.

He never noticed her.

"Something good about today, and I don't see it,'' Verkerk said.

Not much went right Sunday for the Dutchman, who lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in the most lopsided men's final at Roland Garros since 1978.

"My serve was not good enough, my strokes were not good enough, my depth was not good enough, my volleys were not good enough,'' he said. "But it all had to do with Ferrero.''

Although it ended in defeat, the tournament was still the best of Verkerk's career.

When he arrived to play at Roland Garros for the first time, he had never won a Grand Slam match. He departed with a check for $491,000, more than doubling his career earnings in seven years as a pro.

"It has been an amazing week for me,'' Verkerk said. "It's more than a dream. To be in the final of a Grand Slam, there are no words for that.''

Verkerk was ranked No. 170 at the start of last year. He'll be a career-best No. 15 this week, and with a 125 mph serve he'll be a threat at Wimbledon, even though he has never played on grass.

AROUND ROLAND GARROS
Disorder on the court: A male streaker wearing nothing but tennis balls and sneakers ran onto center court during the French Open final Sunday.

Runner-up Martin Verkerk said the naked prankster made him smile and relax a bit -- though not enough to prevent his loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"I found it real funny,'' said Verkerk, who lost 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. "I was smiling.''

Ferrero wasn't.

"I was a bit annoyed,'' the Spaniard said. "It was a bit bothering.''

The man rushed onto the court during a second-set changeover, shed his clothes and hurdled the net before two security guards dragged him off the court. Scrawled across his back in big black letters was an ad for a Web site. A ball boy gathered the man's discarded garments.

Tournament organizers think this was the first streaker at the French Open. Wimbledon matches have been interrupted by streakers, most recently at the men's final last year.