Gaudio, Del Potro, Coria, Nalbandian: Rank these four Argentinians — who is the best?

[VolosozharGOAT]

Worth noting that during Gaudio's French Open run, he beat Nalbandian. He surely was the least talented of the 4 players, and no mental giant by any means... But he grabbed a slam when he got the chance, unlike Coria and Nalbandian who blew many oppurtunities.

In terms of just ability IMO: Nalbandian, Del Potro, Coria, Gaudio in that order. In terms of achievements: DelPotro, Gaudio/Nalbanian, Coria

I think that is totally right on.

I do agree Nadal's emergence after blowing that 04 French led Coria into a deep personal depression, and that is where the yips mostly came from. He already knew he had probably blown his only shot of a slam title, which he would have never imagined in 04 where it looked like he was the probable guy to beat on clay for the next 3-5 years. Had he won the 04 French, even with Nadal's emergence, he could have kept a more positive attitude and fought better.

 

[NatF]

2003 was the onset of his abdominal injuries. Had an ankle and a rib injury in 2004. In fact, this is what he said in 2005 after winning the Munich Open:

"This was a very important win for me, my first after two strange years with so many injuries."

In 2006 his abdominal problems again reared their ugly head. In 2007 he had a host of injuries for sure (abdominal again, leg and back). Injured his back in early 2008. In 2009 he had more abdominal problems. And so on, and so on.

Really liked the guy.

Good information, thanks. Seems Nalbandian's rep for being lazy is a bit unfounded then?

 

[Mustard]

I think that is totally right on.

I do agree Nadal's emergence after blowing that 04 French led Coria into a deep personal depression, and that is where the yips mostly came from. He already knew he had probably blown his only shot of a slam title, which he would have never imagined in 04 where it looked like he was the probable guy to beat on clay for the next 3-5 years. Had he won the 04 French, even with Nadal's emergence, he could have kept a more positive attitude and fought better.

How do you know that was the cause of Coria's yips? As I mentioned before, even a dominant champion in a sport (including the mentally toughest) can be struck down by the yips.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

He doesn't know, he just agrees that it's the more likely circumstance.

I know the yips mostly in terms of it being attributed to golf, where the technique of a player can lead to structural changes in the muscles that can cause the muscles to behave inconsistently, ergo—it's not always psychological.

...Seems there is a physical yips and a psychological yips.

For some reason, the yips is very (very!) common in golf and not so much elsewhere. Why is this?

The yips seem like a mystery to me.

 

[VolosozharGOAT]

How do you know that was the cause of Coria's yips? As I mentioned before, even a dominant champion in a sport (including the mentally toughest) can be struck down by the yips.

I don't know. It was a suggestion. Nobody knows. However it makes total sense to speculate it as a possible reason.

If you don't think Coria had reason to be feeling depressed and demotivated after the 2004 RG crushing defeat and Nadal eclipsing him on clay when he was still playing well in 2005 (and Federer starting to beat him regularly on clay with his 2nd straight win over Coria in 2 meetings on the surface) then you are living in lala land. One cant prove that was the reason for his service yips and overall decline, but it is certainly a feasible suggestion. His wife also cheated on him with a good friend and left him around this time. When your morale is that low how are you ever going to keep your tennis together.

 

[Mustard]

He doesn't know, he just agrees that it's the more likely circumstance.

I know the yips mostly in terms of it being attributed to golf, where the technique of a player can lead to structural changes in the muscles that can cause the muscles to behave inconsistently, ergo—it's not always psychological.

...Seems there is a physical yips and a psychological yips.

For some reason, the yips is very (very!) common in golf and not so much elsewhere. Why is this?

The yips seem like a mystery to me.

It is a mystery. Eric Bristow was despairing when it happened to him. He was a 5-time world champion and the dominant player in the world, looking like he had years of his career ahead of him. Suddenly, he couldn't even release a dart properly, or even at all at times in practice. There was a time when he panicked and released that he didn't have enough money to live on for the rest of his life, and would have to find an ordinary job in the big, wide world, like being a postman. Fortunately for him, he got over the worse of it for a few years, and even got back to world number 1 at one stage, but was never the same dominant player again, nor did he win another world title.

With Coria, it struck in July 2005 and got worse over time, apart from the odd match. By 2006 Monte Carlo, he was serving over 20 double faults in best of 3 sets matches, including 4 double faults in a row in the odd service game. That was basically going into every tennis match at a big disadvantage, and it couldn't last.

 

[Mustard]

I don't know. It was a suggestion. Nobody knows. However it makes total sense to speculate it as a possible reason.

