In the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the relationship between Guillermo Coria y Horacio Zeballos. When the ‘Mago’ had to present the squad list in May he did not include ‘Zebolla’, despite having reached the top of the ATP doubles ranking. From there, the bond between the man from Mar del Plata and the Argentine captain was broken and there was no turning back.
On this occasion Coria contacted the player, not to definitively call him up, but to ask him what his situation was both physically and to find out if he was going to be available for the game. Davis Cup. But the player 39 years He was hurt by missing the Paris Games and, after rejecting the call, he publicly explained his position.
“My relationship with him is not good. Each one thinks differently and has their motives that are completely opposite and that makes it difficult for me to respect his word,” said Zeballos, something that was not liked by the Albiceleste team.
This new controversy between Coria and Zeballos arose due to the request of the International Federation, which requested that the list in good faith be published more than two months in advance, facing the next phase of the Davis Cup. The captain, in a hurry, presented the roster without problems because up to a week before the official date, he could make up to four changes.
The Magician stated that in the last few days they were carrying out the “usual survey prior to each series”to finish corroborating who was available and in condition. Then, the captain of the Argentine Davis Cup team insisted: “I knew I could make changesso the names on that list did not matter, because they could vary easily.
What Guillermo Coria said about Horacio Zeballos
The Argentine captain wanted to put a cold shoulder to the situation in his role as leader of a group and explained: “No one said it was not available and these days we communicate with each player. The talk we had with Horacio was to find out if he will be available and he made public immediately after the conversation what his position was.
Regarding the personal relationship he maintains with the Mar del Plata tennis player, the former world number 3 said: “I want to clarify that I have no personal problem with Zeballos. I am old enough to have learned the mistakes of the past, Those things cause a lot of damage to Argentine tennis. “I am leading a team and we are working on unity and harmony.”.
Then, about the absence of the last champion of the Masters 1000 de Montrealcontinued: “Unfortunately we couldn’t count on him in two of the last three series that were very important and we had a lot of things at stake. “He made a decision and even if you don’t agree you have to accept what a player decides.”
Regarding the start of the fight between both Argentine tennis figures in the run-up to Paris 2024, Coria stated: “At the Olympic Games everyone knew that we were going to give great importance and priority to the players’ commitment to the Davis Cup. We handle all series like this and we believe that communication is very important.”
Horacio Zeballos’s rejection of Mago Coria
The Argentine Tennis Association sent the list of summoned players in a timely manner, as required by the International Federation. A few days ago, Coria began making routine calls like before each phase and when she tried to do it with Zeballos, he asked her for a week because he was in the middle of competing in the Cincinnati Masters 1000.
On Monday morning there was the long-awaited call but it did not last long and Horacio quickly reported publicly: “My relationship with him is not good. Each one thinks differently and has their motives that are completely opposite and that makes it difficult for me to respect his word”. This way, rejected the call from Coria.
Then the best Argentine doubles player in history continued: “Today the captain contacted me asking if I was going to be available, and my response was no.. Having to live together for a week under her tutelage and not being able to be on the same page “It wouldn’t do any good for the team or me.”.
