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Post by Lee on Jun 14, 2004 23:31:44 GMT -5
Mariano is just adorable.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 14, 2004 23:35:50 GMT -5
Mariano is just adorable. You are not saying that because he is friends with Guga are you? ;D Seriously, he is a classy guy I mean apart from Coria, I think nearly everyone likes him Chela, Gaudio, Guga, Moya and Corretja.
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Post by Lee on Jun 14, 2004 23:44:32 GMT -5
You are not saying that because he is friends with Guga are you? ;D Seriously, he is a classy guy I mean apart from Coria, I think nearly everyone likes him Chela, Gaudio, Guga, Moya and Corretja. Do I mention Guga here ;D No, he's adorable because he holds friendship above winning matches. It may not be good for a professional tennis player but IMO, friendship lasts a life time while professional tennis last 10-15 years only.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 14, 2004 23:50:58 GMT -5
Do I mention Guga here ;D No, he's adorable because he holds friendship above winning matches. It may not be good for a professional tennis player but IMO, friendship lasts a life time while professional tennis last 10-15 years only. Come on you feel the Guga love don't lie. I mean Mariano was with Gaston when they had the shit happen, when the federation didn't want to know about them, when they got stranded in Europe waiting for the money to come through for a ticket home, and I can only say good things about Zabaleta. Well they both know how to party as well, I mean the South Americans know how to enjoy life which is a good thing.
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Post by Lee on Jun 14, 2004 23:56:47 GMT -5
hehe I restrained myself to say anything about Guga here. And now to put words into my mouth ;D
And yes, I will even change my opinion about Coria if Guga says he's a great guy and he's his buddy. But so far, I only know Nicolas Lapentti and Mariano Zabaleta are the guys amony South Americans.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 15, 2004 3:02:53 GMT -5
Guga is revered in South America, among the players especially yes Lapentti, Mariano and Gaston like him as well.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 16, 2004 8:20:11 GMT -5
sport.guardian.co.uk/tennis/story/0,10069,1232997,00.html Comeback kid Gaudio conquers Paris in thriller Gaudio 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 Corria Stephen Bierley at Roland Garros Monday June 7, 2004 The Guardian Gaston Gaudio spiralled his racket high into the blue Parisian early evening skies and threw back his head in the joyous wonderment of it all. Even as he celebrated his remarkable 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 victory in the French Open final his fellow Argentinian Guillermo Coria, the overwhelming favourite, slumped into his chair and twice thrashed his own racket into the red Roland Garros clay, raging with bitter frustration. For two sets Coria had played almost faultless tennis, brilliantly demonstrating exactly why he has been the outstanding player on this surface this year, with only one previous defeat. Poor Gaudio was all but engulfed, and with Coria 40-0 up on his serve at 4-4 in the third set all appeared lost. Crucially, though, Gaudio broke back, Coria's world was turned upside down and the man who wanted the title almost too much was beaten. It was midway through that third set that Coria's troubles began. Both legs began to cramp up, although it was not immediately obvious, save at the very end of the set when he barely attempted to get back Gaudio's serve. "It cost me a lot when he came back to 4-4. I absolutely knew I had to win that third set," he admitted. At 1-1 in the fourth Coria called for the trainer Per Bastholt and had his legs massaged. There were no huge grimaces from the 22-year-old world No3 but he was clearly worried. As soon as he returned it was obvious the trouble was serious. He could barely serve and was immediately broken with the set slipping away from him with the swiftness of a man being swept out to sea on a rip tide. Gaudio, 25, who with his world ranking of No44 is the fourth-lowest ranked man to win a grand slam championship in the Open era, could scarcely believe what was happening. In the third set he had drawn deep on the inspiration of the centre-court crowd to salvage some modicum of pride. Now, against everything that had seemed possible, the title was a set away with his opponent tottering around like a drunkard. Tennis finals rarely deliver a truly fitting climax to a two-week grand slam tournament. This one had so much drama that it simply left everyone drained and trembling. The