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#1 ·
Please post articles about Guga not directly related to any tournaments here.
 
#254 ·
Kuerten continues winning comeback

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) -- Former world number one Gustavo Kuerten earned his first hard court victory for 18 months when he booked a place in the round-robin section of the Las Vegas Open on Monday.
The 30-year-old Brazilian, who played just one match last year following hip surgery, made light of gusting winds to beat South African Wesley Moodie 6-4 7-5 and seal his second win in three tour matches this year.
Kuerten, three-time French Open champion, dropped out of the world's top 1,000 before bouncing back to 804th after winning a match at the Brazil Open this month.
He will join German Benjamin Becker and Czech Jan Hernych in one of the eight round-robin groups, with the group winners then progressing to the quarterfinals.
"It's a really good feeling," Kuerten told reporters. "To be around again, back in tournaments. "It's more than one and a half years since I played four matches in one week. That's what I am looking forward to."
Kuerten, who has also been given a wildcard for the Masters Series event in Indian Wells next week, is more concerned with getting matches under his belt than getting wins at this stage.
"My level will rise a lot playing in tournaments," he said. "I am looking forward to see what happens, work on my game, not care too much about getting results but play from here to Miami with no major problems, and get more confidence."

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/02/27/tennis.kuerten.reut/
 
#255 ·
KUERTEN CONTINUES TO PROGRESS
Tuesday 27th February 2007

Former world number one Gustavo Kuerten clinched his first triumph on a hard court for 18 months as he secured his passage to the round robin section of the Las Vegas Open.
The Brazilian won his first competitive match since September 2005 at the Brazil Open last week when he defeated Filippo Volandri and continued his progress in Vegas as he overcame the challenge of South African Wesley Moodie to make it two victories in three tour matches this year.
Kuerten will now join German Benjamin Becker and Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic in the group stages with the eight winners progressing to the quarter finals.
"It's a really good feeling," he stated. "To be around again, back in tournaments.
"It's more than one and a half years since I played four matches in one week. That's what I am looking forward to.
"My level will rise a lot playing in tournaments. I am looking forward to see what happens, work on my game, not care too much about getting results but play from here to Miami with no major problems, and get more confidence."
Elsewhere, there were wins for Thomas Johansson and Feliciano Lopez who also take their place in the round-robin stage, but Briton Alex Bogdanovic fell short after slipping to defeat against American teenager Sam Querrey.
Querrey, who reached the quarter finals in Memphis last week, had too much power for Bogdanovic and always looked in control as he won out 6-3 6-2.
In the three group stage matches played, Spaniard Fernando Verdasco beat Paul-Henri Mathieu of France (3-6 6-3 7-5), American Paul Goldstein crushed another Frenchman Julien Benneteau (6-1 6-0), while Argentine Juan Martin del Potro overcame Russian Evgeny Korolev 6-3 6-2.

Source: http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,14-1253395,00.html
 
#256 ·
:) :worship:

KUERTEN TAKES HEART FROM COMEBACK

After two years battling a hip injury so severe it saw the former world number one topple out of the ATP Tour's top 1,000, Gustavo Kuerten is wise to set himself only short-term goals for his latest comeback bid.

Kuerten's first round win over Filippo Volandri on home ground in the Brazil Open earlier this month was the 30-year-old favourite's first top-level tournament win in 18 months.
And now the three-times French Open winner is preparing to return to prominence having been rewarded for his determination with wild cards into next month's high-profile events in Indian Wells and Key Biscayne.
"It is a great feeling to be back in tournaments and it is more than one and a half years since I played four matches in a week, so it is those kinds of things I am looking forward to," said Kuerten.
"My level will rise a lot as I continue playing in tournaments. I am just going to see what happens and try not to care too much about getting results, just getting more confidence without major problems."

Yet despite his famously laid-back demeanour, Kuerten would be forgiven for having June on his mind, and a potential unlikely return to the beloved scene of his greatest triumphs.
Kuerten's last, injury-plagued visit to Roland Garros saw an ignominious four-set defeat to David Sanchez in 2005 which did scant justice to the reputation of the man they called the King of Clay.

