TENNIS MASTERS HAMBURG, MAY 17, 2003
Calleri, Coria Through to Hamburg Final
Argentines move a step closer to their first Tennis Masters Series shield on
a day to remember for their country.
On what was a historic day for Argentine tennis, Agustin Calleri advanced to
his first Tennis Masters Series final with a straight sets victory over David
Nalbandian in the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Hamburg. He now meets
fellow countryman Guillermo Coria, the No. 12 seed who overcame Gaston Gaudio
in three sets.
For the first time in Tennis Masters Series history, all four semifinalists
were from the same country. Calleri ended a three-match losing streak at the
hands of Nalbandian with a 6-4, 6-1 victory, while Coria, who reached his
first Tennis Masters Series final in Monte-Carlo last month, defeated Gaudio
6-3, 6-7(3), 6-0.
It was only the second win in six career meetings against Nalbandian for the
26-year-old Calleri, who is now through to his fourth career ATP final and his
first in a Tennis Masters Series event. Calleri captured his first ATP title
earlier this year in Acapulco, and reached the final in Estoril in April. He
is now level with Gaston Gaudio for the most wins on clay this year (24-7).
Coria, who lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the Tennis Masters Monte-Carlo final
last month, suffered from cramps in his left thigh at the end of the second
set and received treatment from ATP Sports Medicine Trainer Juan Reque. In the
third set Coria kept the rallies short and played his best tennis of the week.
Sunday's winner will become the second player from Argentina to earn a Tennis
Masters Series title (the series began in 1990; Guillermo Canas won in Toronto
last year) and the second Argentine champion in Hamburg (Guillermo Vilas won
in 1978). The Hamburg event was first held in 1892.
The final also will be the second all-Argentine final this year after Calleri
defeated Mariano Zabaleta in Acapulco. Calleri has won two of his three
meetings against Coria, although Coria won their last meeting in Vina del Mar
in 2001.
FINAL
AGUSTIN CALLERI (ARG) VS (12)GUILLERMO CORIA (ARG)
HEAD TO HEAD: CALLERI LEADS 2-1
00 San Luis Potosi CH (Mexico) Clay SF Agustin Calleri 6-4 6-3
00 Guadalajara CH (Mexico) Clay R16 Agustin Calleri 7-6(3) 6-2
01 Vina del Mar (Chile) Clay R32 Guillermo Coria 6-3 6-4
KNOWLES/NESTOR LOOK FOR SECOND TITLE IN HAMBURG
In the doubles final the top-seeded team of Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor
will take on the second seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi. Knowles and
Nestor finished 2002 as the top team in the ATP Doubles Race and won this
event in 1996. This year they have already won three titles (Memphis,
Acapulco, Houston). Bhupathi and Mirnyi are looking for their second Tennis
Masters Series title of the year after winning in Monte-Carlo last month.
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