Coria - Tim Henman semi-final on Friday had been a marvellous match of fluctuating fortunes; this one was tipped on its head. At the end of the fourth set Coria eagerly devoured a banana and drank from an unlabelled cola bottle, desperately attempting to get some nutrients and sugar into his body. Coria was banned in 2001 for testing positive for the steroid nandrolone, although a tennis anti-doping tribunal considered he was unaware of the contamination and the ban was reduced to seven months. However, since the more recent outbreak of nandrolone- related problems, during which Greg Rusedski tested positive but was later absolved, all the players have been avoiding taking supplements, with Coria particularly fearful of taking any unnecessary risks. He so badly wanted to erase the past that it hurt. "I wanted to win this tournament and get revenge against those who gave me those contaminated vitamins," said Coria afterwards, the tears streaming down his cheeks. "I wanted to bring a lot of happiness to my family because of the way they supported me through those difficult times. "I came here thinking it was the opportunity to show everybody what I was able to do. I really wanted to empty myself of the past but I wasn't able to do so. But I will be back. I have promised myself I will win this tournament." As Gaudio prepared to serve at the start of the fifth set, Coria jogged and bounced on the balls of his feet, trying desperately to lift himself. Coria is recognised as the quickest player in the world; without this speed he was a cat without claws. But extraordinarily Gaudio lost his serve, his mind and body riddled with nerves. He took deep gulps of breath and water as the two crossed at the umpire's chair, with Coria hastily munching down another banana. Within a couple of minutes the match had swung again with Coria dropping his service to love. Surely Gaudio would stamp on his neck this time, but no. The collywobbles consumed him again and Coria, as improbably as anything that has happened in a fortnight of upsets, stretched out to a 3-1 lead. Coria was still not moving properly and his serve was merely functional but Gaudio seemed incapable of taking advantage. Even having managed to get back level at 4-4 he stumbled, leaving Coria to serve for the title at 5-4. But he missed three forehands, Gaudio fired a cross-court winner and all was level again. The tension was all but unbearable, with the majority of the crowd firmly on Gaudio's side. Coria's parents, Oscar and Graciela, thumped their chests as their weary son forced his body forward, breaking the Gaudio serve again in a 16-point 11th game. So, for a second time, he served for the match and this time had two match points. Both were missed and, perhaps for the first time, Gaudio finally believed he could win. After a crisp service game it was left to Coria to serve to stay in the match. He failed, Gaudio finally nailing him with a flashing cross-court backhand, one of the finest in tennis though not seen before in this level of tennis. Nobody had expected the self-effacing Gaudio to defeat his other compatriot, David Nalbandian, in the semi-finals. The furthest he had progressed in any grand slam tournament was the last 16 at Roland Garros in 2002, the same year that he won his two previous titles, both on clay, in Barcelona and Mallorca. "I don't know what to say, it is too much. This is like a movie for me," Gaudio said, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Thanks to all of you, the crowd. Thanks to you I managed to fight more and come back. I touched heaven." Guillermo Vilas, the French Open champion in 1977, and the only male Argentinian to have won a grand slam title before, revealed afterwards that mid-way through the second set Gaudio had said: "I want to leave. I've had it. I can't believe I'm playing as badly as this." He was glad in the end he stayed. Gaudio - Coria 66% 1st serve % 65 % 2 Aces 5 9 Double faults 6 55 Unforced errors 54 36 Winners 38 73% Break points won 56% 148 Total points won 137
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 17, 2004 5:50:38 GMT -5
This is part of an article that was written in the Australian tennis magazine reviewing the French Open, so I just typed the bit about Gaudio here.
The Argentine Arrival
By Alan Trengrove
The Argentine Armada were in full force at the French Open, but in a surprising twist, it was unseeded Gaston Gaudio who sailed off with the Grand Slam goods.
It looked like having all the hallmarks of a fascinating fairytale… Guillermo Coria, a reformed wrongdoer, recently married, his wedding ring suspended on a chain round his neck, was poised to become the first Argentine to win the French Open since Guillermo Vilas 27 years ago.
