2005 Italian Open News
By Eleanor
Preston | May 07, 2005
 Tiredness is the enemy of all tennis players, particularly
on clay, and it was there for all to see in both semi-finals
at the Rome Masters on Saturday.
It was certainly there in Andre Agassi’s legs as
he stretched and strained in vain for every ball en route
to his 7-5, 7-6 semi-final loss to Guillermo Coria.
It was undoubtedly to blame for the American’s defeat,
though much must also be put down to the fact that Coria
is one of the world’s most dangerous players when
he has red clay underfoot.
The Argentine moved Agassi around, squeezing every last
ounce of energy out of his 35-year-old opponent with clever
angles, obstinate defense and sudden switches of pace and
position. Agassi may feel he is getting a little old to
take lessons but he got one just the same and the look
on his face throughout, even when he was leading 5-2 in
the second set, was a cross between worry and irritation.
Coria induces both feelings in most of the players who
face him on clay and he is undoubtedly a major danger for
the French Open, which starts on 23rd May, where he was
runner-up to Gaston Gaudio last year.
To go one better this year Coria will either have to hope
Rafael Nadal runs out of steam or is beaten, for the formbook
suggests he's the hottest of favorites for the Roland Garros
title, something which makes today’s Rome Masters
final between the two players all the more fascinating.
Nadal earned his shot at yet another clay court title (he
has already won four this year) by beating David Ferrer
4-6, 6-4, 7-5 and while he showed plenty of signs of weariness
against his countryman he managed to dig into the large
reserves of confidence he has amassed on the 16-match winning
streak he is currently on.
“I’m a little bit tired, mentally as well,” explained
Nadal, in English which is improving with every post-victory
press conference he gives. “I won a lot and I play
too many matches. I can’t play very well every day
but the important thing is I improve in the match. In the
first two sets he played better than me but he let me come
back and I fight.”
No-one would argue with him on that and while the standard
of his play against Ferrer was a notch below the high mark
he has set lately, he and Ferrer produced plenty of drama
with which to thrill the full stands of the Foro Italico’s
Court Centrale, where the crowd loves nothing more than
a player who, like Nadal, has an innate sense of theatre.
The match was a little more dramatic than the 18-year-old
Spaniard would have liked, as much because of Ferrer’s
obduracy as Nadal’s tiredness. Ferrer will be a man
best avoided for all concerned in the early rounds of Roland
Garros, not least because he matches stubbornness with
brave shot-making, particularly on important points.
Having saved match-points in his quarter-final win over
Fernando Verdasco, he saved more when Nadal served for
the match at 5-4 in the third set, breaking back for 5-5
to test Nadal’s reserves of mental strength even
more.
“At 5-5 in the third set of course I have problems
but he has problems too, no?” said Nadal with a laugh,
showing that he has a sense of humor as well as a sense
of occasion.
He would dearly have loved to play Agassi in Sunday’s
final but a win over Coria may have a good deal more bearing
on the outcome of the French Open. Agassi is unlikely to
play again before Roland Garros but his five matches in
Rome should provide enough match-play to feel fully prepared.
Nadal might be well advised to steer clear of Hamburg next
week and no-one would blame him for a tactical injury in
order to give himself an extra week’s rest before
going to Paris.
After taking on Coria in the Rome final he may feel he
needs a rest. Agassi certainly did.
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