Argentina’s Gaston Gaudio won the French Open title in Paris on Sunday in dramatic circumstances, saving two match points as he battled back to a 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 win against injury-hit compatriot Guillermo Coria.
As well as collecting €860,000, the 25-year-old Gaudio, ranked a modest 44 in the world, becomes the first Argentinian man to win a Grand Slam since Guillermo Vilas won the Australian Open in 1979.
Vilas was also the last Argentine to win here in 1977.
”Since I was a kid I have thought of this day and now that I am here it is too much for me,” said a tearful Gaudio.
”I was so scared in the first two sets but because of the crowd I started to fight back.
”Until today, I never thought I could win a Grand Slam and I never believed I could do it until the final point had been played. Maybe from now on, I will believe in myself a lot more.”
Coria, who needed treatment by the tour trainer and doctor after developing cramps in the third set, said that Gaudio had shown courage by saving the two match points and deserved the title.
”He has had so many problems in his life and we have had our differences but he is a great player. I will be back next year and hope to get my revenge,” he added.
Coria’s afternoon was turned upside down when he was hit by cramps to his left leg and despite a valiant recovery to get to double match point in the 12th game of the final set, he was unable to take his opportunity.
”The doctor and trainer said it would take about 10 minutes to feel improvement so that’s why I didn’t run much in the fourth set,” said Coria, who broke down in tears at his post-match news conference.
”I wanted to stay relaxed because I knew the cramps would return. I think I would have stopped had the trainer and doctor not spoke to me.
”Even when I had match points and I was serving, my body was tired. I couldn’t move. But I am only 22. I couldn’t take my opportunity this time but there will be other chances.”
The heartbroken third-seed had been cruising to victory at one stage, wrapping up the first two sets in just an hour.
But after failing to make sure of victory in the third set, he was forced to call for treatment on his damaged left thigh at 1-1 in the fourth set and from that point on was labouring around the court.
He valiantly carried on, called for more treatment and tried to shake off the problem but had to concede the fourth set as he was reduced to walking pace around the court.
In a tense final set, both players lost their serves twice as the score reached 4-4 with Coria now suffering again, able only to serve rooted to the spot.
Incredibly Coria broke to lead 5-4 but was unable to serve out the match as Gaudio came back to 5-5.
Again Gaudio held on, saving two match points in the 12th game before taking the next to go 7-6.
It was Coria who cracked, hitting a wild forehand to give Gaudio two match points but he only needed one when he unleashed a powerful backhand from the baseline, which the exhausted Coria was unable to reach after three hours and 31 minutes on court.
Gaudio’s win makes him the fourth-lowest-ranked player to date to win a Grand Slam title but in the first two sets, where he won just one game in the first 12, it was an unlikely looking triumph.
He made more of a contest of it in the third set breaking to 3-2 before Coria levelled straight away at 3-3.
After holding to go 4-4, he applauded the crowd for their support, even dropping his raquet to the ground at one stage to clap the packed house who cheered his valiant efforts.
They were on their feet when he came back from 0-40 in the ninth game to break to lead 5-4 and were even rowdier when, incredibly, he held to love to clinch the third set after one hour and 54 minutes.
It was then that the complexion of the entire match changed.
Coria was looking jaded and at 1-1 in the fourth set he needed treatment for an injured left knee and thigh.
He fell 2-1 down losing his serve as he was reduced to walking pace on the court before Gaudio held for 3-1 before going on to level the match at two sets each after two hours and 24 minutes on court.
That paved the way for the Argentinian duo’s nerve-tingling final set. — Sapa-AFP