[Vale]

Hi Choupi,
Apparently we'd better wait before celebrating, as the Basel organizers have not yet been informed of his participation (Melu's news)
Hope it's not just inaccurate reporting!

[Zetlandsk]

I don't care where he plays as long as he arrives in Houston and if he wins a match that is good enough. The health and the mental state are more important.

[Choupi]

Originally Posted by Vale

Hi Choupi,
Apparently we'd better wait before celebrating, as the Basel organizers have not yet been informed of his participation (Melu's news)
Hope it's not just inaccurate reporting!

HI Vale

I've just checked on the official site of The Basel tournament. GG is on their list of players. So, how can the organizers say he has not confirmed participation and put him on the list of participating players? Who's wrong?
Just wait and see...

[Boludo]

Gaston will remain on the list, but he has until Friday to confirm whether he is going to play Basel or not.

[Vale]

I read the gastongaudio_group forum in Spanish, and last night Paola wrote that GG had been training, that he was in good form, that apparently he's overcome his physical problems, and that he's due to travel to Basel on Thursday or Friday!!!!!

[Choupi]

Originally Posted by Vale

I read the gastongaudio_group forum in Spanish, and last night Paola wrote that GG had been training, that he was in good form, that apparently he's overcome his physical problems, and that he's due to travel to Basel on Thursday or Friday!!!!!

Thank you Vale,

Very good news. Seems in good form. that's OK. I was a bit worried about that. I was wondering if he would be fit for the upcoming tournaments because he simply hasn't played since the Us Open, except the exhibition in Brazil.

Never mind. We'll be there to cheer him. We're waiting for that for such a long time, so trust us.

[Vale]

Communiqué

DAVIDOFF SWISS INDOORS BASEL 2004:
WORLD NUMBER ONE ROGER FEDERER AGAINST THE PICK OF THE CROP

ATP EURO 1 MILLION TOURNAMENT FROM 23 TO 31 OCTOBER 2004

Top class line-up

The new trendsetter in world tennis, the ATP no.1 and this year’s treble Grand Slam winner Roger Federer, French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, Olympic gold medallist Nicolas Massu, the world’s number one in 2003 Juan Carlos Ferrero, and two former winners in Basel, Tim Henman and David Nalbandian, head an explosive line-up for the Davidoff Swiss Indoors.

In the run-up to the world championships in Houston, tennis fans can look
forward to a host of thrilling matches between 23 and 31 October 2004. The chase for ATP points and the top-bracket prize money are further factors behind this powerful entry field.

The last player to qualify directly for the main tournament currently ranks 51st on the ATP list. The tournament now features this year’s Grand Slam champions (Federer, Gaudio), the reigning world champion (Federer), the Olympic gold medallist (Massu) and the Davis Cup finalists from Spain (Ferrero, Robredo, Nadal).

"Tradition and reputation, built up steadily over the years, are now bearing fruit,” is how Tournament Director Roger Brennwald explains this exclusive line-up, where each player is capable of beating any other on the day.

Mind the outsiders

Roger Federer, the world’s number one ranking player since 2 February and scheduled to play his first match on Tuesday, 26 October, will be taking on a field in his native city that rivals the quality of a Masters Series tournament. Winning this trophy will require him to produce his very best tennis five times over.
Ivan Ljubicic, the Croatian with the powerful serve who knocked Federer out of last year’s tournament, is back at the starting line. Two other big servers, Mario Ancic and Taylor Dent, will be putting in their first appearance in Basel. Highly rated outsiders include Paradorn Srichaphan (another first in Basel), 18-year-old shooting star Rafael Nadal and the up-and-coming Rainer Schüttler, Nicolas Kiefer and Florian Mayer, all from Germany.

Only two former Davidoff Swiss Indoors winners are in the Basel line-up: Tim Henman (1998/2001) from England, currently very much a man in form, and the Argentinian David Nalbandian (2002). This is an indication of how quickly fortunes change at the top of men’s tennis.

Draw broadcast live from the “Rathaus”

At the invitation of the Cantonal Government of Basel-Stadt, the draw for the main tournament will be held at the Rathaus (Council Hall) in Basel on 25 October 2004, from 12 to 1 pm. The eagerly anticipated ceremony will be broadcast live by Telebasel, the local TV station.

[Zetlandsk]

http://www.bnpparibasmasters.org/


Paris - 01/11/04

After his crazy run in the 2004 French Open, Gaston Gaudio is back on the Parisian soil. However this time it is at the BNP Paribas Masters that the Argentine will try and conquer a new title, and who knows why not go for a Parisian repeat

Gaston, how does it feel to be back in Paris?

