Mens Tennis Forums banner

Gaston News, Information & Articles (Exhibition Matches as well)

275K views 4K replies 160 participants last post by  reiko 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Textbook Gaudio into first semi final
By Nyree Epplett
Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Gaston Gaudio’s backhand is made of the stuff you find in textbooks. Honed on the slow clay courts of Buenos Aires, it slides off his racquet and skims down the line or rolls across court and disappears into thin air.

And on Court Suzanne Lenglen Wednesday, it laid the groundwork for the demise of former World No1 Lleyton Hewitt.

“Like Sampras served like that, I play my backhand like that,” explained the wily Argentine who routinely disposed of the Aussie 12th seed in straight sets 6-3 6-2 6-2 to move into his first ever Grand Slam semi final.

It was the unseeded Gaudio’s most stunning victory of the tournament to date. Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, simply failed to find the answers to the exceptional claycourt prowess of his opponent, and was blown away by the gloriously fluid one-handed stroke.

“His backhand is one of the best single-handed backhands out there,” lamented Hewitt. "I tried hanging in there and I tried a few different things...

"His defense was so good. He didn't give me a lot of chances to attack. He's a class player on this surface.”

Enroute to his historic victory, Gaudio reveled in the cool and blustery conditions, controlling the dual from the outset with a near flawless display of superior shotmaking. He made just 19 unforced errors to Hewitt's 43 and broke the Aussie seven times.

“I’m especially happy because I played much better than the other day. I knew if I kept focused, particularly at the key times, that I would be able to win,” said Gaudio, adding that he would have laughed off the notion of making the Roland Garros final one month ago. His previous best at a Grand Slam came two years ago here, when he reached the fourth round.

“You gonna be kidding. That’s impossible!” said Gaudio, who has been forced to revise his original goal of making it to the second week here. “And now to win the tournament like a dream, I was dreaming about it,” said the 25-year-old.

Hewitt struggled to get as much depth or bite on his shot as the Argentine, and rarely strung together enough points to bother the Gaudio from the backcourt. His flat, counter-punching style played right into the hands of the 44-ranked Argentine. He kept the Aussie scampering with his heavily angled balls, and succession of glorious drop shots. He threaded his near-perfect one-handed topspin backhand down the line and cross court over and over again to frustrate Hewitt.

Hewitt broke the steady Gaudio just twice, in the first game of the match (Gaudio broke straight back to love, 1-1) and then again in the fourth game of the third set.

At 3-3 and 40-0 on serve in the first set, the 12th seed looked like he might make a match of it. But four consecutive errors, including a sitter backhand at the net, and a shaky double fault sealed his fate, and he floated a backhand long to hand Gaudio a 4-2 lead. Hewitt missed a break point at 30-40 in the next game when the Argentine played a precise drop shot and upped the velocity on his serve and groundstrokes.

“I thought I could have been a little more nervous but in fact I was not all,” said the Argentine, who won 20 of 21 points at the net. “I’m not used to go so much to the net,” he chuckled.

Gaudio ran all over the Aussie in the second set, racing to a 5-1 lead before the Aussie had time to blink.

Hewitt staged a minor resurgence of sorts in the third, but it was too little and too late, and the Argentine broke the Aussie one more time in the seventh game (5-2). He won the contest on his next serve when a Hewitt forehand floated wide.

It is the second time in nearly as many weeks that Gaudio has beaten Hewitt, after inflicting a three-set defeat at the World Team Cup.

Gaudio was one of four Argentines to advance to the quarter finals at Roland Garros (a new Grand Slam record for the nation). He now meets the winner of the Gustavo Kuerten v David Nalbandian quarter final in a match he compares to the final of the first division Spanish soccer league.

“They’re (Nalbandian and Kuerten) the Galacticos (Real Madrid) and I’m the Valencia. They have a special talent and in the top 10.”

Source: www.rolandgarros.com
 
See less See more
#52 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Gracias, George! You always know the info! So I guess you wish you were going to Bastad? Sounds like a good tourney and I'm sure that Rogi is thankful Gaston is NOT playing Gstaad this yr even tho he beat him last yr. Two nice clay tourneys -- one day... but I still want to go to Barcelona first to see the Armada and the Legion!
 
#53 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

RogiFan88 said:
Gracias, George! You always know the info! So I guess you wish you were going to Bastad? Sounds like a good tourney and I'm sure that Rogi is thankful Gaston is NOT playing Gstaad this yr even tho he beat him last yr. Two nice clay tourneys -- one day... but I still want to go to Barcelona first to see the Armada and the Legion!
I am very pissed off about not going to Båstad, considering that I told some people that they should play there, and it seems the message has got around. It's actually the best non Masters event along with Barcelona, though the cutoff was lower here, I just hope everyone apart from Younes shows up.