Kuerten was just 20 years old and without a tour title to his name when he arrived at the famous tournament in 1997 with an infectious smile and a garish taste in yellow and blue bandanas.
Tournament organisers were willing to overlook Kuerten's novel dress code because they did not figure on the young Brazilian hanging around long enough for anybody to notice.
But after victories over three former champions - Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Thomas Muster and Sergi Bruguera - Kuerten, at 66th, had become the second lowest ranked Grand Slam winner, and a love affair was born.
Kuerten would claim further titles in 2000 and 2001, insisting Roland Garros remained the sum total of his Grand Slam dreams, and proving it by skipping Wimbledon to go surfing instead.

After his first win in France, he failed to open his champagne bottle and shrugged when he received his massive winner's cheque.
"There is nothing I want or need right now," he said.
"My life is perfect, as it was perfect before the tournament."

After his 2001 triumph, he used his racket head to etch a heart shape into Philippe Chatrier court, before collapsing onto his beloved clay surface as the Parisian cheers rang in his ears.
"I did it spontaneously, but now I will think about drawing a little heart after each match in Paris," Kuerten said shortly afterwards.
"I have a love affair going here. I always surpass myself at the French Open."
There have been few hearts in recent years, not since his last sustained assault on the title in 2004 when, already feeling the effects of his injury, he blew away Roger Federer in straight sets on his way to the quarter-finals.
But the sport, and Paris in particular, would benefit greatly by the re-emergence of one of its most flamboyant and personable figures. All Gustavo Kuerten asks is the opportunity to etch one more heart.

Source: http://www.sportinglife.com/tennis/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=tennis/07/02/27/TENNIS_Column.html
 
#258 ·
Kuerten content with progress

Former world number one Gustavo Kuerten missed out on a quarter-final spot at the Las Vegas Open on Thursday but said he was satisfied with the progress of his comeback.
The Brazilian had qualified for the round-robin stage but was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Jan Hernych. The Czech advanced to the last eight.
But having only played one match in 2006 after hip surgery, world No 804 Kuerten said he was pleased with his efforts.
"I was able to play well and hit the ball pretty good. I still have doubles and it will be good for me to finish the week strong and start again next week," he said.
"Today was the only day that I felt a little tired, but that is to be expected after playing singles and doubles yesterday."

The Brazilian's ranking is likely to soar over the next few weeks as he has been awarded wildcards into next month's two Masters Series events in Indian Wells and Miami, which both carry significant rankings points.
The 30-year-old said the process of rebuilding his game was the most important thing.
"It will not be my only concern to win matches," he said. "Obviously I will try to win but I will work on all the other things that are important for me."
Kuerten won three French Open titles in 1997, 2000 and 2001 but said that he would only be in Paris this year if he continued to make good progress.
"The French Open is so special for me, so I don't want to just go there to be there. I would rather get myself ready, maybe for the next year. I want to be 100%
."

Source: http://www.supertennis.co.za/default.asp?id=206748&des=article&scat=supertennis/atp
 
#259 ·
american ESPN did a chat with Guga today. To read all the chat must be an Insider, and I'm not.
http://*****.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=14909

Chat with Gustavo Kuerten!


Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday, the ATP's Gustavo Kuerten will join us to talk some tennis!
A three-time French Open champion, Kuerten will be making his first appearance since 2004 this week at Indian Wells. The former world No. 1 has won 20 career titles, his most recent coming in 2005.

Kuerten has struggled to overcome injuries of late, having undergone hip surgery in September 2004, and last year Kuerten was sidelined for all but one match.

Kuerten was a semifinalist at Indian Wells in 1999 and lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the 2003 final. Send in your questions now and join "Guga" for the answers on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Buzzmaster: Guga will be here shortly! Keep the questions coming!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexandre Cossenza: Hello from Rio, Guga! Happy to see your game coming along. My question is about your recovery from the hip problems. Have you finally come to the point where you wanted? Can you come out at the end of a match and analyze it ONLY in tennis terms (and not worry anymore about how your hip is bothering you) ?

Gustavo Kuerten: Yes I think I am at 20-20% to where I want to be. My leg does not bother me as much. I have been working a lot this month, and I think in the next few months I will be where I want to be,


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sean: Guga, coming off the injury is there any surface that is giving you more trouble than others?
 
