[Tomy]

After disappearing from ATP's official rankings (haven't played a match in a whole year), Argentinian's magician has decided that it's time to hit the courts again. Surprisingly, he suddenly decided that he wants to play next week's challenger at Bello Horizonte. He says he hasn't played a single set in the last four months, but he doesn't care, he just wants to start playing right now. He also says that his main objective is climbing up the ranks during next year and playing the olympic games.
So, do you guys think he'll lose on monday's first round or will he make it to the final and raise Bello Horizonte's trophy? Make your guess... I personally believe this comeback won't be as simple as it seems... anyways, we all know that he can play some extraordinary tennis, and he says the best is yet to come... WELCOME BACK MAGO!!! WE MISSED YOU!!!



link: http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2007/10/17/um/01521166.html (in spanish)

 

[Sjengster]

If he gets momentum going, well, we saw how he made that comeback from the drug suspension in 2001, climbing up the rankings all the way through 2002 until he burst onto the scene in early 2003. But getting that in the first place is surely going to be tough when he has to start from absolutely nothing. Any word on whether the service woes have been cured?

 

[Rogiman]

Great news.

The guy is one of the game's most precious pieces of jewelry and that 2004 RG final is nothing short of tragedy to me.

Hopefully karma will find its way to settle things down.

 

[Sjengster]

Conversely that final is one of my high points as a follower of tennis, one of the few not involving Federer.

 

[RagingLamb]

awesome

 

[Tomy]

If he gets momentum going, well, we saw how he made that comeback from the drug suspension in 2001, climbing up the rankings all the way through 2002 until he burst onto the scene in early 2003. But getting that in the first place is surely going to be tough when he has to start from absolutely nothing. Any word on whether the service woes have been cured?

He didn't talk about it, but I can bet my as* that he dedicated most of the year to his service... let's just hope he could work it out.

 

[CyBorg]

Hopefully he'll get good enough so we can all hate him again.

 

[adee-gee]

I won't believe it until I actually see his name playing the match, too many ups and downs with regard to his comeback.

I really hope he's cured his service problems, but I somehow doubt it.

Even if he has, he could struggle. He has a beautiful game, but I fear the game has kind of passed him by. It's tough for guys like him, Nalbandian, Hewitt etc. who have a lot of talent but aren't able to blitz winners (especially off the serve).

 

[scoobs]

Does he have a serve yet?

 

[jayjay]

Any word on whether the service woes have been cured?

That will only be known when he plays matches. Even during some of his worst times serving in matches, he was serving "fine" and "well" in practice. As we all know, practice is one thing and match situations are something completely different.

I would like to believe that he won't have this problem in his way anymore, but that's only hope speaking. The reality is that it may well resurface again sooner or later. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[jayjay]

Does he have a serve yet?

He never had one. And still was good enough to get to 3 in the world, as you know.

 

[Sjengster]

Even if he has, he could struggle. He has a beautiful game, but I fear the game has kind of passed him by. It's tough for guys like him, Nalbandian, Hewitt etc. who have a lot of talent but aren't able to blitz winners (especially off the serve).

I've never really thought that Coria and Nalbandian had the same problem as Hewitt when it came to generating pace - yes, there are limits to their power, but Nalbandian can blitz groundstroke winners on all surfaces when he's in form and Coria during his clay peak hit more outright winners and forcing shots than people remember, usually after out-maneouvring his opponent.

 

[Rogiman]

I won't believe it until I actually see his name playing the match, too many ups and downs with regard to his comeback.

I really hope he's cured his service problems, but I somehow doubt it.

Even if he has, he could struggle. He has a beautiful game, but I fear the game has kind of passed him by. It's tough for guys like him, Nalbandian, Hewitt etc. who have a lot of talent but aren't able to blitz winners (especially off the serve).

If he is indeed coming back I have no doubts in my mind he'll make it back to the top echelon
A player like Canas has been able to make a successful comeback and these two are worlds apart in terms of talent.

Players of true class have always been able to move on and adjust their games (Agassi comes to mind), and he has a great tennis brain - something few in the game have nowadays.

 

[Sjengster]

He never had one. And still was good enough to get to 3 in the world, as you know.

He had a very good serve before he decided for some reason that he needed to hit it harder when it was doing a very good job as it was. Obviously at 5'9" it'll always be something of a hindrance, particularly off clay, but it was never really attackable before then in the way that, say, Nalbandian's serve always has been.

 

[scoobs]

He never had one. And still was good enough to get to 3 in the world, as you know.

True.

But that was when he wasn't competing with Dementieva for "player with funkiest serve" award.

 

[scarecrows]

great news, doesnt matter if he wins or loses the first match (i guess it'll be the second), it's just good to have him back on the courts

 

[scoobs]

it would be nice to have him back in the mix if he can get there

 

[FiBeR]

was about time

 

[jayjay]

He had a very good serve before he decided for some reason that he needed to hit it harder when it was doing a very good job as it was. Obviously at 5'9" it'll always be something off a hindrance, particularly off clay, but it was never really attackable before then in the way that, say, Nalbandian's serve always has been.

Depends what you mean by good serve. His serve was not a hindrance when he was at his peak, whereas it obviously became so once he changed the motion and delivery under Perlas.

I agree with you about the attempt to search for more power. It was completely futile and moved away from his own game - to set up the point and dictate with his brain rather than worry too much about power.

I would love to see him comeback and serve with the consistency and percentage that he used to, but too much time has passed to believe that is likely to be the case.

We'll have to see whether he actually does play, because he has said this many times this year and it never happened. So I'm not convinced he'll play.

 

[Rogiman]

I hope he'll be 'El Mago' again, and not 'El Mugo' like the rest of them