But compatriot Gaston Gaudio had a good story-line of his own. Unheralded and unseeded, with a history of nervous collapses on big occasions, the 25-year-old from Temperley sprang one of the biggest surprises in the history of the tournament by beating the No.3 seed in an extraordinary final.
In a dramatically fluctuating climax, Gaudio finally overcame his jitters, which had driven him to despair in the first two sets, and defeated Coria three years his junior by 0-6, 3-6 6-4, 6-1 8-6 in 3 hours and 31 minutes.
Leading by two sets to love and by 4-3 in the third, the favourite had been two games from a straight sets victory. Then he’d seemed doomed when stricken by leg cramps early in the fourth. For the remainder of that set, Coria could neither run nor keep his shots in the court, but gradually he responded to the trainer’s treatment. In an emotional and topsy-turvy fifth set, he twice served for the match and held two match points.
The money that Gaudio had spent in consulting a psychologist to help him overcome nerves and be less uptight in close matches has paid off. The most talented shot-maker of all the Argentine players , he’d never before been beyond a Grand Slam fourth round. Now, at long last, he has achieved his potential.
Because of Gaudio’s patchy record, the Argentine tennis federation had never supported him as it had, for instance Coria and David Nalbandian. His parents and friends paid most of his expenses. But early this year he was so depressed he considered retirement. His ranking was No.44 at the start of the tournament.
The French crowd didn’t hide its preference for Gaudio, who had eliminated Lleyton Hewitt and Nalbandian in earlier matches. They lifted his morale in his darkest moments by chanting his name.
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Post by TennisHack on Jun 17, 2004 14:48:21 GMT -5
But early this year he was so depressed he considered retirement. Wow, makes the win that much sweeter. I remember earlier this year people were calling for him to see a therapist, but those calls are usually unfounded. I'm happy that he found the courage to see get help. I must say, the more I learn about him, the more I like about him
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 17, 2004 21:11:28 GMT -5
Wow, makes the win that much sweeter. I remember earlier this year people were calling for him to see a therapist, but those calls are usually unfounded. I'm happy that he found the courage to see get help. I must say, the more I learn about him, the more I like about him I was hard on him, and I am not sure if I ever told you, that when I was talking to him at the Australian Open, and told him that he had to play Hrbaty. He just looked at me, shook his head and said no I don't want to play Hrbaty. Lurker and I joked about him being a doubles specialist, and it was seeming like that. I was asked on the Gaudio group on Yahoo, you should see the messengers now he has won something, about his problems and the like. Well, I am happy that he didn't give up.
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Post by TennisHack on Jun 17, 2004 21:16:28 GMT -5
I was hard on him, and I am not sure if I ever told you, that when I was talking to him at the Australian Open, and told him that he had to play Hrbaty. He just looked at me, shook his head and said no I don't want to play Hrbaty. I don't remember that, but then again my memory is quite short, it seems. I just had a retread of a conversation about the new Finnish junior/pro that I had during the AO :red: I was asked to join that group as well but I can only read English. I'm not surprised that he has a lot of bandwagon jumpers who are digging into his past now
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 17, 2004 21:24:07 GMT -5
I was asked to join that group as well but I can only read English. I'm not surprised that he has a lot of bandwagon jumpers who are digging into his past now There is an English group and that's the one that I contribute to, and yes I was there during the dark ages. My Spanish is not good enough yet or will be to contribute too intelligently. RogiFan is right, in a way I might be a bit protective and it goes back to the bandwagon thing. You and those Finnish boys. ;D
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Post by TennisHack on Jun 17, 2004 21:34:38 GMT -5
RogiFan is right, in a way I might be a bit protective and it goes back to the bandwagon thing. Understandable. I feel the same way about my losers What can I say, I need someone who is easygoing to counteract my neuroticism ;D
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 17, 2004 21:47:35 GMT -5
Understandable. I feel the same way about my losers Yes, to an extent. Then again if it wasn't for myself, Sjengster and Lurker we have helped some more people here become more interested in Gaudio, but this is a good thing. I know on MTF, that Isy and a few others are actually appreciating him and that's good. At least you admit it, and that's a good thing on the whole. What can I say, I need someone who is easygoing to counteract my neuroticism ;D
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 24, 2004 19:14:29 GMT -5
Gaston was practicing with Johnny Tax Haven and will be ready for Båstad, this will be very tough for him to win this title.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 1, 2004 9:01:17 GMT -5
Gaston will be playing an exhibition on Sunday with Vilas against the team of Wilander and Pim Pim Johansson.
