Nadal/Coria 2005 - Page 2

NadalAgassi · 10-12-2012, 10:37 AM

I think Nadal overtaking Coria on clay so soon after the Gaudio fiasco was too much for Coria to take. His will was broken. I think this was the match that ended him for good.

Mustard · 10-12-2012, 10:39 AM

The 2005 Monte Carlo final, which Nadal won 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5, was a different kind of match. It wasn't until towards the end of the match that both players played well at the same time. Coria started well in the opening games to go 3-1 up, but then Nadal dominated up to the end of the second set as Coria moaned about the drizzle. Coria then suddenly dominated the third set as Nadal's level went way down. The fourth set saw Nadal take a bit of a lead before Coria came back and then they started going toe-to-toe properly just before Nadal won. The 2005 Rome final, by contrast, was a toe-to-toe war all the way through, with Nadal winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6.

Mustard · 10-12-2012, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

I think Nadal overtaking Coria on clay so soon after the Gaudio fiasco was too much for Coria to take. His will was broken. I think this was the match that ended him for good.

Not being able to get his serves in consistently is what finished him off. His yips was bad enough in late 2005, but it was awful in 2006 and beyond.

namelessone · 10-12-2012, 10:46 AM

The amazing thing is that baby Nadal is actually holding his own and eventually beating a guy that was RG finalist the year before and who was a pedigree clay player himself(and this was arguably still Coria's prime). It would be like a 19 year old coming in to trounce Nadal on clay and look at ease at times in doing so. But then again this wasn't a first for Nadal since he beat Costa at 16 years of age and Costa was reigning RG champ at the time.

Mustard · 10-12-2012, 10:56 AM

In 2004, Coria strutted on the court like he owned it, and his confidence was sky high on clay until the Gaudio fiasco at Roland Garros. 2005 Coria was less confident on clay and would make more errors, although he would still play his best in patches.

2005 Nadal, although inexperienced, was just on a mission to do as well as he could and he had an unbelievable amount of enthusiasm and energy. He started a legendary streak on clay, and his enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude eventually got him over the line against the more edgy and tight Coria.

It's worth pointing out that Coria had led by 3-0 in the fifth set (a double break) and had a game point on his serve for 4-0. Nadal found a way out of this and won 8-6 in the fifth set tiebreak on his fourth championship point. Coria never got to championship point. He had saved a Nadal CP when 5-6 down, and recovered from 1-5 and 4-6 deficits in the tiebreak to get back to 6-6, but then lost the next 2 points as Nadal won.

reversef · 10-12-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzalito17

Coria was the king of clay pre Nadal but he blew that final vs. Gaudio, he should have won that. He was the premier clay court player before Nadal took over the throne. This match and the other final they played were epic changing of the guard clashes of clay titans. Coria fell to pieces when he realized Nadal was his master. His career fell apart.

It's too bad. That match is one of my all time favourite matches. But someone had to lose. It was Coria. He was never the same after that. Nadal-Coria could have been such an incredible rivalry.

Prisoner of Birth · 10-12-2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmata814

I was just thinking about this match a couple of weeks ago but i couldnt remember coria's name. Thx for posting it...i feel much better now.

Cheers!

BauerAlmeida · 10-12-2012, 01:01 PM

That much was simply epic. A demonstration of how claycourt tennis is played. Too bad Coria lost. If not maybe we would've had a nice Coria-Nadal rivalry the last years (with Nadal winning more than Coria though). That match killed Coria. He was serving 3-0 40-30. Then he had a break point to serve for the match when Rafa was serving 4-4.

I think this is the best match I saw after the AO 2005 SF. Not sure but it's up there. It was really fantastic.

Rock Strongo · 10-12-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustard

The 2005 Monte Carlo final, which Nadal won 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5, was a different kind of match. It wasn't until towards the end of the match that both players played well at the same time. Coria started well in the opening games to go 3-1 up, but then Nadal dominated up to the end of the second set as Coria moaned about the drizzle. Coria then suddenly dominated the third set as Nadal's level went way down. The fourth set saw Nadal take a bit of a lead before Coria came back and then they started going toe-to-toe properly just before Nadal won. The 2005 Rome final, by contrast, was a toe-to-toe war all the way through, with Nadal winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6.

That's almost the best coincidence ever.

MichaelNadal · 10-12-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigServer1

I just wish he still played like that. My favorite Rafa matches were early in his career when he just destroyed people off the FH and ran around everything. That coupled with his sick defense and passing shots back then made him so much more fun to watch.

Same here, I get so irritated when he pushes or plays scared or according to how "confident" he's feeling now. I like when Nadal plays balls to the wall like he did up until mid 2009 and at the USO in 2010, AO final this year and 09.

The-Champ · 10-12-2012, 03:00 PM

Coria is the guy we always forget to mention when we talk about "the fastest". He was an incredible mover.

sonicare · 10-12-2012, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustard

The 2005 Rome final is probably the best clay-court match I've seen in terms of drama and tension.

what about rg 04?

