ROLAND GARROS: DAY 7

Latin American wave hits Paris

By Douglas Robson
Special to tennisreporters.net

FROM ROLAND GARROS – Guillermo Coria and Fernando Gonzalez aren’t household names, but both have decent shots at etching their names on one of the four Grand Slam trophies, including the Musketeer’s Cup that goes to the winner in Paris next week.

More still, these two young champions-in-waiting are at the leading edge of what is shaping up to be the best generation of South American male tennis players in history. Led by a resurgent Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, five players from Latin America advanced to the round of 16 this week at the French Open, a testament to the depth of tennis from this part of the world.

Forget Spain. These days, the Armada is from Argentina. Besides seventh-ranked Coria, eight Argentines, including '02 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian, occupy slots in the top 50 – more than any other country (the U.S. and Spain have seven each).

Argentina, of course, has a rich history of elite players, stretching back to multiple Grand Slam winner Guillermo Vilas and continued by Jose Luis Clerc, Alberto Mancini, and Martin Jaite – Top 10 players all. But never has this nation of 37 million inhabitants been so deep with talent. "Argentina is obviously in a great tennis moment," said 35rd-ranked Juan Ignacio Chela, who lost a grueling five-set match to fourth-seeded Carlos Moya in the third round here.

Nalbandian, Chela and Cañas head growing list

Guillermo Cañas

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Nalbandian’s '02 Wimbledon success was revealing for another reason. It proved that the clay-court bred Latin Americans are not one-dimensional, and are capable of winning on surfaces that have traditionally been problematic. "We can play on every surface," said Pablo Martin, who coaches Chela and has also worked with 23rd-ranked Guillermo Canas. Martin says that Argentine have improved their serves and returns and now approach the game with a new mentality. "They want to be Top 10, all the guys," Martin says.

But back to Paris. 15th-seeded Kuerten, of course, is no clay neophyte. He already owns three Roland Garros titles, along with a No. 1 ranking. "Guga" knows what it takes to grind out seven wins here, and he appears recovered from his hip surgery last year. Despite a couple of shaky rounds, his laser backhand and serve looked back on track in fending off a stiff challenge from talented Argentine dirtballer Gaston Gaudio. With his form picking up and young Spaniard Tommy Robredo up next, a fourth title in Paris is not out of the question.

Guga Kuerten

Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA, Inc.

While he can’t be mentioned in the same breath as some of these other talents, Kuerten was heartened by the performance of 22-year-old Flavio Saretta, who also made the last 16. Brazilian Saretta upended former French Open champ Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the second round before bowing out in straight sets to second-seeded Andre Agassi‚ his best showing ever at a Slam.

What other South Americans have a legitimate shot at a major? Coria, Gonzalez, and Nalbandian? With Marcelo Rios’ star fading fast, Santiago-born Gonzalez looks most likely to be the first Chilean to bring home a major. Gonzalez, 22, a junior champion in Paris in 1998, hits the most explosive forehand in tennis. His monster serve, when it’s on, is a huge weapon. He has a good chance to reach his second Grand Slam quarterfinal when he takes on Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen Tuesday, but his go-for-broke style is more suited to hard courts. The 19th-ranked player demonstrated as much with some stellar hardcourt play last summer, including a close five-set loss to Dutchman Sjeng Schalken in the US Open quarterfinals. The Santiago native admits clay is not his favorite surface but isn’t surprised to see so many Latin Americans still alive in Paris.

"I think Latin American players are going through a very good moment, particularly on clay, because we have learned how to play on this surface and we feel much more at ease," he said after taking revenge on Schalken, 7-6, 6-3, 3-1 (ret.) in the third round.

Coria making big strides
Coria, named after Argentine legend Vilas, is the real deal, too, and a particularly brilliant tactician on the terre battue. The 21-year-old, also a junior French Open champion, proved it this spring, becoming the No. 1 ranked Argentine when he captured the Tennis Masters Series Hamburg title, defeating countryman Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the final. In fact, all four Hamburg semifinalists – No. 8 Nalbandian and No. 22 Gaudio included – carried Argentine passports, a first in the history of any country for a Masters Series tournament.

Coria, whose fourth-round match with fellow Argentine Mariano Zabaleta was suspended with him leading 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, scampers around clay like he slept on it in his crib, hits big off both sides and has one of the most deceptive forehand drop shots north of Buenos Aires. No one will be surprised if he is standing in the winner’s circle next Sunday.

Kuerten, for one, thinks Coria, Gonzalez and Nalbandian all have what it takes to step up and win a major. "Everybody around the Top 10 or into the Top 10, they have some chance to win a tournament like a Slam, especially these young guys that still (have) many years in front," he said.