Gaston will like Båstad, well he would rather that than the USA, and the irony is the years I went weren't as good as Båstad, though I was there when Mats was the man, so I can't complain too much.
 
#54 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

only players with bad backhands succed in Båstad, moya, zabaleta, vinciguerra, el aynaoui, poor gaston will probably lose early.

:p
 
#56 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

TennisLurker said:
only players with bad backhands succed in Båstad, moya, zabaleta, vinciguerra, el aynaoui, poor gaston will probably lose early.

:p
There has to be a change Lurker, I mean Meligieni won Båstad once, then again he didn't have a great backhand, it must the wind that helps the forehands.
 
#57 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

no news on Gaston George?? when will he be at Bastad?? is he playing Kitz also? then he must come to TO [voy a esperarle alli!!]
 
#58 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

An article (in Spanish) with some photos:
http://www0.caras.uol.com.ar/edicion_1171/nota_01.htm

"AQUI EN BUENOS AIRES RECIEN ME SENTI CAMPEON"
De regreso a la Argentina , Gastón Gaudio celebró con su novia y sus afectos
------------------------------------------------------------------

Fue una semana distinta, sin dudas la más trascendente de su vida junto a las dos que le precedieron. Ni bien se consagró ganador del Abierto de Francia, a Gastón Gaudio (25) se le abrieron las puertas de la gloria y el reconocimiento unánime. Después de festejar el domingo por la noche en París con su íntimo amigo Martín Cetra y el preparador físico Fernando “La Pantera” Aguirre, el tenista comprobó en su primera caminata por la Ciudad Luz, el lunes por la mañana, que ganar Roland Garros es un pasaporte directo a la notoriedad. “Fui a comprar una remera y la gente me reconoció”, señaló el nuevo top ten del tenis argentino, quien ese mismo día se embarcó a Buenos Aires para reencontrarse con los afectos que tanto extrañó.
“Fueron dos semanas increíbles. Es que recién estoy empezando a creer ¡qué gané el Abierto de Francia, que repetí el triunfo de nuestra alma mater, Guillermo Vilas!. Por un año la bandera argentina flameará en el estadio más famoso del mundo”, reconoció “El Gato” apenas regresó a su país. Una tierra que añoraba tanto como las calles de Temperley, su barrio. “¿Saben cuándo disfruté más el título? Cuando estuve acá en Temperley, cuando me reencontré con mi novia y con mi familia. Aquí me sentí el verdadero campeón”.
Ansioso por celebrar con los suyos, Gaudio organizó una íntima fiesta el martes por la noche en el bar Tequila. Nadie podía faltar a la convocatoria de “Gasti” en la Costanera, y cada uno de los invitados tenía su porqué. Empezando por sus padres, Marisa y Norberto, sus hermanos, Diego (30) y Julieta (28), y su novia, la modelo Natalia Forchino (28). Y siguiendo por sus amigos del alma, su coach Franco Davín, su ex entrenador Gabriel Mena, sus colegas Mariano Zabaleta y Juan Ignacio Chela y el futbolista Sebastián Rambert, con quien cosechó una cálida amistad a partir de su fanatismo por Independiente.
La velada se extendió hasta las cuatro de la madrugada, los invitados brindaron con Chandon y en los momentos de mayor euforia hubo algunos cánticos alusivos a Guillermo Coria (22). El miércoles, Gastón se reunió con la prensa en el Hotel Emperador y de yapa, cumplió el sueño de encontrarse con Ricardo Bochini, su ídolo futbolero. “No hay precio por ésto. Como él no hay nadie, no existe comparación. Es increíble que me haya venido a visitar”, confesó el tenista, más feliz que nunca por recibir una remera autografiada de manos del “Bocha”.
Poco propenso a mostrarse con su novia, Gaudio debió enfrentar algunos rumores de desgaste en su relación con Forchino. Lo cierto es que la modelo no lo acompañó el jueves en sus dos apariciones televisivas, una en el programa de Susana Giménez y la otra en “CQC”. Tampoco se lo vio con Natalia el sábado, cuando fue al Club Lomas a saludar a sus ex compañeros de rugby. Aprovechando que la primera enfrentaba al CASI, Gaudio –que de chico jugó como apertura- llegó temprano al predio de Longchamps, almorzó con amigos, vio el partido y se llevó como recuerdo la camiseta del club. Por la noche volvió a frecuentar Tequila, y Natalia no apareció.
El fin de semana, Gastón confirmó que no jugará Wimbledon. Además de una lesión, no le faltan ganas de seguir en Buenos Aires. Y de disfrutar al máximo ese dulce sabor que el destino le reserva a quienes nunca dejan de soñar.