Mustard · 10-12-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonicare

what about rg 04?

The last 2 sets of the 2004 French Open final was like watching a car crash in slow motion.

NadalAgassi · 10-12-2012, 05:51 PM

People say Gaudio is the worst player to win a slam but wouldnt that be Mark Edmunston who won an Australian Open ranked outside the top 200?

Mustard · 10-12-2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

People say Gaudio is the worst player to win a slam but wouldnt that be Mark Edmunston who won an Australian Open ranked outside the top 200?

Edmondson is the lowest ranked player to win a major, at 212 in the world, but he did beat Rosewall and Newcombe to win that 1976 Australian Open title.

NadalAgassi · 10-12-2012, 06:03 PM

Rosewall was 41 years old by then though and Newcombe was also past his slam winnning days. Are those bigger wins at the time than prime Coria, prime Nalbandian, and prime Hewitt at the 2004 French?

tacou · 10-12-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netspirit

It was also surprising to see a very cold handshake in the end, given the epic struggle the two had been through.

Coria wasn't the greatest of sports. I still loved him.

As much as I enjoy the beautiful Fed/Nadal rivalry, I love a guy who loses an epic match and absolutely despises his opponent afterward

tacou · 10-12-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

I think Nadal overtaking Coria on clay so soon after the Gaudio fiasco was too much for Coria to take. His will was broken. I think this was the match that ended him for good.

He made a USO QF after that. Could've got to a hard court SF (where he would've played Agassi I think?) but double faulted twice in a row to lose to Ginepri in the 5th set. Great, great match.

Imagine if Guillermo Coria made the 2005 US Open Final.

NadalAgassi · 10-12-2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tacou

He made a USO QF after that. Could've got to a hard court SF (where he would've played Agassi I think?) but double faulted twice in a row to lose to Ginepri in the 5th set. Great, great match.

Imagine if Guillermo Coria made the 2005 US Open Final.

He was never beating Agassi on a hard court, and probably would have come nowhere near as close as Ginepri surprisingly did, but it would have been great for him to make the semis there.

tacou · 10-12-2012, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

He was never beating Agassi on a hard court, and probably would have come nowhere near as close as Ginepri surprisingly did, but it would have been great for him to make the semis there.

Probably not, but Agassi was jacked up on cortisone. He looked stiff in the final. If Coria had made it a grind who knows. Definitely Agassi is the favorite but such matches (Coria/Ginepri) can make a world of difference in a player's carer.

10-12-2012, 10:37 AM	#21
NadalAgassi Legend Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 9,635	I think Nadal overtaking Coria on clay so soon after the Gaudio fiasco was too much for Coria to take. His will was broken. I think this was the match that ended him for good. __________________ TMF on Jan. 2011- Serena is washed up for good, TMF in Oct. 2009- Nadal has won his final slam, TMF in 2011- Woz will beat Serena at U.S Open

10-12-2012, 10:39 AM	#22
Mustard G.O.A.T. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bristol, England Posts: 18,422	The 2005 Monte Carlo final, which Nadal won 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5, was a different kind of match. It wasn't until towards the end of the match that both players played well at the same time. Coria started well in the opening games to go 3-1 up, but then Nadal dominated up to the end of the second set as Coria moaned about the drizzle. Coria then suddenly dominated the third set as Nadal's level went way down. The fourth set saw Nadal take a bit of a lead before Coria came back and then they started going toe-to-toe properly just before Nadal won. The 2005 Rome final, by contrast, was a toe-to-toe war all the way through, with Nadal winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6. Last edited by Mustard : 10-12-2012 at 10:42 AM.

10-12-2012, 01:01 PM	#28
BauerAlmeida Semi-Pro Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Argentina Posts: 566	That much was simply epic. A demonstration of how claycourt tennis is played. Too bad Coria lost. If not maybe we would've had a nice Coria-Nadal rivalry the last years (with Nadal winning more than Coria though). That match killed Coria. He was serving 3-0 40-30. Then he had a break point to serve for the match when Rafa was serving 4-4. I think this is the best match I saw after the AO 2005 SF. Not sure but it's up there. It was really fantastic. __________________ There's no Dark Side of the Moon really, matter of fact it's all dark.

10-12-2012, 05:51 PM	#34
NadalAgassi Legend Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 9,635	People say Gaudio is the worst player to win a slam but wouldnt that be Mark Edmunston who won an Australian Open ranked outside the top 200? __________________ TMF on Jan. 2011- Serena is washed up for good, TMF in Oct. 2009- Nadal has won his final slam, TMF in 2011- Woz will beat Serena at U.S Open

10-12-2012, 06:03 PM	#36
NadalAgassi Legend Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 9,635	Rosewall was 41 years old by then though and Newcombe was also past his slam winnning days. Are those bigger wins at the time than prime Coria, prime Nalbandian, and prime Hewitt at the 2004 French? __________________ TMF on Jan. 2011- Serena is washed up for good, TMF in Oct. 2009- Nadal has won his final slam, TMF in 2011- Woz will beat Serena at U.S Open