I went back to Roland-Garros. It felt nice, but not comparable to what I felt in June when I won the tournament. Nevertheless it was nice to be back. In any case I know that never again I will feel what I felt in June. It was a once in a life time!

What does the BNP Paribas Masters mean to you?

I like this tournament a lot, but the surface is not exactly adapted to my game. But I love being in Paris that it doesn't really matter. In fact I have a lot of friends here, and I find that there is a great atmosphere in this tournament.

Do you remember the six match points you saved versus Richard Gasquet in the first round before beating him?

Perfectly. Richard had the crowd behind him. I was extremely lucky to not have lost in the first round. There is no doubt that the Parisian public now knows who I am and of course I would like to win the BNP Paribas Masters, but I don't know if I will be able re-enact my performance of the past French Open. Let's wait and see.

(Eli Weinstein)

[Choupi]

Hi Zetlandsk!

Thanks for this interview but Vale had already posted it yesterday in the "Gaston's back in Paris" thread. But anyway, it was nice to read it again...

[Vale]

This article appeared in today's Internet edition of Clarin of Buenos Aires (latest news):

14:34 | Clarin
Gastón Gaudio ya tiene rival para mañana en París: Feliciano López

El campeón de Roland Garros dijo que "esta ciudad es la más linda del mundo". Confía en llegar bien lejos en este Masters Series.

"París es la ciudad que más me gusta en el mundo", dijo Gastón Gaudio, noveno jugador mundial, antes de comenzar mañana su actuación en el Masters Series de esta ciudad, prueba de la ATP que reparte 2,45 millones de euros en premios, ante el español Feliciano López, en partido de segunda ronda.

El argentino, que cumplirá 26 años en diciembre, ganador de Roland Garros en junio pasado, regresó por primera vez a la capital donde conquistó su torneo de Gran Slam. "Volver a pisar la arcilla de Roland Garros, donde vine a entrenarme estos días, fue una hermosa sensación, revivimos todos los momentos pasados, que fueron maravillosos", dijo. "Pese a que las tribunas estaban vacías ahora, pusimos en marcha nuestra imaginación para recordar el momento de ganar mi primer Gran Slam", contó.

Junto a Mariano Hood en dobles, cayó ante los primeros cabezas de serie, la pareja bahameño/canadiense Mark Knowles/Daniel Nestor en dos sets, por 6-3 y 6-4, tras haber resistido en gran parte del primer set.

La presencia de Gastón Gaudio en Bercy para el Masters Series de París, después de haber estado un tiempo parado, le sirve como preparación para el Torneo de Maestros de tenis de Houston, en Estados Unidos, del 15 al 21 de noviembre, con 3,7 millones de dólares en premios. "En Houston, estarán presentes los ocho mejores jugadores actuales del mundo. Será un torneo muy difícil. Tendré que tener una motivación mayor para poder estar al mismo nivel de jugadores que pasan por un buen momento. Tendré que estar bien predispuesto. Siempre es bueno jugar un par de partidos antes de llegar a ese tipo de torneo y ponerme un poco más en forma. Y prepararme para ese torneo, es importante", concluyó.

My translation:

GASTON GAUDIO ALREADY HAS A RIVAL FOR TOMORROW IN PARIS: Feliciano Lopez

The Roland Garros champion said that “this is the most beautiful city in the world”. He in confident that he can go far in this Masters Series.

“Paris is the city I like best in the world”, said Gaston Gaudio, ninth ranked player in the world, before commencing his participation tomorrow in the Masters Series of this city, an ATP event that distributes 2,45 million euros in prize money, against the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, in a second round match.

The Argentinian, who will be 26 in December, winner of Roland Garros last June, returned for the first time to the capital where he conquered his Grand Slam tournament. “To set foot on the clay of Roland Garros again, where I’ve been practicing these last few days, was a wonderful sensation, we relived all those moments we went through, which were marvellous” he said. “Even though the stands are empty now, we used our imagination to remember the moment when I won my first Grand Slam”, he related.

Playing doubles with Mariano Hood, he lost to the first ranked players, Mark Knowles/ Daniel Nestor, the pair from Bahamas and Canada, in two sets, 6-3 and 6-4, after having resisted during much of the first set.

Gaston Gaudio’s presence in Bercy for the Paris Masters Series, after not having played for some time, will serve him as preparation for the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, USA, from the 15th to the 21st of November, with 3,7 million dollars in prize money.
“The current eight best players in the world will be present in Houston. It will be a very difficult tournament. I will have to have greater motivation to be at the same level of players who are going through a good moment. I will have to have a good attitude. It’s always good to play a couple of matches before competing in that kind of tournament, and to try to be more in form. And it’s important for me to prepare for that tournament”, he concluded.

