Sharon Fichmans first memory of the French Open was watching Jennifer Capriati knock off Kim Clijsters to win the 2001 title. Scarpe Adidas Superstar Scontate . Fichman was 10 years old at the time. She printed out a photo of a smiling Capriati holding the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen winners trophy. She then cut out a photo of her own face and pasted it over Capriatis. "That was really funny," Fichman said from Paris on Friday. It was also the beginning of her love affair with Roland Garros that will reach new heights next week when the 23-year-old from Toronto plays in the tournaments main draw -- the first time shes earned a direct entry into a Grand Slam main draw in her career. "I knew after that (Capriati victory) that I wanted to win the French Open, that was the Grand Slam when I was that age, that I really wanted to win," Fichman said on a conference call. "Ever since then, when Ive played (here) as a junior and now as a pro, I just feel more comfortable every single year. I love it here, I love Paris, I love the tournament. I really enjoy going out and competing and playing good tennis and getting better, and winning matches. Just really good memories every time Im here." Fichman, ranked a career-high 77th, faces a tough first-round opponent in sixth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic. Fichman is one of four Canadians who earned direct entry. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., seeded No. 18, will open against Shahar Peer of Israel. On the mens side, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., will open against Australian wildcard Nick Krygios, and Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver takes on No. 60 Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia. "Its very cool for me, . . . that this is going to be the first time Ive been in the Grand Slam main draw playing here as a professional," Fichman said. "I worked really hard so Im just happy that the hard work is paying off." Fichman will also play doubles with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the Russian she partnered with to win the junior doubles title at the French Open in 2006. "Its going to be fun, hopefully we can make another good memory," she said. Fichman, who finished 2013 ranked 106th, is enjoying easily the best season of her career. She defeated Peer in the first round at Indian Wells, Calif., in March, before being eliminated by world No. 10 Sara Errani in the second round. She reached her first singles final of the season earlier this month at the $100,000 International Tennis Federation event in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Her victory over Switzerlands Timea Bacsinszky in the final was the biggest of her career. Fichman credits her switch to coach Larry Jurovich in the summer of 2012 -- and all the changes in her game and in training that came with it -- for her improvement. "I think its a lot of things," she said. "I think mentally Ive changed, Ive definitely gotten stronger. Physically Ive changed. . . and also my game has changed. Were working on different things than Im used to. Its coming close to two years now (with Jurovich) and before that I was focusing on different things. "So honestly I think its a bit of everything. But the most important thing is I really believe in what Im doing, and I believe in myself, so I think thats helping the most out of everything." Fichman knows what shes up against with Jankovic. The Serbian star defeated the Canadian 6-4, 7-6 in the second round of last summers Rogers Cup. "I have a lot of respect for her, shes an accomplished player," she said "It was a close match (at the Rogers Cup), and I know I had some chances, especially in the second set. Its going to be a tough opponent but I also think that Im playing well and I know that I did well last time, so Im just going to focus on my game and I think if I continue to fight and I execute what were working on, I have just as good a chance as any." Bouchard, meanwhile, faces Peer for the fourth time in her career -- Bouchard has won all three previous meetings. At last years French Open, the 20-year-old was defeated by Maria Sharapova in the second round. Raonic faces a rising star in Krygios. The 19-year-old Aussie was crowned champion of the International Junior Tennis Open in Repentigny, Que., in 2012. Raonic is having a strong clay court season, highlighted by a semifinal appearance at the Rome Masters last week. Hell be looking to improve on his third-round showing in Paris last year where he fell to Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Adidas Superstar Uomo Scontate . The light-heavyweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak, the longest in the history of the weight class. Adidas Superstar Offerte . "Yeah, [I heard them]," he said. "They made me miss the free throw." A year ago, Lowrys post-game antics may not have been so well received but what was snide and snarky is now endearing quick wit. http://www.adidassuperstarscontate.it/ . Unfortunately for Toronto, that surge was too much to handle as the Stars scored six straight goals and ended the Marlies season with a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. Toronto had built a 2-0 lead on goals by Frazer McLaren and Peter Holland, but Texas charged back with a wild rally late in the second period to spark its trip to the Calder Cup final.STATELINE, Nev. -- Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday. Roenick has a two-day total of 48 points in the modified Stableford scoring system with Pfeifer in second at 44 and former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien next at 43 at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Sorenstam has 42 points and is tied for fourth place with 2011 champion Jack Wagner, the actor. Roenick has twice previously held the lead after two rounds and is hoping to break through after a third-place finish in 2011 and a fifth in 2009. Pfeifer, who was hurt by an IED explosion while on patrol in Iraq in 2007, is the sentimental favourite of the large galleries at the 25th anniversary event. "I hit the ball really strong," Roenick said after the rain-delayed finish. "I wanted to make sure I didnt make anyy mistakes. Adidas Superstar Scontate. I had a short three-putt, unfortunately, but besides that, I hit the ball exactly where I want to hit it." Roenick, Rypien and Pfeifer are in the final group on Sunday. The second-to-last group will have Sorenstam, Wagner and Trent Dilfer, who is in sixth place with 41 points. The tournaments scoring system awards 10 points for a double-eagle, six for an eagle, three for a birdie, one for a par, zero points for a bogey and minus-2 for double bogey or worse. "Its truly spectacular to watch Chad Pfeifer strike the ball," Roenick continued about the fan favourite. "Theres no handicap in Chad. This guy is a true blue competitor." Sorenstam played more aggressively on Saturday and plans to come out strong Sunday. "I felt a lot better today, just standing on the first tee, I didnt feel as tight and as nervous," she said. "But the front nine, I must say it was probably one of the worst putting displays that I can recall, certainly the last six years." 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