[Billabong]

Guga embarks fifth for the last Masters Series of the year
23/10/2002 to 17h35

Florianópolis (SC) - Gustavo Kuerten embarks in this thursday to dispute its last official tounament of season 2002, the Masters Series of Paris, in France. After this, he comes back to Brazil and locks up the year with the participation in the third edition of the Challenge Brazil x Argentina, in the Gymnasium of the Ibirapuera, in São Paulo, of 5 the 7 of November.

After one week of training in Santa Catarina, the Larri technician Steps said that Guga is technical perfect. "He is ready to play in Paris. The part technique is perfect and until second we will be working sufficient the speed in squares."

The tricampeão of Roland Garros conquered has two weeks its better resulted in squares covered of covered carpet, being runner-up in the Grand Prix de Lyon, also in France. Therefore, he waits to have a good performance in the carpet in Paris. "It gave to train well this week in Floripa and I am motivated to play in Paris and in the Challenge", it guaranteed the brazilian. "I would like to gain rounds there, to arrive with rhythm in São Paulo and to finish the year with a spectacle in the Ibirapuera. He goes to be a legal chance and the staff can wait that I go to enter in I square with everything and to beat fort in the ball."

This will be the fifth time that Guga, 32º placed in ranking world-wide and 33º in the Race of the Champions, will dispute the Masters Series of Paris. The best one resulted of the Brazilian was in 2000 when ¸he reached the semifinal. In the passed year, he was until the third round and in 97 and 99 it stopped in the second round. In 1998, he did not participate of the competition.

In the São Paulo capital, Guga will be presented for the third time since that it conquered the championship of Roland Garros, in 1997. In the two occasions he played in the Ibirapuera. In 1997 he lost the end for Richard Krajicek and in year 2000, to the side of Fernando Meligeni and Jaime Oncins, he won the Challenge Brazil x Argentina.

_______________________________________
sorry if you had some difficulties to understand everything, it's because it's translated from portuguese!!!

 

[Marri]

Go for it Guga!!!!!!!!! :kiss: :kiss: :kiss:

Billabong

 

[Dissident]

Lol @ the translation. Babel Fish?

PS - Dont get me wrong, I dont wanna be rude, but some words get really hillarious, like Larri technician Steps.

Larri Passos, coach would be correct..
Passo means Step in portuguese. LOL!

Thanks for the article!

 

[Billabong]

hi hitman, I wanted to know, in each article about Guga, in portuguese, thay call him a catarinense.. what is it?

 

[Billabong]

Estréia Guga in Paris in this second to 13h30
27/10/2002 to 18h24
Paris (France) - Gustavo estréia Kuerten in this monday in the Masters Series of Paris. The first match of Guga in the French match happens from 13h30 (of Brasilia) against the Czech Radek Stepanek, 69º placed in ranking world-wide and 62º in the Race of the Champions. The departure will be followed point the point for the partnership [email protected]/UOL Sport , and will be transmitted to the living creature for the Sportv.

The tricampeão of Roland Garros is in Paris since friday, finishing its preparation for its last official tournament in 2002. In this sunday, Guga trained for one hour and stocking. First, it beat ball with the American Andre Agassi and later with the Larri technician Steps.

"It gave to train sufficiently here in Paris, to adapt me to you square them and tomorrow it is hour of estrear." Guga will face Stepanek, come of qualifying, for the first time in the career. Otcheco gained vacant in the main key when defeating the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, of turn, for 6/7(1), 6/4 and 6/4.

"the Stepanek must be in one of the best moments of the career of it in simple. In the pairs, it it is well constant. It comes practically passing all qualifyings and he does not go to be a first easy round. It attacks sufficiently and this game goes to be crucial for me because, suddenly, it can give game rhythm sufficiently to me ", analyzed the brazilian.

Currently in 32ª rank in ranking world-wide and 33ª in the Race of the Champions, Guga makes its fifth participation in Paris and has as better resulted in the competition, disputed in squares of covered carpet, the semifinal in 2000.

Pairs - Guga also is in the competition of pairs. It gained an invitation to integrate the main key, to the side of the Frenchman Cedric Pioline. In the estréia, probably in the tuesday, them they face the Argentine David Nalbandian and the Ecuadorian Nicolas Lapentti.

 

[tommyboy]

For me tennis season has emotionally closed for me for the rest of the year. Guga lost today in Paris. I am not happy that his campaign in Paris had to end, but I might as well look at the bright side. Guga can go back on the practice court, and the weight room, get fitter and stronger for next season. Guga even said that his ultimate goal is to do well next season.