We know who the weak link will be, so it will be Sweden v Argentina on Sunday.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 8, 2004 4:36:31 GMT -5
This was an article in the SydSvenska Dagbladet. The translation isn't great, then again it's better than the standard of Norwegian tennis. www.svd.se/dynamiskt/sport/did_7782166.asp Gaudio har längtat till Båstad
Gaudio har längtat till Båstad Båstad Först vann han Öppna franska. Sen nobbade han Wimbledon. Nu är han i Båstad. - Jag har längtat efter att komma hit, säger Gaston Gaudio vars liv förändrades genom skrällsegern i Paris. SvD fick i går en exklusiv intervju med den 25-årige argentinaren som haft en hektisk tid sedan han för knappt en månad sedan triumferade på Roland Garros. - Det blev en enorm uppståndelse hemma i Argentina och massor av människor mötte mig på flygplatsen. Sen gav jag intervjuer och åkte runt på olika grejer i en vecka. Det var så tufft att jag tänkte, nä, nu sticker jag härifrån. Till slut ebbade hyllningarna ändå ut för Argentinas första Grand Slam-segrare på 25 år men hans tillvaro blir aldrig mer vad den varit. - Jag är så lycklig. Även om jag inte vinner någon mer Grand Slam kommer jag att vara nöjd med min karriär, säger sydamerikanen som inte lagt sig till med de divalater eller primadonnefasoner som alltför ofta följer med stora genombrott. - Jag ser inte mig själv som en stor stjärna. Ett bevis på att han verkligen menar det är att han spelar Swedish Open som är en av de mindre turneringarna på ATP-touren. Gaudio kunde förklarat att han inte var kvitt den fotskada som fick honom att stå över Wimbledon för att få mer tid att förbereda sig inför de större turneringar som väntar. - Men jag ville verkligen till Båstad. Det är sex år sedan jag var här senast och alla spelare snackar om hur bra allt blivit. Hur förändrade Paris-segern dig som spelare? - Jag känner mig mycket mer avslappnad nu eftersom mitt självförtroende är större. Förut kunde jag bli spänd och nervös men så känner jag det inte alls nu. Andra förändringar? - Alla vill besegra mig. Även ekonomiskt betydde Grand Slam-segern mycket. Men Gaudio säger att han inte tänker på att sponsorskontrakten är lukrativare och att arrangörer som tidigare inte tog notis om han var på plats eller inte numera lockar med tjocka dollarbuntar. - Visst har allt det där förändrats men det är ändå inte så viktigt för mig. Jag menar det verkligen. Ända sedan jag var liten har jag drömt om att vinna i Paris och så fick jag göra det. Den äran och lyckan kan inte mätas i pengar. Den argentinske grusspecialisten säger att hans målsättningar inte förändrats efter Paris-segern. - Jag är inte speciellt ambitiös utan det viktigaste för mig är att trivas med livet, säger sydamerikanen som från att ha varit en i mängden av starka grusspelare nu är Swedish Opens största utländska affischnamn jämte Carlos Moya. - Startfältet här är verkligen starkt och det kommer att bli tufft. English :Gaudio longs for Båstad
First he won the French Open, and then later he turned down Wimbledon. Now, he is in Båstad. "I have longed to come here," said Gaston Gaudio, whose life has changed through his surprise victory in Paris. SvD has an exclusive interview with the 25 year old Argentine, who has had a hectic time since triumphing in Roland Garros, slightly less than a month ago. "It caused a great stir in Argentina and plenty of people met me at the airport. Later, I gave interviews and went around doing different things in one week. It was tough, that I thought, no, I better leave now." Yet at the end, the congratulations for Argentina's first Grand Slam champion for 25 years, but his existence won't be like before. I am so fortunate even if I don't win another Grand Slam I can be satisfied with my career, said the South American, who will not show diva behaviour or go through primadonna phases that happen all too often following a big breakthrough. "I don't see myself as a superstar" As a testimony that he really means it, is that he is playing the Swedish Open, which is one of the smaller tournaments on the ATP tour. Gaudio could have explained that he wasn't over the foot problem that caused him to miss Wimbledon, and take more time to improve