[Vale]

This article appeared in today's Internet edition of Clarin of Buenos Aires (latest news):

14:34 | Clarin
Gastón Gaudio ya tiene rival para mañana en París: Feliciano López

El campeón de Roland Garros dijo que "esta ciudad es la más linda del mundo". Confía en llegar bien lejos en este Masters Series.

"París es la ciudad que más me gusta en el mundo", dijo Gastón Gaudio, noveno jugador mundial, antes de comenzar mañana su actuación en el Masters Series de esta ciudad, prueba de la ATP que reparte 2,45 millones de euros en premios, ante el español Feliciano López, en partido de segunda ronda.

El argentino, que cumplirá 26 años en diciembre, ganador de Roland Garros en junio pasado, regresó por primera vez a la capital donde conquistó su torneo de Gran Slam. "Volver a pisar la arcilla de Roland Garros, donde vine a entrenarme estos días, fue una hermosa sensación, revivimos todos los momentos pasados, que fueron maravillosos", dijo. "Pese a que las tribunas estaban vacías ahora, pusimos en marcha nuestra imaginación para recordar el momento de ganar mi primer Gran Slam", contó.

Junto a Mariano Hood en dobles, cayó ante los primeros cabezas de serie, la pareja bahameño/canadiense Mark Knowles/Daniel Nestor en dos sets, por 6-3 y 6-4, tras haber resistido en gran parte del primer set.

La presencia de Gastón Gaudio en Bercy para el Masters Series de París, después de haber estado un tiempo parado, le sirve como preparación para el Torneo de Maestros de tenis de Houston, en Estados Unidos, del 15 al 21 de noviembre, con 3,7 millones de dólares en premios. "En Houston, estarán presentes los ocho mejores jugadores actuales del mundo. Será un torneo muy difícil. Tendré que tener una motivación mayor para poder estar al mismo nivel de jugadores que pasan por un buen momento. Tendré que estar bien predispuesto. Siempre es bueno jugar un par de partidos antes de llegar a ese tipo de torneo y ponerme un poco más en forma. Y prepararme para ese torneo, es importante", concluyó.

My translation:

GASTON GAUDIO ALREADY HAS A RIVAL FOR TOMORROW IN PARIS: Feliciano Lopez

The Roland Garros champion said that “this is the most beautiful city in the world”. He in confident that he can go far in this Masters Series.

“Paris is the city I like best in the world”, said Gaston Gaudio, ninth ranked player in the world, before commencing his participation tomorrow in the Masters Series of this city, an ATP event that distributes 2,45 million euros in prize money, against the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, in a second round match.

The Argentinian, who will be 26 in December, winner of Roland Garros last June, returned for the first time to the capital where he conquered his Grand Slam tournament. “To set foot on the clay of Roland Garros again, where I’ve been practicing these last few days, was a wonderful sensation, we relived all those moments we went through, which were marvellous” he said. “Even though the stands are empty now, we used our imagination to remember the moment when I won my first Grand Slam”, he related.

Playing doubles with Mariano Hood, he lost to the first ranked players, Mark Knowles/ Daniel Nestor, the pair from Bahamas and Canada, in two sets, 6-3 and 6-4, after having resisted during much of the first set.

Gaston Gaudio’s presence in Bercy for the Paris Masters Series, after not having played for some time, will serve him as preparation for the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, USA, from the 15th to the 21st of November, with 3,7 million dollars in prize money.
“The current eight best players in the world will be present in Houston. It will be a very difficult tournament. I will have to have greater motivation to be at the same level of players who are going through a good moment. I will have to have a good attitude. It’s always good to play a couple of matches before competing in that kind of tournament, and to try to be more in form. And it’s important for me to prepare for that tournament”, he concluded.

[*Ljubica*]

Gaston has confirmed that he will play in the Copa Argentina this year between 16th-19th December. Other players taking part are David Nalbandian, Agustin Calleri, Juan-Ignacio Chela, Nicolas Massu, Juan Monaco, Mariano Zabaleta and Guillermo Canas.

[Action Jackson]

Yes, that is a great group and I know the great Melu plus any other Argentines living near BA will be there to give us reports of course.

It's rare that there are actually 8 people I like or at least don't dislike in an 8 man tournament.

[nenadeSergio]

Just wish this to be on TV which obviously won´t be - in my country of course.

[Vale]

By the way, it's an exhibition tournament and will be played on hard. I live in Bariloche, in Patagonia, 1,700 kms away, so will only be able to see it on TV (if they show it!)