Por Carlos Cervetto - Fotos: M.A.De Leon/Perfil
 
#59 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

RogiFan88 said:
no news on Gaston George?? when will he be at Bastad?? is he playing Kitz also? then he must come to TO [voy a esperarle alli!!]
He was training with Juan Monaco and I am not sure when he is going, he might be there Thursday or something like that.

He is playing Kitzbhuel and Amersfoort, plus the Olympics and if he is not injured he will be in Toronto.
 
#63 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

joes said:
Ahhh.... :awww: thanks anyway reiko! Thought it sounded too good to be true.... But what a field in Stuttgart! With Nadal and all!! If it weren't so far away.....
Stuttgart is not as good as Båstad actually.
 
#64 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

I don't think it's an insult to Coria at all, he's just agreeing that the killer instinct and concentrating on victory is vital when your opponent is injured (not that Gaudio displayed any of that during the final set up until the last few games, whatever he said on TV).
 
#65 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Jadestone said:
WUD ON EARTH. fine i guess you can tell people about what gaudio said. but that last comment you made. couldn't you keep that to yourself?!? i'm a die-hard coria fan, and i can tell you that all of us were so devastated that he lost what he had always dreamt of winning. we haven't said anything bad about gaudio, so why are you rubbing it in that gaudio won?!?
Ok, some things need to be cleared up here and now. If you such a die-hard Coria fan what are you doing here in then? Of course, this is a public forum and all constructive opinions which lead to debate are welcome, irrespective of whether posters agree or not.

Then again, this must be a troll because a die-hard fan of Coria wouldn't be coming here, and whining about a particular comment that I have made, and at the same time Coria does not care too much about Gaudio, so really there isn't a point to what you are saying and Coria would do the same thing in the same situation.

Two, I don't go into Coria forums and rubbish the fact, that he cramped and that was his fault and no one elses and unlike Coria who has got over the loss and pushing forwards, some of the fans need to take lessons from him.
 
#66 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Oh sure, so now just because I've posted in Gaudio's forum you're insulting me. I have moved on from that defeat at the RG, but all the same I was talking to other fans and we all didn't know why Gaudio would say that. So that's why I came here, hoping to find an answer. Yeah I found out why he said that, but I didn't need you telling me off for showing what I thought of your post. You said that it's a public forum and people should post what they want but you also said that I shouldn't be post about your comment. You know, you're just a walking contradiction.
 
#67 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Sorry. I've thought it over now that I'm calmer. I didn't mean to insult anyone with either of my comments, I just couldn't contain myself. I'll try to forget that any of this happened. I still don't like some of the things you've said but I'll just try and forget about it and keep to myself. If there was a way of deleting my posts, I'd do so cause I didn't mean to say what I did. I'm sorry, and I hope you don't mind too much about this...
 
#68 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

TennisLurker said:
only players with bad backhands succed in Båstad, moya, zabaleta, vinciguerra, el aynaoui, poor gaston will probably lose early.

:p
Come to think of it you are right, but maybe this might chance this year.
 
#69 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Jadestone said:
Sorry. I've thought it over now that I'm calmer. I didn't mean to insult anyone with either of my comments, I just couldn't contain myself. I'll try to forget that any of this happened. I still don't like some of the things you've said but I'll just try and forget about it and keep to myself. If there was a way of deleting my posts, I'd do so cause I didn't mean to say what I did. I'm sorry, and I hope you don't mind too much about this...
It's very easy to delete a message, go to edit on your own message and at the top of the message it has a circle, that says delete message then click on it, and it will be deleted.

Actually I agree with what Sjengster and GWH said earlier about the statement. One, when the players are on the court, they will do whatever it takes to win within the rules (though some of the rules need to be fixed), and it doesn't matter whether the opponent is injured or not ( considering cramp is not an injury), the particular player has to be prepared to play as long as it takes to win.
 