#260 ·
Across The Net: Last Stand of the Lost Generation
Posted by Dan Martin on 03.05.2007

Carlos Moya, Tommy Haas, and Gustavo Kuerten are worth watching throughout 2007. Plus Players of the Week!

The Sampras-Agassi generation showcased a set of talented and accomplished players. Jim Courier, Goran Ivanesevic, Michael Chang, Michael Stich, Sergei Bruguera, Thomas Muster, and Richard Karjicek all won at least one Grand Slam title. Sampras set many all time records and Agassi won the career Grand Slam when he captured the French Open in 1999.

All of this success left the generation that followed with scant accomplishments. If Patrick Rafter is placed in the Agassi-Sampras generation and if Gustavo Kuerten is placed in the "New Balls" generation, then Yevgeny Kafelnikov's 1996 French Open title, 1999 Australian Open title, brief stint at #1 in 1999 and 2000 Olympic Gold Medal place Yevgeny as the most accomplished player of his generation. YK's career is indeed impressive, especially if one adds his multiple Grand Slam doubles titles, but it pales when compared to Jim Courier's career numbers of four Grand Slam titles and finishing 1992 at #1 in the world. Courier was the 3rd most decorated player of his generation. Thus, the lost generation did not set the world afire with Grand Slam titles or lengthy reigns at #1.

Carlos Moya won the 1998 French Open and was runner-up at the 1997 Australian Open. Moya spent a few weeks in 1999 at #1 and recovered nicely from career threatening injuries by finishing in the top ten from 2002-2004. Had Moya not been hurt in 1999, he likely would have won more Grand Slam titles. Moya is a big guy who moves incredibly well. He was coming into his own when the injury bug hit his career hard. He is 6'3" and has a big serve for a back court player. Moya also has one of the best forehands I have ever seen live or on television. King Carlos helped Spain win the Davis Cup in 2004 and finished the year ranked #5 in the world. Since that time, Moya's results have declined, but he is still considered to be one of the most charismatic players on tour. At thirty years of age, his best tennis is behind him, but Moya has reached two tournament finals (including a runner-up finish this week in Mexico) and one semifinal in 2007. Given that he finished five different years ranked in the top ten in the world, it would be fitting if Moya could have a strong clay court season and make a solid showing at the French Open.

Tommy Haas along with Nicholas Kiefer were expected to step into the big German tennis shoes that Boris Becker, Steffi Graf, and Michael Stich left. Haas has struggled with shoulder injuries his entire career. Haas was trained by Nick Bolleteri, but instead of reflecting the Bolleteri trend of bog forehand, two handed backhand players that started with Jimmy Aires, Aaron Krickstein, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. Haas has one of the best one handed backhands in recent memory. Haas reached #2 in the world (somehow) in 2002. Haas has likely played his best tennis since January 2006. He pushed Roger Federer to five sets at the 2006 Australian Open, reached the quarterfinals of the 2006 U.S. Open, won three events in 2006, reached the semifinals of the 2007 Australian Open and dominated the event in Memphis last week. Haas won the title without facing a single break point. Andy Roddick, Haas' victim in the Memphis final, stated that Haas could realistically win a Grand Slam title. Haas charged into the semifinals at Dubai this week to take on another guy with a great one handed backhand who speaks German. The result: Roger Federer d. Tommy Haas 6-4, 7-5. Haas may be playing the second best tennis in the world in 2007, but his chances of going further and capturing a Grand Slam hinge on his ability to beat Federer. That may never happen, but Haas has the best chance of the lost generation to add one more Grand Slam to their collective accomplishments.

