A few more words from Sunday night.

"I'm going to die out there. But never will I retire. Not in the U.S. Open." Bartoli began to feel sick to her stomach on Saturday morning, the result of a virus, according to her physician. She didn't eat anything all day Saturday or yesterday and went out to the court on an empty stomach. After seven games in the first set the doctor came out and took her blood pressure, which was abnormally low." He said, 'It's your decision in the end, but my advice is to stop because it's going to get worse, obviously,'" she said, recounting the doctor's advice. Bammer won the first set, 7-6 (3), and afterward Bartoli started to feel better and won the next set, 6-0. She said the difference was that she stopped trying to drink water. But she drank some after the second set and felt sick again, losing the third set, 6-4. "I just gave everything," she said, holding back tears. "I was like 30 percent of what I could do. I could really die on court. I could not give more than I gave. I have no regrets. I can only hold my head up and be proud of what I've done."

100% commitment. 30% strength. One get's the feeling that approval and acceptance are issues for Marion. I cant speak for the French public, or anyone else. But as far as the wee band of Marion fans that I speak to are concerned, everyone is mighty proud.