#70 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Gaston Gaudio showed the courage of a true champion- Henman made the mistake of rallying more from the baseline vs Coria
Serve & Volley
Naresh Kumar

A French newspaper called the red clay at Roland Garros the ‘surface of truth’. The late Lance Tuigay, the doyen of tennis scribes, referred to its testing qualities as “the slow, searching fires”. Indeed, it is a brutally slow surface with no place to hide your weakness. As in the past, honour cannot be salvaged with a single shot at ten paces in the morning mist at the Bois. The route to the title is tortuous and long.

It was a fascinating fortnight full of suspense and high drama. As many as eight matches were won by competitors who were match-point down. Fairytales, shattered dreams, comedy were entwined in the unpredictable twists and turns of fate. The unlikely champion was unseeded Argentine Gaston Gaudio, 25 years of age and ranked 44th in the world. Earlier in the year, he had considered giving up the game!

The unseeded Gaston Gaudio was an unlikely champion
Down two match-points in the final against Coria, when the title was slipping through his fingers, Gaudio stood his ground, planted his solid legs firmly on the clay and went for his shots with the courage of a true champion.

For Coria, just one point short of glory, it was a traumatic tragedy. Can you imagine winning 48 out of 50 matches on clay and losing the most important one after holding two match-points! Seven best-of-five set matches on the red clay found Coria just a fraction short physically. Leading two sets to love against Gaudio, Coria was comfortably sailing through the final when Gaudio, egged on by the crowd clamouring for a good contest, managed to win the third set.

At one game all in the fourth set, Coria was immobilised by cramps in both legs. After medical attention, he made no effort in the fourth set waiting for the cream rubbed on his legs to have effect. Alas, Coria’s spirited and brave comeback in the fifth failed by a whisker.

To read the rest of the French Open review.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040614/asp/sports/story_3368238.asp
 
#71 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

From the champiosnhip website and GWH post.

Världsmästaren imponerade

Gaston Gaudio imponerade när han enkelt besegrade Nikolay Davydenko med 6-3, 6-1.

För första gången sedan 1982 har Synsam Swedish Open äran att ha årets Franska Öppna mästare på plats. Gaudio triumferade i Paris för precis en månad sedan. Därefter har den 25-årige argentinaren inte spelat några tävlingar men dagens match visade att formen fortfarande är god.

- Det var en märklig känsla att spela min första match sedan vinsten i Paris. Det har varit mycket festande hemma i Buenos Aires och jag har varit trött senaste tiden, berättade Gaudio för publiken på centercourten direkt efter matchen.

Gaudio spelar även dubbel i par med Juan Ignacio Chela under eftermiddagen, där de ställs mot Robin Söderling och Jarkko Nieminen.

English
World Champion Impressive

Gaston Gaudio impressed when he easily defeated Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-1.
For the first time since 1982 the Swedish Open has had the honour of the French Open champion playing in Båstad. Gaudio triumphed in Paris exactly a month ago. Afterwards the 25 year old Argentine has not played a tournament since, but todays match showed that he was in good form.

"It was a remarkable feeling to play my first match since the win in Paris. There has been plenty of partying at home in Buenos Aires and lately I have been tired in this time" said Gaudio to the crowd on centre court directly after the match.
Gaudio will play doubles together with Juan Ignacio Chela in the afternoon, there they will meet Robin Söderling och Jarkko Nieminen.
 
#72 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

This was an article in the SydSvenska Dagbladet. The translation isn't great, then again it's better than the standard of Norwegian tennis.

http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/sport/did_7782166.asp

Gaudio har längtat till Båstad

Båstad Först vann han Öppna franska. Sen nobbade han Wimbledon. Nu är han i Båstad. - Jag har längtat efter att komma hit, säger Gaston Gaudio vars liv förändrades genom skrällsegern i Paris.
SvD fick i går en exklusiv intervju med den 25-årige argentinaren som haft en hektisk tid sedan han för knappt en månad sedan triumferade på Roland Garros.

- Det blev en enorm uppståndelse hemma i Argentina och massor av människor mötte mig på flygplatsen. Sen gav jag intervjuer och åkte runt på olika grejer i en vecka. Det var så tufft att jag tänkte, nä, nu sticker jag härifrån.
Till slut ebbade hyllningarna ändå ut för Argentinas första Grand Slam-segrare på 25 år men hans tillvaro blir aldrig mer vad den varit.
- Jag är så lycklig. Även om jag inte vinner någon mer Grand Slam kommer jag att vara nöjd med min karriär, säger sydamerikanen som inte lagt sig till med de divalater eller primadonnefasoner som alltför ofta följer med stora genombrott.

- Jag ser inte mig själv som en stor stjärna.

