Guillermo Coria

2007 IN REVIEW

The Argentine did not play through September due to right shoulder problems is planning to use a protected ranking of No. 105 in 2008 (for nine months or eight tournaments)...In his only appearance of the year, retired due to back injury in 1st RD at Belo Horizonte Challenger in Brazil after losing opening set (vs. Brzezicki) in late October.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2000 – Played a total of 18 pro tournaments (Futures, Challenger, ATP) during year and only lost once in 1st RD… Won two Futures titles…Qualified for his first Grand Slam event at Roland Garros, defeating Llodra in 1st RD (l. to W. Ferreira in 2nd RD)… Won four Challengers on Copa Ericsson circuit-Lima (d. Marin), Sao Paulo-2 (d. Behrend), Montevideo (d. Acasuso) and Buenos Aires (d. Berasategui)… Qualified in three of his four ATP level tournaments during year (Mallorca, Roland Garros, Kitzbnhel)… 2001 – Won first ATP title in Vina del Mar (d. countryman Gaudio in F)… Went 5-1 against his countrymen during season… Advanced to final in Mallorca (l. to A. Martin) as well as SF at AMS Monte-Carlo, losing to eventual champion Kuerten, and Kitzbnhel (l. to Costa)… Missed last three months of season with injury to left thumb sustained in practice at home on Aug. 20… 2002 – Recovered from injury and suspension to finish in Top 50 for second straight year… Won two Challenger titles and advanced to 3rd RD at Roland Garros and US Open in only Grand Slam tournaments of year… Missed six months from Aug. 2001 and returned to action in North Miami Beach Challenger, reaching 2nd RD… Advanced to SF in Houston, losing to eventual champion Roddick in three sets… In third appearance at Roland Garros, reached career-best 3rd RD after defeating Sargsian and Schuettler before losing to eventual finalist Ferrero in straight sets… Won Challenger titles at Prostejov (d. Novak) and Lugano (d. Galimberti)… Finalist at Costa do Sauipe (held championship point against Kuerten in final before losing in third set tie-break)… 2003 – Finished as No. 1 South American player with his first Top 10 season… Qualified for his first Tennis Masters Cup along with countryman David Nalbandian and became first Argentine duo to play in year-end championship since 1982 when Jose-Luis Clerc and Guillermo Vilas qualified… Compiled his best season, capturing five ATP titles in seven finals and winning 60 matches… First Argentine to win five titles in a season since Vilas (7) and Clerc (5) in 1982 and became first Argentine to finish in Top 5 since Vilas was No. 4 in 1982… Lost only three opening round matches in 20 tournaments and advancing to QF or better 11 times… Won first career ATP Masters Series title in Hamburg in May, defeating countrymen Gaudio (SF) and Calleri (F) in succession… Became first Argentine winner since Vilas in 1978… Posted a 20-6 match record in AMS tournaments during year… Finlaist in Buenos Aires (l. to Moya) and AMS Monte-Carlo (l. to Ferrero)…Reached first Grand Slam SF at Roland Garros where he defeated Zabaleta in 4th RD and Agassi in QF before losing to Verkerk… Won three consecutive clay titles in as many weeks at Stuttgart (d. Robredo), Kitzbnhel (d. Massu) and Sopot (d. Ferrer), winning a career-best 15 consecutive matches and all 32 sets… In 1996, Thomas Muster was last player to win three consecutive titles in as many weeks… His streak ended Aug. 5 when he retired with a left adductor injury in 1st RD at AMS Montreal (vs. Lopez)… Following week advanced to QF at AMS Cincinnati (d. Henman, l. to Mirnyi) and played well at US Open, dropping one set en route to QF (l. to Agassi)… Did not play again until mid-October due to left adductor injury and returned in Basel where he captured his first indoor title (by walkover vs. Nalbandian)… Closed season with 1-2 round robin record in Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, defeating Moya and losing to No. 1 Roddick and Schuettler both in three sets… Had an outstanding 56-1 mark on tour when winning first set in a match, 12-0 against his countrymen and 12-1 vs. left-handers… Led circuit in return games won (39 percent) and No. 2 in break points converted (49 percent)… Earned a career-high $1,971,162…2004 – Underwent right shoulder surgery on August 9 in Barcelona and underwent rehab in Spain… Before returning in November for Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, missed more than three months since retiring in 1st RD of ATP Masters Series Toronto on July 27 due to shoulder injury… Joined No. 1 Federer and No. 2 Roddick as only players to reach finals on clay, grass and hard during season… In February, played first clay court tournament in Buenos Aires and defeated Moya in final for first career Argentine ATP title… Reached QF in Indian Wells (l. to Agassi) and final in Miami where he retired with a back ailment trailing 1-2 sets against Roddick… Won title at ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo with consecutive wins over Nalbandian (QF), Safin (SF) and