before the bigger tournaments that are waiting. But I really wanted to come to Båstad. It was six years ago, since I was here last and all the players are talking about how good it has become. How has the Paris champion changed as a player? I am much more relaxed and now my self-belief is greater. Before I could become tight and nervous, but now I feel like that at all now. Other changes? Everyone will want to beat me. Also a Grand Slam winner it means economic changes. But Gaudio says he is not thinking about the lucrative sponsorships and the earlier arrangements in place and takes no notice of the numbers or the large amount of dollars. "Certainly, there has been some changes, yet it is not so important for me. I really mean that. Yet, since I was little I have dreamed about winning Paris and I have done it. The honour and happiness can't be measured in money." The Argentinian claycourt specialist said his goals haven't changed since the Paris win. "I am not especially ambitious, and the most important for me, is that I am happy in life, " said the South American who has been among the mulititude of strong claycourt players and now is the Swedish Open's biggest foreign attraction besides Carlos Moya. The starting field is strong and it will be tough.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 19, 2004 22:09:30 GMT -5
Unseeded Guillermo Canas wins his fourth career title by defeating No. 2 seed Gaston Gaudio 5-7, 6-2, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 in three hours and 40 minutes in the final of the MercedesCup.
In the final Gaudio quickly took a 4-0 lead in the first set, which included seven breaks of serve, before Canas got into the match and managed to get back to 5-5 only to lose his serve again and the set 7-5. Canas rebounded straight away and won the second and third sets convincingly 6-2 and 6-0, including a streak of nine games in a row. In the fourth set Gaudio turned the match yet again winning the set 6-1. He also took a 2-0 lead in the fifth set but Canas somehow found new energy to win five straight games, including two breaks of serve. At 5-3 the 26-year-old served out the match and sealed victory on his first match point.
Having lost in the final of the MercedesCup in 2001 (l. to Gustavo Kuerten) and in 2002 (l. to Mikhail Youzhny) Canas makes it third time lucky in Stuttgart. He picks up a brand new silver Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 Kompressor in addition to 50 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race points and €104,500.
Canas defeated Dick Norman, No. 9 seed Florian Mayer, Stefan Koubek, Radek Stepanek, No. 15 seed Nikolay Davydenko and No. 2 seed Gaston Gaudio en-route to the MercedesCup title.
Gaudio was looking for his fourth ATP title in his ninth career final. He was appearing in his third straight all-Argentine final, having won the Roland Garros title crown (d. Guillermo Coria) and lost to Mariano Zabaleta in last week's tournament in Bastad. The 25-year-old reached the final of the MercedesCup in 2000, where he also lost to a countryman in Franco Squillari.
Gaudio picks up 35 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race Points and €55,000.
Gaudio: “I'm so tired. I couldn't play the way I wanted in the second and third set. I was almost prepared to quit but I tried to fight a little bit more, and I took the fourth set. I was 2-0 up in the fifth but he came back fighting so hard. Finally he took the match playing better than me.”
“I guess it was mental tiredness. I've been playing difficult matches every day. You have to be focused every day, it's really tiring. “
“Reaching the final in this tournament is unbelievable. It's the second time for me in the final and I would have preferred to win the car. I want to come next year and win. If I don't get the car I'm going to steal it!”
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 21, 2004 20:28:12 GMT -5
Someone was good enough to post this pic on the Gaudio forum, it's one from when they played the exhibition against Wilander and Pim Pim with Vilas.
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 21, 2004 20:34:24 GMT -5
nice pic, George! gracias! do you think Naty will be in TO?