I as a fan so badly wanted him to end the year in the top 32 so he can get seeded for the Aussie OPen. He will be unseeded, and his road is going to be tougher just like his road this week at Paris was going to be.

I will follow the rest of the season and see where players will end in the rankings in relation to each other, and of course Guga.

I need comfort as a Gugaholic, but the one who needs the greatest comfort of all is our man. MY Thoughts and Prayers to You, Gugaman!

 

[Dissident]

Guga played a very bad match. He was slow, and seemed like he was never on the court. Radek did nothing special at all.

BUT, this was a very tough year for Guga mentally. He must be drained after all the stress of the surgery and its complications. He even doubted he could EVER play on top level again.
That has to play some row in the player´s head.

Now its just a matter of resting and getting ready for 2003. He will play in a chalenge Brazil vs Argentina here in Brazil in the start of November. That will close the season.

 

[Billabong]

what do you mean, he was doing nothing on the court? he was always doing errors, or only keeping the ball in play? was he doing a lot of winners??? aces?? please tell us!!

 

[Dissident]

I said that Radek didnt need to do anything special to beat Guga. And usually the opponent has to do special stuff to beat Guga. Just that.

Yes, Guga had many aces, and a fair amount of winners as well. But he was slow, and a match that should be very easy got turned into a loss. His timing was not good, mainly.
Radek stepped up in the last set. But Guga STILL had chances if he could play the points longer. Stepanek had NO conditions, whatsoever, to keep the ball in play for longer than 3,4 shots.

As I said, though, this has an explanation on the fact that Guga must be tired after this tough year.

 

[Dissident]

Interview after loss to Stepanek

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.



Q. How do you evaluate your year after that defeat today? You kind of pleased to see the end of it in a way, with the injuries and various things like that?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, but the way my year start, I think I got a better year than I expect. I won a tournament that was important for me in Brazil. I play well in Davis Cup. A few tournaments, a Grand Slam especially, I play good, too.

So I think I save my year in a few results, you know, even happening the surgery ‑ that for sure was very unusual for me.

Today, I think of course it's tough to me, you know, to think about all the year because I just lost. So my head is still about this match and not think what I did all year long.



Q. How are you fitness‑wise now?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, no, I'm okay, but I don't have anything else to play so... It's not gonna matter.



Q. That's the end of your season now?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes.



Q. You have a holiday?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes.



Q. How much did you know about him before you went on court today? What would you say to future opponents would be his greatest strengths and possibly your weakness?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I knew probably everything that I ‑‑ you know, I saw on the court. I knew he would serve and volley a lot and be aggressive most of the time. He competes very well, you know. He was very enthusiastic in the court.

I think in the same way he won, I had my chances too. I just didn't get the points I should have won

 

[Marri]

!!!! such a pity that he lost so early..... Maeike was going to take pics of him when she's there....... but now he's gone...

 

[tommyboy]

Hitman,


You implied that Guga had an off-day. I believe it too. Unfortunately because he is not ranked high enough, does not have the first round byes, he has a more difficult time compared to higher ranked players progressing in this type of tournament. Getting into the main draw is an accomplishment unto itself.

My dream was his reestablishment to the top of the game by next year, starting with a strong performance at the Aussie Open. I may have to accept a weak Aussie performance because it is one of his worst ones historically speaking. I do not want to.

We fans have to wait and see. His comeback is going to be slow. Like you say, "Slow is very good."

 

[Dissident]

Guga is playing doubles with Cedric Pioline. How amusing.
They won their first round match today.

 

[Billabong]

Guga plays against the 7th seeds in doubles.. that'll be tough, but we all know Guga can win! good luck!

 

[Lee]

Guga win again today. He will be in the quarter final and facing my another fav Nestor

 

[Billabong]

Guga and Pioline make a really great team! I really hope they can beat Nestor and Knowles.. GO GUGA!!!!!!!

 

[Dissident]

Woohoo!
So Nestor is in Guga´s way again...

 

[Lee]

Woohoo!
So Nestor is in Guga´s way again...

Since Nestor already achieved a lot this year, I don't mind having Guga win this match.

 

[Lee]

Guga win again today. He is in the doubles semi-final


GO GUGA GO

 

[Billabong]

Go Guga! good luck tomorrow against Bkorkman and Woodbridge! that will be a tough match, but since we know he beat Nestor and Knowles in straight sets, he can go and win the title!!! what a great way to finish a year anyways if he could do that.. that would be the first time he wins a masters in doubles! GO GUGAAAAAAAA!!!