Gustavo Kuerten, if counted among the lost generation, is their standard bearer. Kuerten won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Kuerten, known as "Guga", finished 2000 ranked #1 in the world and beat Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi back-to-back in order to claim that ranking. At Indianapolis in 2001, Guga was fresh off of a masterful victory in Cincinnati and looked to be solidly #1 in the world. Guga reached the Indianapolis final and looked to be a legitimate contender for the U.S. Open despite his clay court-only reputation. Due to weather, Guga had to play the semifinals and finals on the same day. He had done the same thing one week earlier in Cincinnati. Guga defeated 2001 Wimbledon champion the semifinals and faced Patrick Rafter in the finals. Guga hurt himself early in the first set and defaulted. Still he headed into the U.S. Open as the #1 seed with many good hard court results under his belt. Kuerten worked his way through to the quarterfinals of the 2001 U.S. Open, but struggled to do so. In the quarterfinals, Yevgeny Kafelnikov dominated a listless Kuerten. News slowly emerged that Kuerten had a bad hip. Such injuries are deadly in tennis due to the torque one produces by rotating the torso when hitting both forehands and backhands. Guga has had multiple hip surgeries and tried to come back several times. Despite beating Marat Safin at the U.S. Open in 2002, winning the 2002 Brazil Open and defeating Roger Federer at the 2004 French Open, the result of each comeback has always been negative in the long run. Recently, Kuerten won his first ATP level match in over 12 months. If Guga can rediscover his old form, he could be a major factor in Paris. This will likely take over one year of consistent tour play. If Guga can stay healthy and build confidence in 2007, look for him to make one last run on clay in 2008. Like Moya, Guga is charismatic and a fan favorite. It is good to have him back, but one must wonder what his career would have looked like had his hip not broken down.

Source: http://www.411mania.com/sports/othe...he-Net:-Last-Stand-of-the-Lost-Generation.htm
 
#261 ·
Kuerten lacks the knockout punch

Tennis: Likeable Brazilian shows flashes of brilliance on return to big time, says Richard Evans

Sunday March 11, 2007
The Observer

A successful comeback in professional sport is one of the most difficult things to achieve and the evidence was there for all to see as the action got under way under cloudless desert skies in the year's first Masters Series event here in Indian Wells, California.

Of the present crop of players trying to relive past glories, only Martina Hingis seems to have cracked it. Having climbed back to sixth in the world rankings on the back of winning a title in Tokyo last month, the Swiss looked as good as ever while outplaying one of the tour's best newcomers, Caroline Wozniacki, 6-1 6-3 in the second round. Wozniacki, a Dane of Polish heritage, won the title in Las Vegas last week, but she had no answer to the touch and changes of pace with which Hingis unravelled her game.

Gustavo Kuerten, like Hingis a former world number one before hip problems set in, and Mirjana Lucic, a teenage Wimbledon semi-finalist, could only watch in envy after they had lost to rising young stars who have yet to taste the bitter frustration of being forced out of the game.
Kuerten played well in his first-round match against the big Argentine Juan Martin del Potro and served for the first set at 5-4, but he found that he had forgotten how nail down an opportunity. A weak backhand and a double fault allowed Del Potro back into the set and he ran away with the match 7-6 6-2.

'In the first set, despite the bad game at 5-4, I played well and moved well,' said Kuerten. 'But I still have this gap with the physical and my mind goes down a bit. It is tough, but I think it will get better.' Such has been the extent of Kuerten's absence from the game that he played only 17 matches in two years after hip surgery in 2004. But the problems had started before that, dragging this likeable, guitar-strumming Brazilian down from the heights of winning the French Open three times and then, significantly, the Tennis Masters Cup in Lisbon on a faster indoor carpet. After that season-ending triumph in 2000, 'Guga' was on the threshold of becoming a big world star. But it was not to be.

Source: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/tennis/story/0,,2031287,00.html
 
#263 ·
Kuerten back on Brazil Davis squad

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -- Three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten was among eight players selected for consideration for Brazil's Davis Cup tie against Canada on Tuesday.

Brazil will face Canada April 6-8 in Group 1 of the Americas Zone. The clay-court matchup will take place in the southern Brazilian city of Florianopolis.

Captain Francisco Costa, a former player who took over the squad in February, also selected the country's three highest-ranked players: Flavio Saretta (102), Thiago Alves (119) and Ricardo Mello (127), the Brazilian tennis federation said. Only four will be chosen for the tie.

Kuerten, ranked 670th by the ATP and 22nd best among Brazilians, was summoned despite a 2-6 singles record this season, his first playing regularly on tour since hip surgery in September 2004.

He lost his doubles match in Brazil's 3-1 loss to Sweden in a World Group playoff last year.