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 21, 2004 20:41:11 GMT -5
nice pic, George! gracias! do you think Naty will be in TO? She might be, then again if you are not a threat, she might be alright, as Gaston said before she wasn't watching him at RG and that must be better for his tennis. If you want any specific advice, just PM me. Congratulate him and say vamos Independiente, he will love that as it's his fave team.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 22, 2004 23:54:58 GMT -5
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Post by Rassklovn on Aug 16, 2004 23:28:06 GMT -5
Courtesy of Melu and the best Gaudio site there is. This is the latest Gaston news, this comes from a friend and to the Spanish speakers if they could translate for us. Taken from Melu, thank you so much. Gaston is wearing a suit and these are the links to an interview on the set of Caiga Quien Caiga, a popular humoristic show that looks at politics and entretainment with sarcasm and dark humor. Cable/DSL users: www.cqc.tv/video2004/11gaudio-bb.rm?embed=trueModem users: www.cqc.tv/video2004/11gaudio.rm?embed=trueThe translation goes something like this: Interviewers (Mario Pergolini and Eduardo De La Puente) = I Gaston Gaudio = G I: As it is a tradition in this program, we always invite the winners of grand slams...If the winners of gs do not come here for us, this program is useless... I: Yes, we could not invite Vilas cause we were not on air in the senventies yet. I: so you can see that we are not lying. I: That's why we would like to welcome the RG winner in the classic that we call... Interview with the champion *Gaston appears on air (watch that he hits his head) and is welcomed by the 3 guys, who startmocking Coria alledging they have cramps. Then they do the wave* I: Thanks for being here live. G: you are welcome, it's an honour. We have been working together for a long time. (for the ones who are not in Arg, Pergolini used to call Gaston after every match in RG cause he was his chosen player to go far in France since everyone else thought Coria would go further, that's why Gaston named him his manager...all joking of course) I: Let's remind all that when we started to work together you were ranked 43, 80? G: 44 I: Mario, do you have what? 10% of his prize money? I: no, we don't have a business thing going on... G: it's a matter of friendship I: yes, we've been together since Hamburg I: nice business he made ... I: how do you feel? Are you happy, relaxed? How did you find Susana? (a blonde diva who has a tv show here and that GG went before) G: fine I: is she nice? G: yes, she's like you see her on tv. I: thanks a lot for being here, we'll make you 5 questions only. Don't worry cause none regaring your gf or things like that... G: go ahead I: you gf was before of after winning...no, it's a joke, haha I: Can I ask sothing about you gf but in a good way?...I heard somewhere that she didn't went to your tournaments as cabala. Whose idea was it? Yours or hers? G: mine *The other guys make fun of it and Gaston laughs* I: that's why he's the champion.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Aug 29, 2004 11:29:45 GMT -5
He has to play Juan Monaco in the 1st round, it will be a tough match and if he can make the 3rd round, then I will be happy with that result.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Sept 6, 2004 22:34:04 GMT -5
Gaston is playing in an exhibition in Sao Paulo it's like a Brazil vs Argentina thing it also involves Guga, Saretta, Sa, Calleri and Zabaleta.
I thought they could have put it somewhere nicer than Sao Paulo. He is in the group with Calleri and Saretta. The winners of the groups will play off in the final.
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Post by Slaughterhouse on Sept 16, 2004 6:36:34 GMT -5
Calleri has pulled out of the exhibition and now is replaced by Chela. Gaston lost 6-1 7-6 to Saretta and here is a pic from the last match.
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Post by Slaughterhouse on Sept 16, 2004 6:42:42 GMT -5
Here is another one with all of them together.
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Post by I Love You Trolls on Oct 22, 2004 1:29:23 GMT -5
Great news that Gaston is returning to the tour in Basel. He will be lucky to win a match, and it's a carpet surface, but the most important thing is he is back playing.
There were some injury problems, and something with his dad having an illness, but he will be ready for action soon enough.
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Post by The Chloe on Oct 22, 2004 1:42:33 GMT -5
Good news
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Post by I Love You Trolls on Oct 22, 2004 1:51:53 GMT -5
Good news Never knew you cared.
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