Ett bevis på att han verkligen menar det är att han spelar Swedish Open som är en av de mindre turneringarna på ATP-touren. Gaudio kunde förklarat att han inte var kvitt den fotskada som fick honom att stå över Wimbledon för att få mer tid att förbereda sig inför de större turneringar som väntar.
- Men jag ville verkligen till Båstad. Det är sex år sedan jag var här senast och alla spelare snackar om hur bra allt blivit.
Hur förändrade Paris-segern dig som spelare?
- Jag känner mig mycket mer avslappnad nu eftersom mitt självförtroende är större. Förut kunde jag bli spänd och nervös men så känner jag det inte alls nu.
Andra förändringar?
- Alla vill besegra mig.

Även ekonomiskt betydde Grand Slam-segern mycket. Men Gaudio säger att han inte tänker på att sponsorskontrakten är lukrativare och att arrangörer som tidigare inte tog notis om han var på plats eller inte numera lockar med tjocka dollarbuntar.

- Visst har allt det där förändrats men det är ändå inte så viktigt för mig. Jag menar det verkligen. Ända sedan
jag var liten har jag drömt om att vinna i Paris och så fick jag göra det. Den äran och lyckan kan inte mätas i pengar.
Den argentinske grusspecialisten säger att hans målsättningar inte förändrats efter Paris-segern.
- Jag är inte speciellt ambitiös utan det viktigaste för mig är att trivas med livet, säger sydamerikanen som från att ha varit en i mängden av starka grusspelare nu är Swedish Opens största utländska affischnamn jämte Carlos Moya.
- Startfältet här är verkligen starkt och det kommer att bli tufft.

English :

Gaudio longs for Båstad


First he won the French Open, and then later he turned down Wimbledon. Now, he is in Båstad. "I have longed to come here," said Gaston Gaudio, whose life has changed through his surprise victory in Paris.

SvD has an exclusive interview with the 25 year old Argentine, who has had a hectic time since triumphing in Roland Garros, slightly less than a month ago.

"It caused a great stir in Argentina and plenty of people met me at the airport. Later, I gave interviews and went around doing different things in one week. It was tough, that I thought, no, I better leave now."

Yet at the end, the congratulations for Argentina's first Grand Slam champion for 25 years, but his existence won't be like before. I am so fortunate even if I don't win another Grand Slam I can be satisfied with my career, said the South American, who will not show diva behaviour or go through primadonna phases that happen all too often following a big breakthrough.

"I don't see myself as a superstar"

As a testimony that he really means it, is that he is playing the Swedish Open, which is one of the smaller tournaments on the ATP tour. Gaudio could have explained that he wasn't over the foot problem that caused him to miss Wimbledon, and take more time to improve before the bigger tournaments that are waiting.

But I really wanted to come to Båstad. It was six years ago, since I was here last and all the players are talking about how good it has become.

How has the Paris champion changed as a player?

I am much more relaxed and now my self-belief is greater. Before I could become tight and nervous, but now I feel like that at all now.

Other changes?
Everyone will want to beat me.

Also a Grand Slam winner it means economic changes. But Gaudio says he is not thinking about the lucrative sponsorships and the earlier arrangements in place and takes no notice of the numbers or the large amount of dollars.

"Certainly, there has been some changes, yet it is not so important for me. I really mean that. Yet, since I was little I have dreamed about winning Paris and I have done it. The honour and happiness can't be measured in money."

The Argentinian claycourt specialist said his goals haven't changed since the Paris win. "I am not especially ambitious, and the most important for me, is that I am happy in life, " said the South American who has been among the mulititude of strong claycourt players and now is the Swedish Open's biggest foreign attraction besides Carlos Moya.

The starting field is strong and it will be tough.
 
#73 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

Thanks for the article GWH.
 
#75 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

faraway said:
Gaston is mature, calm and humorous. I'd like to see that. This makes me like him more.
And thanks for George's translation.
No problem for that, he is a natural guy who knows his strengths and weaknesses and I love the bit how hw won't take the appearance money to play at these events.
 
#76 ·
Re: Gaston News & Articles

GeorgeWHitler said:
No problem for that, he is a natural guy who knows his strengths and weaknesses and I love the bit how hw won't take the appearance money to play at these events.
yeah, you catch the point —— natural. I like the word. Everytime I saw him I just saw him. I saw him win. I saw him lost. I saw him kind. I saw him rough. I saw him cry. I saw him laugh. Everything comes from a natural guy. But what I love him most and wish most is as what he said:
"I am not especially ambitious, and the most important for me, is that I am happy in life."
That's all.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top