Guillermo Coria

Topics: Argentine sportspeople in doping cases, Argentine tennis players

Guillermo Sebastian Coria , 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. 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 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 Moya; but was unexpectedly defeated by unseeded compatriot Gaston 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.