TMS MONTE CARLO

April 20, 2001

Guillermo Coria

GUILLERMO CORIA: I was playing well at that moment. I was cool. But many things went through my mind, and he was winning the points. I had the opportunity of winning the game and I didn't take advantage of it. He made a drop shot, and then I let go a little bit. But I still kept fighting. I was very eager to win, and I was lucky that I won. It's a dream for me to reach the semis.

GUILLERMO CORIA: No, it's the first time it happened, but it's also the first time I'm playing here and the first time I'm reaching a quarterfinal in a Masters Series. I only played two Masters Series. Plus, I was on center court, there were many people. I believe it was a bit of a lack of experience, but it will not happen tomorrow because I really want to do well in this tournament, which is very important to me. Also, I saw it was broadcast on TV, so being on the court made me a bit nervous.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes. My father was a fan of Vilas. He followed his whole career, and that's why I was called Guillermo. It's thanks to him that tennis developed in Argentina with Clerc.

GUILLERMO CORIA: My great, great grandfather.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I don't know.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes, I had been nervous during the match, and I had a massage. I preferred to have it immediately after the match before having my muscles too tight. But I recuperated well, and I'm in perfect condition for tomorrow.

GUILLERMO CORIA: No, because every player plays on his own money. The Association doesn't give anything. Each player is on his own account. When I earn money in the tournaments, I use it to pay for my whole team - the coach, the physiotherapist, the doctor, et cetera.

GUILLERMO CORIA: To tell you the truth, I really don't know. I've never been on the team. I think there's money for the team, but honestly I don't know.

GUILLERMO CORIA: There are many possibilities that we reach the World Group, and I would love to be part of that team. It will not be easy matches. I will have to fight a lot. It's difficult to win in those circumstances, but it's a dream for me to represent my country since I've been a little boy.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes. I spoke with him - I don't remember exactly when - but I was about eleven years old. And I practiced in the framework of the Argentinian Association for two months with him. Indeed, during this time he gave me advice which was very useful for my game on the court. Jose Luis Clerc also gave me advice.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I like a lot playing on cement. In the Ericsson tournament I won two very important matches, and then I lost against Santoro. I love to play on those surfaces. In Wimbledon also I went once in Juniors, and I went to the semis.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I spend a very short time in my country, two months maximum, because it's so far from Europe. But I like it that way.

GUILLERMO CORIA: No, only in Argentina.

GUILLERMO CORIA: In a little town which is called Venado Tuerto, with 100,000 inhabitants.

GUILLERMO CORIA: In fact, there is several tennis clubs but I play in the tennis club where my father is a teacher. It's a very quiet city. Everybody knows everybody, and people are very pleasant and they give me a lot of courage to continue to play.

GUILLERMO CORIA: 400 kilometers.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I played soccer at one time, but I had more possibilities in tennis. I played soccer on a team which was called Venado Tuerto Centenario.