The 30-year-old Kuerten, who was ranked No. 1 in 2000, won the last of his 20 titles in February 2004. He won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Costa, whose highest ATP rank was 140th in 2000, replaced Fernando Meligeni, who resigned as captain in December after complaining that the federation gave low priority to the Davis Cup.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/tennis/03/21/bc.la.spt.ten.daviscup.ap/
 
#264 ·
Tennis - Roland-Garros - 09/04/2007 - 11:35
Kuerten veut rejouer
Triple vainqueur entre 1997 et 2001, Gustavo Kuerten, 667e joueur ATP, a déclaré vouloir disputer Roland-Garros cette saison. Le Brésilien, opéré deux fois de la hanche en 2002 et 2004, aurait entamé une préparation adéquate pour arriver à Paris en bonne forme.

Kuerten, absent à Roland-Garros l'année dernière et tombé au 1er tour en 2005, a perdu le seul point du Brésil, en double, contre le Canada lors du 2e tour de la zone Amériques en Coupe Davis.
Article in french from eurosport.fr; Guga want to play RG he started a good preparation to be in good condition in Paris.:) and he's confident to get a Wild Card but if he won't have this he'll play qualies.:)
 
#267 ·
"Guga wants to come back Paris to earn of the faces", guarantees Larri

Elói Silveira, of Paris
Special for tenisbr@sil

Following the steps of that the same Guga said in Brazil, while it trains, stows in these days with the Larri Steps in one papo rápido and it it confirmed the idea of that the will exists yes to come back, but not an established stated period or a específico match for this. E it revealed until chateado with repórter of the site of Roland Garros, that would have exaggerated when cravar that the return would be in July, in matches in the Europe. "it did not say this accurately. It will come back to feel itself well. It was the same thing that here ", guaranteed.

For Larri, the situation of the Guga is difícil because it knows of the potential that has, but also of its físicas limitations ahead of a circuit each more athletical time. Same E was this justificatva not to accept the invitation of Roland Garros, although all the will to play the match that consecrated it. Após some rounds following the games, the trainer took off its conclusions and arrived until talking with the tenista in Brazil.

"You it today saw the game of (Rafael) the Nadal (in the tuesday, against the Carlos Moyá)? The Guga would not lose of this skill. The Guga would lose for 6/3, 6/4 and one 6/3, perhaps. But it does not want this, he does not want to come here and to lose for the Nadal. It has a pretty image. It wants to come back with the certainty that can earn of the faces ", said Larri. "Seeing the Federer also in the initial rounds, I spoke for it: today you it would come here and make very better that much of these faces ".

The motivation now in 2007 if is similar with the one of 97, when the trainer admitted to have papos in this nível with the player before exactly of it to blow up. "I remember little before, in Memphis, when it earned of (Andre) the Agassi and still nor was known, that I arrived to speak that it was playing as top 10 and it was thankful to me". Months later, the goblet of the Grand Slam for surprise of the world was in Paris raising.

Still in papo, Larri admitted that the classification of the Jonas Bjorkman to the eighth-of-end of this year found stranger. For who it does not remember, the Guga earned of the Swedish in the second round in 97, when it já it was a tenista twirled in the circuit. Today with 35 years and still in great form, it follows obtaining inimagináveis facts. "the case of the Bjorkman was strange. I ordered a message for the Guga speaking: e the Bjorkman? It is for laughing or to cry ".

Still in these days, here exactly in the press room, I talked with the Swedish and I asked on the duel of ten years atrás. It spoke: "At the time I remember that I was very disappointed with my defeat, because had lost for an unknown Brazilian. E I was in good form, but it played very. Só that I did not find that this was everything. It did not give to speak there that it would be número 1 or similar thing ".


Long 10 years - In this aniversário of first título of the Guga, it is not difícil to take a walk for the complex of Roland Garros and if to move some times when we find mentions to the Brazilian. Best of them está in it squares 1. Construída in round format, takes in the superior ring the name of all the champions since the first edition of the event, in 1891. E if you started the return for the missed side, are in that anxiety to skirt the estádio and to see the years of 97, 2000 and 2001, with the name of it lá.

In the same one it squares, the flag of strong Brazil tremula in the top, being seen of almost all the main street of the complex. In the press room, I repaired another day that wrote a text under of a beautiful photo of it well, já in 2000 or 2001, I do not know, estirado in squares, looking at for front, após to return to a ball probably impossível.

