Guillermo Sebastián Coria (born January 13, 1982 in
Rufino, Santa Fe Province), nicknamed El Mago (The
Magician in Spanish), is a professional tennis
player from Argentina. He was named after tennis
champion and countryman Guillermo Vilas.
Coria turned professional in 2000, finishing 2003,
2004 and 2005 as a top ten player. He is one of the
fastest players in the Association of Tennis
Professionals, consistently showing great
performances on clay courts tournaments and is often
a major threat at the French Open. His playing style
is a counterpuncher.
Coria tested positive for nandrolone in April 2001
and was initially suspended two years. Coria claimed
that the only supplement he was taking was a
multivitamin made by an NJ supplements company. His
family had a private lab test the multivitamin,
which found them contaminated with steroids.
Subsequently, the ATP reduced his suspension to only
the seven months that had already passed. Coria sued
the company for more than $10 million in lost prize
money and endorsements and settled after the third
day of the trial for an undisclosed amount.
Coria reached the semifinals of the French Open in
2003 before getting upset by Martin Verkerk's
booming serves. In 2004, as a favorite to win the
title, he reached the final, beating among others
former #1 Carlos Moyà; but was unexpectedly defeated
by unseeded compatriot Gastón Gaudio in an
unprecedented all-Argentinean final, 0–6, 3–6, 6–4,
6–1, 8–6. Coria had won the first two sets
convincingly before succumbing to leg cramps, at
times barely able to move. Coria played on, went two
breaks of serve ahead in the fifth set and even had
two points to win at 6–5 because of Gaudio's shaky
play. But in the end, Gaudio prevailed in a
thrilling finish.
In August 2004, he had suffered a shoulder injury,
which required surgery shortly before the Houston
Masters Cup, in which he performed poorly.
Coria has appeared in several finals since the
French Open defeat, but did not win another title
until July 31st 2005, when he won in Umag, Croatia.
Afterwards, Coria joked that the small tournament
was considered a fifth Grand Slam in his family,
because his wife Carla hails from Croatia. Coria had
a surprisingly consistent 2005 season, where he
reached the fourth round or better in every Grand
Slam, having previously been considered somewhat out
of his element on surfaces other than clay.
El Mago attended preschool with David Nalbandian in
Argentina. He is a well known River Plate fan (he
sometimes celebrates winning matches with Chilean
soccer player Marcelo Salas).
Coria's level during 2006 seriously dropped, losing
in the first round at several tournaments. He
withdrew from the 2006 French Open and from
Wimbledon to rehabilitate. In August 2006 he hired
Horacio de la Peña as his tennis coach.
In 2007, Coria was scheduled to return on April 30
at the Ostrava Challenger in the Czech Republic, but
withdrew due to injuries.
Coria contemplated retirement from professional
tennis after a series of injuries and subsequent
loss of belief in his own ability. Sources say he is
'down and out' and wants to return but says 'it's a
long road back and I'm lost on the wrong
road....without a map'.
Coria made his return in a Challenger in Belo
Horizonte Brazil on 10/22/07. He lost the first set
6–3 to fellow Argentine Juan Pablo Brzezicki and
subsequently retired with a back injury. He had been
leading in the first set 3–1.
Coria finally returned to the main ATP circuit in
the Movistar Open in Chile on January 28, 2008. He
showed positive signs of recovering his form, but
was still defeated in the first round by Pablo
Cuevas 6–4, 4–6, 6–3.
In February, in his second ATP Circuit appearance of
the year, Coria defeated Italian qualifier Francesco
Aldi 6–4 7–5. It was his first ATP victory in 19
months.
As a result of Andy Roddick's withdrawal from the
2008 French Open due to a back injury, Coria made
his first Grand Slam appearance in three years,
taking the place of the American. He was given the
unenviable task of facing Tommy Robredo, the
three-time quarter-finalist and #12 seed, in the
first round. Coria was defeated in four sets having
won the first, but his performance was greeted with
optimism.
