Filip Dewulf, feeling the effects of an ankle injury suffered in Belgium's Davis Cup tie on Sunday, officially withdrew after being examined by doctors here.

And another Davis Cupper, Dutch doubles player Jacco Eltingh, packed it in after suffering a wrist injury in yesterday's first round match against Mariano Zabaleta. The two split the first two sets and Zabaleta had just won the first game of the third when Eltingh retired.

Ironically, Eltingh inherited the spot in the draw left by Mats Wilander, who pulled out with an injury on Sunday.

Dewulf battled through the injury to earn a five-set win over Denmark's Frederik Fetterlein but had to fly to Bermuda so the injury could be checked out by an ATP doctor. Dewulf's spot has been taken by Luis Adrian Morejon.

*** COUNT Bryan Shelton among the fans of clay court tennis, notably the slower green clay at Coral Beach.

"It's good for spectators,'' said Shelton, a four-year veteran of the Open but a first round casualty here yesterday. "Rallies last longer and there are more points.'' *** THERE is clay court and then there is the clay court at the French Open.

"Nothing against anywhere else, but you just can't get any better,'' said Australian Scott Draper, who has advanced to the fourth round on the Paris red the past two years. Not only are the fine granules and flat plane pristine, but players' styles are continually challenged depending on the weather, he said.

*** NUMBER eight seed Dennis Van Scheppingen employs a style most players don't try to emulate. For good reason.

When receiving an opponent's serve, he has both feet firmly on the baseline, in contrast to the two or three yards behind the line where virtually everyone else stands. "Reflexes,'' the Dutchman said when asked how he copes with the blistering serves of the ATP Tour pros. Of course, it's easier on clay but Scheppingen says he does this all the time.