E walking for aí, he is really curious to know as the fact of being Brazilian automatically makes the people to ask for it Is always the same one: "But and the Guga, hein", either the security of squares Suzanne Lenglen, either Argentine, Spanish, French, Portuguese the journalist, either hostess of the massage, the girl of the reception of the press room, the simple couple that looked at in mine crachá well; e read "Brazil Tennis"...
 
#268 ·
Guga relembra Paris and says that it continues training firm
07/06/2007 to 18h25


Camboriú (SC) - Without being able to compete in Roland Garros in this year, exactly in the edition where it would commemorate the 10 years of its first heading in the Grand French Slam, Gustavo Kuerten guaranteed in this thursday, through official notice sent for its assessorship, that continues investing in the physical work with the objective to come back to compete in high level.

"It is clearly that I would like to be playing in Roland Garros. But I cannot be chateado, thinking about this every day. If I was not this year is because I want to be there, playing, in the year that comes ", affirms Guga, that exactly gained first of its the three historical trophies in Paris in day 8 of June. "Roland Garros is my favourite match. It was there that everything happened for me ".

Ten years later, Guga remembered the 1997 trajectory, where it stops conquering the heading needed to win three former-champions of Roland Garros. It earned, in the sequência of Slava Dosedel, Jonas Bjorkman, Thomas Muster, Andrei Medvedev, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Sergi Bruguera. "I arrived in Paris, in that year, with good expectations. It was playing well, it had finished to gain a Challenger in Brazil and had hopes to make a good campaign, but it did not imagine that it was to gain the heading. I started with two first well hard rounds, gaining of the Dosedel and the Bjorkman and later lode the game against the Muster, that was what it opened the doors for the heading ".

Between the new features, they were the departures of five sets. "I remember that it arrived a moment of the game where I found that it was not to aguentar. A departure of five sets in a Grand Slam had never played. There I obtained to earn and came the Medvedev, in a game that had that to be interrupted in the way. It was a departure very balanced, with us two having possibilities the time all, until I earned. Against the Kafelnikov, the game was does not stop it. He was duríssimo, it it did not give space to me, but in the only chance that I had, and was one only, I used to advantage ".

The decisive rounds had been still more special: "the semifinal was the first game where I faced one face more or less in the same situation of that, that never I had fond in that period of training in a Grand Slam. I prepared myself for a well hard game and earned well. Against the Bruguera, in the end, I made mine better game in the match. I entered very relaxed, tranquilo, knowing what to make, without only thinking that the decision of the heading was playing, thinking about freeing the arm, as the Larri (Steps) came saying the entire match to me "

The tenista spoke that when raised the trophy of champion it came a film in its head, of the trajectory of its career. "They had come images since when I started to play child well, passing for the youthful one, when I started to travel, until arriving at that moment, that was the concretion of all a work of many years. It was the accomplishment of a dream ".

Bigger icon of the tennis of Brazil, Guga continues in the fight to come back to play in high level, after having passed for two surgeries in the hip (2002 and 2004) and laments the lack of results of the Brazilian tennis and qualified projects in the country. "It is sad. It was not really used to advantage nothing in development terms and structure. The part of growth specialized in the sport, with more professional projects was well to desire. What it moved completely was the spreading of the tennis, the number of people playing and the sprouting of social projects. It lacked a qualified program so that we could have tenistas more of tip ".

On its return to the circuit, Guga said that thus that he will be ready, it will travel to compete. "I am in search of a regularity. I am working, making of everything the possible one to be well physically, with force in the right leg, without oscillations. Thus that it will have this certainty, I come back to compete. Still I have this dream to come back to compete in high level ".
 
#274 ·
Tennis: Gustavo Kuerten will not play Pan Am
Posted: 2007/06/15


The Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) announced Thursday that three-time Roland Garros champion Gustavo Kuerten will not participate in the XV Pan American Games, to be held in Rio de Janeiro in July.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The entity released the rosters of Brazil's men's and women's teams for the competition. Guga, as the player is popular known, is not among the three men players drafted.

Kuerten had previously released a press statement saying that he would not play the Games, but CBT promptly denied the information. At the time, he stressed that the decision was taken with the consent of the Brazilian team's head coach Francisco Costa.

