Coria, the brand new Davis Cup captain, was presented this Tuesday by the Argentine Tennis Association. Photo Lara Sartor
The former world 3 was presented this Tuesday and made his debut in the 2022 Davis Cup Rakuten Qualifiers, after the Argentine victory against Belarus.
“When you are a player what you want is to be a Davis Cup player, not to mention when you retire, to have the responsibility of being captain,” said the Rufino-born in a press conference held by the Harrods Gath & Chaves Club.
???? Guillermo Coria (@guillecoria) was presented as the new captain of the YPF Argentine Tennis Team, which seeks to return to the Davis Cup finals in 2022 (@Davis cup) after obtaining, last month, qualification to the Qualifiers with the 4-1 win over Belarus pic.twitter.com/mqAiH5JOe5
Tlam Agency (@TelamAgency) October 5, 2021
“It comes at a great time, I am very happy and they have been working very well for many years in the development of tennis in the Association,” said the 2004 Roland Garros finalist.
As for the moment in which he has to assume, the “Magician” assured that it is his turn “to share a leadership with friends, with former players very committed to the development of national tennis and very good results are already being seen”,
“This is the result of years of work that has been done by national tennis. It is a very beautiful responsibility that I have to face ”, he added.
The “Magician” and his great goal, the final in Madrid
Coria referred to his great goal which is to lead Argentina in the return to the Davis Cup World Group, to be able to qualify the team for the 2022 Finals in Madrid.
“I am anxious for December to arrive and meet our rival, analyze it, after March arrives and be able to play, if it is in Buenos Aires much better,” Coria commented.
Argentina beat Belarus 4 to 1 last month in a series played at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club and only recently met its next rival after the World Group Finals, which will be held this year between November 25 and November 5. December in three host cities: Madrid, Turn and Innsbruck.
The four semifinalists of the 2021 elite group will automatically qualify for the 2022 Finals and any of these teams will be eligible to receive two invitations for 2022, as already happened to Argentina in 2019, for example.
Due to its position in position 15 in the ranking prepared by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), it is very likely that it is seeded.
“Going to the Madrid Finals will be our first goal. Argentina has great players and we all want to compete with the world’s tennis powers,” Coria stressed.
Finally, and related to his initial message that everyone should be included, Coria was consulted about Juan Martn Del Potro from Tandil, the hero of the Davis Cup team that lifted the trophy in 2016 after beating Croatia 3-2 in Zagreb in the final. , who has been inactive for almost two and a half years with a persistent right knee injury.
“I have a good relationship with Del Potro, obviously I am going to talk with him. I hope I can play again and retire on a tennis court, What he transmits is very important, he is good for other tennis players and I would like to have him in the team, “concluded Coria.
The Santa Fe will maintain the base of the technical body that accompanied Gastón Gaudio during the last three years and incorporate Martín García, who came to occupy the 21st position in the professional doubles ranking.
On the other hand, Coria referred to how he came to office and indicated that: “after so many years out of the circuit, I was able to analyze well the things I did well and badly.”
“Those that were done in the best way will be to transmit not only to Davis Cup players, but to boys who come from the bottom with 10, 12 and 14 years and give them testimony of a difficult process and path that the tennis player has for in front of”
“From tomorrow I will be in contact with the players and coaches and see how they are, the idea they have,” he said.
Coria, the 31st captain of the Argentine Davis Cup team, was born 39 years ago in Rufino, Santa Fe province, and is one of the most outstanding Argentine tennis players in history.
In his professional career he won 9 ATP titles and was a finalist at Roland Garros 2004. The satanfesino came to occupy the podium of the ATP ranking, something that only three other compatriots achieved.
Once retired, he always stayed close to the sport that established him. He directed the program “Nuestro Tenis”, of the Secretariat of Sports of the Nation, and was even one of the Argentine captains in the Davis Cup series played in 2018, together with Gaudio and Guillermo Caas. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Argentine Tennis Association.
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