If you don't think Coria had reason to be feeling depressed and demotivated after the 2004 RG crushing defeat and Nadal eclipsing him on clay when he was still playing well in 2005 (and Federer starting to beat him regularly on clay with his 2nd straight win over Coria in 2 meetings on the surface) then you are living in lala land. One cant prove that was the reason for his service yips and overall decline, but it is certainly a feasible suggestion. His wife also cheated on him with a good friend and left him around this time. When your morale is that low how are you ever going to keep your tennis together.

Of course Coria was depressed, but why would the 2004 French Open final still be dominant in his mind a year later? He was in a grass-court final in the Netherlands just 2 weeks after that French Open final. He went through shoulder surgery in August 2004. 2005 was a fresh year. In many ways, 2005 was a consistent year in that he did pretty well on all surfaces, and also had those finals against Nadal, but I know he lacked his old confidence and swagger.

There was no sign of the yips until 2005 Umag, though, a tournament that Coria won. The 2005 US Open made it obvious, and it just got worse from there on. The only exception I remember was his win over Djokovic at 2006 Miami, where Coria didn't serve any double faults at all. That was a one off, though. In many ways, Coria showed mental toughness in this period in that he could still win matches despite having such a disadvantage.

 

[Alien]

Del Potro is the best player of the four. He has a GS and I dare to say would have more if his wrists hadnt imploded.

Gaudio is by far the least talent... and stupid. He won the FO out of sheer luck, or it was handed in by Coria. He shouldnt even be a contender in that list, if not for that lucky tournament he would be at Cañas level or less.

Nalbandian is second, he was a great talent but never too hard on training. He ha some big titles though, those MS back to back in 2007. I have folowed him for ages and his real problem was his serve, it was weak and a problem to keep up with Roger at the time.

Coria was great until he went nuts after FO final. He got to #3 in the rankings if I am not wrong. His H2H with Nalbandian was close. What he did with his own serve was difficult to understand really.

 

[Vensai]

I would have either del Potro or Nalbandian at the top.

 

[Tennisknowledge99]

Wells that RG loss hugely impacted his confidence and the development of his career. Being bested on clay the following year by both Nadal and Federer in the warm-ups events added to his failing confidence - and then Davydenko, who previously was helpless vs. Coria and had been destroyed by him at the French, hit him off the court in the 2005 RG R16.

He had some impressive runs afterwards including the QF of the USO that year (losing to Ginepri in an ugly five-setter) and qualifying for the YEC, but by then his serve had already developed the yips and he just continued to slide.

 

[Deleted member 21996]

David>Juan Martin>Guillermo>Gaston

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

...Seems pertinent to bump this.

 

[ARFED]

Right now probably:

Del Potro>~Nalbandian>Coria>~Gaudio

 

[BlackSilver]

...Seems pertinent to bump this.

Why? 56789

 

[Wynter]

Why? 56789

Probably Delpos return being delayed Yet again.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Why? 56789

Not sure this deserves a response.

At the time of bumping it, arguments were going on in another thread closely related to this topic.

 

[tacou]

It kinda depends what you rank them by and even then it's tough to do…

In terms of achievements I would rank them as follows:
Del Potro>Nalbandian>Gaudio>Coria

Nalbandian belongs before Gaudio IMO, despite not winning a slam because of his much better consistency and winning more large titles. Coria's career was too short to really make a impact unfortunately.

If we go by level of play, Del Potro, Nalbandian and Coria are at a similar level IMO (all being very dangerous players on their preferred surfaces and challenging the best players on those surfaces), whereas Gaudio is just a notch behind them. Del Potro and Nalbandian get a bonus for their consistency though. Considering this I would rank them like this: Del Potro>Nalbandian>Coria>Gaudio

Basically nailed it. I find all of their games very aesthetically pleasing, with the list going: Coria, Nalby, Delpo, Gaudio

 

[GabeT]

This is interesting because we're going to see a lot of differing opinions, with a certain Slam holder not always being placed in the top two of this group.

So. Slams are not everything then.

Exactly.


10

 

[Cortana]

Delpo without injuries would be a multi slam winner.

He is definitely the best of them in every aspect IMO.

 

[Rubens]

Prime Coria > Delpo > Nalbandian > Gaudio >>>> post-prime Coria

 

[90's Clay]

Nalbandian is far and away the best player out of all them. He just didn't take tennis seriously. He should have won 5-6 slams. Del Potro maybe had 2-3 slams in him

 

[Mainad]

I think Nalbandian and Del Potro both had the highest peaks of play.

 

[LapsedNoob]

Coria cracked, Nalbandian was in and out mentally, Delpo can't stay together but might've been the best of them.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

OK, but does who you feel is the best automatically have the best career?

Now can you tell me, whose career would you rather have?

 

[RacquetAbuse101]

Delpo rules!

However... Delpo vs Vilas?