After the Confederation bounced back, the coach said that Guga is not ready yet to return to courts in a Pan Am, but he added that he expects the former champion to join the squad for the Davis Cup, against Austria.

The coaching committee, comprised of Costa, Joao Zwetsch and Thomaz Koch, drafted players Flavio Saretta, Thiago Alves and Marcos Daniel.

According to Costa, Alves and Daniel have been presenting the best recent performances among Brazilian tennis players, as the former occupies a higher position in the ATP (Association of Tennis Players) ranking, and the latter led the local ranking in 2006.

Saretta was chosen to fill up the roster due to his being experienced in important international competitions.

The women's team for the Pan Am Games will rely on Jenifer Widjaja, Teliana Pereira and Joana Cortez.

Source: http://mathaba.net/news/?x=555720
 
#275 ·
Seems that we have to wait at least 3 more months until we will see Guga on the court again :sad:

That's what Charlie Bricker wrote in an article:

Ran into Larri Passos coming down the path to Aorangi and he says his No. 1 charge, three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten, is still three months away from getting back on court.
That means the USTA can save a wild card for another American. Guga won't be ready for the Open. He cannot seem to get over his chronic hip problems. He tried coming back this year, playing Challengers and taking wild cards where he could get them, like the Sony Ericsson Open, but was a very deserved 2-8. After losing two and two to Raemon Sluiter in the first round at Key Biscayne, he went home to try to get well and hasn't played since.
Kuerten is 30 years old and ranked No. 667. He's earned nearly $15 million. So why is this man trying to play tennis?
Source: http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_tennisblog/2007/06/guga-at-least-3.html
 
#277 ·
when i was in brazil, i was convinced that i saw guga kuerten and then deb told me that he was actually in california. but i was so thrilled for like three hours.

anyway, maybe his lookalike is playing tennis and guga is actually just wandering the streets.
 
#280 ·
Me too :sad:

Has anyone seen Guga in Wimbledon? He was there according to this article:

Elsewhere, things felt a lot better. “God has been really good to me,” Larri Passos said. Gustavo Kuerten was the world No 1 seven years ago, won the French Open three times and reached the quarter-finals of the 1999 Wimbledon, which sent them nuts in Brazil. Passos was his coach and the next best thing to the father that Kuerten lost aged 9 when Aldo Kuerten collapsed and died umpiring a junior match.

Kuerten, 30, who presented the trophy to Rafael Nadal on his third Roland Garros triumph last month, has been visiting the All England Club, stopping to confess that his efforts to return to the competitive front line after a debilitating hip injury are in vain. He said he intends to play a couple of exhibition matches – “to remind Brazilians and the world who I was” – and take the rest of his life from there.

Passos probably thought that he would never be back in a grand-slam tournament but he is coaching Tamira Paszek, a 16-year-old from Austria who reached the fourth round of the women’s singles yesterday – a partnership that began in remarkable circumstances and promises to become a tale as fascinating as that of Kuerten and the little man who never left his side.

Consider this: Paszek had been pictured with Kuerten in Paris when she was 13. Her father, Ariff Mohamed, born in Tanzania and raised in Kenya, wrote to Passos two years ago saying that he had a 14-year-old daughter with a talent for tennis and pleaded with him to come and see for himself.

“Larri has always been in my heart for what he did for Guga [Kuerten] and I wanted to tell him about my Tamira,” Ariff said. Passos, fascinated by such a request, flew to Austria, took one look at Paszek and enrolled her in his academy in Brazil. With her 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Elena Dementieva, the No 12 seed from Russia, Paszek joins Kim Clijsters, Jelena Dokic, Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis as 16-year-olds to have reached this stage of Wimbledon in the past ten years.

Kuerten lost to Andre Agassi – the French Open champion at the time – in straight sets in that quarter-final in 1999, although Passos is certain that had he won, he would have taken the title. For Kuerten, Wimbledon was never quite the same again. In Portugal, at the end of 2000, his marquee year, he became the first player to win the Masters Cup, after the ITF and ATP came to their senses and decided to stage an end-of-season championship in harness rather than blow raspberries at each other and do their own things.
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article2017641.ece
 
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