the unknown details of the most Argentine final in the history of Roland Garros

Tennis was very different 20 years ago. Roger Federer He was already number 1, but he had only won two Grand Slams. Rafael Nadal had not yet debuted in Bois de Boulogne. Y Novak Djokovic He had not even added his first ATP victory. In that pre-Big 3 world, Argentina was a great protagonist with a Legion that was at its peak and that shone big in Roland Garros 2004. That edition of the French Grand Slam went down in history as the only one (until now, at least) that had a 100% light blue and white final, in which Gaston Gaudio prevailed over Guillermo Coria and won a victory full of nerves, tension and drama. There were five sets in which the players pushed themselves to the extreme and spread their suffering to the public and to their own teams.

“It was all crazy. I don’t know if there was another final as close as that one in Paris,” he said. Franco Davinthen coach of the Gato. “He missed one of the most incredible finals at Roland Garros,” he said. Fabian Blenginocoach of Dry. On the 20th anniversary of that unforgettable duel, the two recalled in a conversation with Clarion the intimacy and emotions of that day on Sunday, June 6, two decades ago.

Coria, 22, was the huge favorite. He was third in the ranking and had been champion weeks before in Monte Carlo. Gaudio, 25, was looking for the feat. He was placed 44th and his best result of the previous tour – and of the season – had been the final in Barcelona.

The final began to be played well before the protagonists stepped onto the brick dust of the main court. Especially because to the spice of being a clash between two Argentines was added the spicy rivalry that existed between them, two antagonistic characters, with exchanges of insults, provocations and even some physical exchanges when they saw each other’s faces on the circuit.

“That day we went to warm up and did tennis. Afterwards we stayed at the stadium, at the Philipe Chatrier, and before the game we did a physical warm-up in the gym. We on one side and Gaudio on the other,” Blengino said. .

And he added: “We were very confident, even knowing how hard the match was going to be. Because Guille’s level was incredible, so we thought he was going to win. At least, I thought so.”

“We came from a long tour and we had a lot of ideas. One was to listen to some songs by U2, which Gastón really liked, before going out to the club. We played backgammon with the physical trainer. We always went to eat at the same restaurant the day before the game…” Davin said.

“Coria was a star and he was a favorite. And he felt like a favorite. Everyone considered him the winner. In fact, some journalists said that they were already celebrating in Venado Tuerto,” continued the one from Pehuajó, who had previously trained the man from Santa Fe. “There was disagreement between them, they were two Argentines and they were playing at Roland Garros, with what that tournament means to us. It was a special match for everyone and the nerves were felt a lot.”

What happened on the field is more than known history. An initial dominance by Coria, who took the first sets. An almost epic comeback by Gaudio to equalize the score, after overcoming a 2-4 deficit in the third, while his rival was suffering from cramps and physical problems. And a heart-stopping fifth set, in which the Wizard had two points to close the match, before the Cat could seal the 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 and 8-6 and win the first and his only Major. It was a physical and mental battle that lasted three hours and 31 minutes.

Many years later, the man from Santa Fe acknowledged: “I didn’t have the humility, the balls, the courage to say ‘I’m screwed, I’m scared’“. And the one from Temperley stated: “I don’t know if from a tennis perspective it was an excellent final, but it seemed to me to be one of the most emotional in a long time, because unprecedented things happened that seemed like science fiction.”

“The match was very favorable, but after a change in which Guille said his leg was bothering him, it was not the same. In that game there was an incredible point with drop versus drop that Gastón won. The people who wanted to see more tennis began to pick up Gastón and from there everything went downhill. Guille was given something for the pain and it took effect after a while, so he was able to play the fifth set relatively without problems. And he had those two match points that he couldn’t make,” Blengino recalled.

“We were very sad. It was a very difficult defeat to take. For me, they were one of the worst feelings I experienced in a tournament, because on top of that it was a Grand Slam final,” commented the person who today has his academy and trains the Argentine. Leon Aboian. “I believe that if Guille won, he would compete as equals for many years with Nadal, Djokovic and Federer.”

“There was no breaking point. Coria started off incredible and Gastón had a hard time getting into the match due to the level of his rival. And another match arose when Gastón began to match him. Until the end it was not known who was going to win. It was a total drama,” recalled Davin, who until a few weeks ago was part of the Francisco Cerúndolo.

And he added: “The last point stuck in my mind, because Gastón had a crazy backhand, one of the best backhands, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. In it match pointhe stopped as if to hit it backhanded and I said ‘It is here’. I think he felt the same. And he hit an incredible backhand. “If there was a way to end that match, it was with that setback.”