Schuettler (F)… In May, had his career-best 31-match clay court winning streak going back to SF of ‘03 Roland Garros come to an end with four-set loss to Federer in final of ATP Masters Series Hamburg… Came into Paris as favorite to win his first Grand Slam title and only lost one set prior to final before falling to Gaudio 8-6 in fifth set (after holding two match points)… Led 6-0, 6-3 before Gaudio fought his way back… Had won 18 straight matches against Argentines prior to Roland Garros final… At ‘s-Hertogenbosch, defeated Clement (QF) and Ancic (SF) back-to-back before losing to Llodra in his first grass court final… Ranked No. 2 in return games won (34 percent) and No. 3 in break points converted (47 percent)…2005 – The No. 2 Argentine joined Nalbandian as the first players from Argentina to finish in Top 10 for three straight years since Jose-Luis Clerc (4) from 1980-83… Guillermo Vilas finished in Top 10 for nine years from 1974-82… Earned title in Umag (d. Moya) and a runner-up in three other tournaments (losing each time to Nadal), including ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo and Rome…Reached 4th RD or better at all four Grand Slams…Also helped his country to Davis Cup SF (l. to Slovak Republic), posting a 3-3 singles mark in three ties…Reached third straight final appearance in Monte Carlo (d. Ferrero in SF), falling to Nadal in four sets…In May, reached his first title match in Rome (d. Agassi in SF), losing to Nadal in a fifth set tie-break in five hours and 14 minutes (longest final in Open Era)…Followed with a QF at ATP Masters Series Hamburg, losing to eventual champion Federer…At Roland Garros, fell to Davydenko in 4th RD in his earliest exit in three years…Had personal-best 4th RD showing at Wimbledon (l. to Roddick)…In Davis Cup QF vs. Australia in Sydney, lost to Hewitt in four sets in opening rubber before beating Luczak in dead rubber…Followed with a SF in Sopot (l. to Mayer) in his last clay court outing of year…Reached QF for second time in three years at US Open, losing to Ginepri in five sets…Continued success in Beijing by advancing to first ATP Asian final, defeating T. Johansson in SF before falling to Nadal in three sets…Played in Davis Cup SF tie in Slovak Republic and lost to Beck and Hrbaty… Qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai and went 0-3 in round robin play....Went 1-10 vs. Top 10 opponents with his lone win coming over No. 9 Agassi in SF of Rome…Compiled records of 30-6 on clay, 19-13 on hard and 5-3 on grass...2006--Battled injuries in a season in which he fell from Top 10 to out of Top 100 for first time since 1999...Began by reaching 3rd RD at Australian Open, defeating Hanescu and Luzzi before falling to Grosjean... Went 2-3 after Australia before reaching QF at ATP Masters Series Monte-Carlo with wins over Youzhny, Mathieu and Kiefer before falling to eventual champion Nadal...Lost in 1st RD at three of next four events and withdrew from Roland Garros with right shoulder injury, missing event for first time since 1999...Returned in July, and reached SF in Amersfoort (l. to Djokovic)...Lost in 1st RD at two more summer clay court events before retiring in 1st RD of US Open after five games against Sweeting with a thigh injury...Failed to win 20 matches in a season for the first time since 2000...Compiled records of 8-11 on clay and 3-3 on hard courts...Struggled with his serve, averaging 11.5 double faults per match... 2007--Did not play through September due to right shoulder problems and used a protected ranking of No. 105 in 2008 (for nine months or eight tournaments)...In his only appearance of season in late October, retired due to back injury in 1st RD at Belo Horizonte Challenger in Brazil after losing opening set (vs. Brzezicki).

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis soon after learning to walk when his father, Oscar, a tennis coach, introduced game to him...Named after former Argentine great Guillermo Vilas...Mother, Graciela, is a housewife...Comes from Venado Tuerto, a small town three hours from Buenos Aires and considers it “the best city in the world and I wouldn’t change it for any other”...Now has an apartment in Buenos Aires where he practices...He is oldest of three brothers, Federico, Roman...Admired Andre Agassi and Marcelo Rios while growing up...Captured Roland Garros junior title in 1999 (d. Nalbandian) and finished as No. 2 junior in world singles, No. 5 in doubles...Also won junior titles in Argentina, Paraguay and Canada...In doubles, won Wimbledon junior title (w/Nalbandian) and Orange Bowl 16s champion in 1997...Reached final of Orange Bowl 18s following year (l. to Federer)... Enjoys playing soccer with his friends, is a fan of River Plate team...Favorite band is Guns N’ Roses...Considers clay as favorite surface but in 2004 reached finals on three different surfaces...Wife, Carla (married Dec. 27, 2003)...Opened GCoria Academy in Jockey Club de Venado Tuerto in 2004...Has a 5-3 career Davis Cup record in four ties.