 

[The_Mental_Giant]

On all surfaces, Nalbandian is the best followed by Del Potro, Coria and Gaudio last.

On clay, Coria is the best despite Gaudio's FO. Coria won multiple masters and was overall a better clay courter.

Hardcourts? Delpo>Nalbandian>Coria>Gaudio
Grasscourts? Nalbandian>Delpo> Coria> Gaudio
CLaycourts? Coria>Gaudio>Delpo> Nalbandian

Indoor hardcourts> Nalbandian>Delpo>Coria>Gaudio

Overall... Nalbandian=Delpo>Coria>>>gaudio

 

[The_Mental_Giant]

Nalbandian is far and away the best player out of all them. He just didn't take tennis seriously. He should have won 5-6 slams. Del Potro maybe had 2-3 slams in him

Agreed here... nalbandian is on safin level imo... both better players than delpo...

Coria is obviously the best one on clays..

gaudio is not in the same level with the other 3 despite being slam winner..

 

[daddy]

I mean Nalband has his whole career to do something yet he didn't. Coria is by far the last sa he is just not the class to be compared. That leaves us with Delpo and Gaudio, one class act of a player tampered by injuries and one lucky GS winner if there is a such thing. So honestly by talent, class and achievements it has to be :

1 / Delpo, the best in many ways
2 / Nalband, most talented but newer shown
3 / Gaston, purely on achievement basis
4 / Coria, purely on non achievement basis or this is what you get for serving like 15 double in2 sets after being hyped to win RG easily.

 

[BlackSilver]

Not sure this deserves a response.

No idea of why you think it.

At the time of bumping it, arguments were going on in another thread closely related to this topic.

You should have said the reason or/and posted the link, until someone mentioned Del Potro coming back somewhere, I had absolutely no idea of why (and it is a useless reason in my opinion)

OK, but does who you feel is the best automatically have the best career?

Now can you tell me, whose career would you rather have?

1)Del Potro
2)Gaudio.

 

[Wynter]

OK, but does who you feel is the best automatically have the best career?

Now can you tell me, whose career would you rather have?

Nalbandian. Without a doubt.

I wouldn't care that I didn't win a slam, but the fact he got to go 5 sets with Federer at the WTF, play some of the greatest matches of the era and genuinely be brilliant all over the court tips him in my favor. I'd love to be able to play like him if I could play like anybody. Mental instability aside.

 

[NatF]

Del Potro has the greatest highs but the injury woes are just too sad. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes if I could pick.

 

[PMChambers]

Vilas > Del Potro > Nalbandian > Coria > Gaston

Unfortunately Del Potro is injured early in his career and unlike to raise to the level to clear differentiate him from Nalbandian, Coria or Gaston. DN was awesome but just lacked a little to be truly awesome, probably his service as he had to fight for everything DN with a strong serve would be deadly.
Del Potro is not as good in general but he has a huge serve and FH when needed which would have "served" him better if not injured.
Coria was a nut case, relied on speed of foot more than anything.
Can't remember much of Gaudio to be honest.

 

[Bukmeikara]

People seem to forget how good was Coria on clay(between 03-05 he reached 7 of 11 big clay tournaments entered) and even at the US Open he reached two QF(losing a very tight match to Ginepri in five in 05). He retired early(24) so he would have probably got even better. I dont think that he was mentaly weak just he was unfortuned enough to end up on the losing side in two very tights matches. For me personaly:

Nalbandian > Coria = Del Potro > Gaudio

Its sad that Coria and Ferrero faded away after 05, both would have been great competition for Federer and Nadal on clay.

Other thing to mention is that Coria probably unfairly lost a whole year of peak tennis(2002) where he would have gain a lot a ground in terms of confidence, ranking and overall ability.

 

[Vegito]

Ask also about the most charismatic. I like more Del Potro as person but I think Nalbandian is the most charismatic.

 

[BauerAlmeida]

Del Potro
Nalbandian
Gaudio
Coria


Coria has a much better career outside the slam than Gaudio, but the fact that his slam win came vs Coria himself is a big factor. Different scenario if they had the same results but the slam title was achieved vs any other random player.

 

[Tennfan123]

Nalbandian
Del Potro
Coria
Gaudio

 

[bhpower]

Del Potro
Nalbandian
Coria
Gaudio

 

[SonnyT]

del Potro was the only Argentine to win a non-RG slam and to challenge the best at non-RG slams. He could've challenged for more slams w/o the many wrist surgeries.

 

[Sport]

Delpo > Gaudio > Nalbandian > Coria.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Del Potro is definitely bigger and better deal than nalbandian. Nalbandian again did get overrated a lot before Rafole fans took over Internet.

 

[TsitsiBH]

This is the easiest question ever :

1 Del Potro

2 Nalbandian

3 Coria

4 Gaudio