Analysis for Gabashvili-Coria (ATP Barcelona)

Head-to-head record 0:0

Is it the last chance for former clay court king? We think so. He could hardly face any weaker opponent here and if he wants to get back, he definitely needs to take this chance because he is not going to receive the wild cards for ever. Coria is one of the fastest players on the circuit, consistently showing great performances on clay courts tournaments and was often a major threat at the French Open. His playing style is a counterpuncher. Coria's level during 2006 seriously dropped, losing in the first round at several tournaments. He withdrew from the 2006 French Open and from Wimbledon to rehabilitate. In August 2006 he hired the new tennis coach. In 2007, Coria was scheduled to return at the Ostrava Challenger in the Czech Republic, but withdrew due to injuries. Coria contemplated retirement from professional tennis after a series of injuries and subsequent loss of belief in his own ability. Sources say he is 'down and out' and wants to return but says 'it's a long road back and I'm lost on the wrong road....without a map'. He made his return in a Challenger in Belo Horizonte in October last year. He lost the first set to fellow Argentine Brzezicki and subsequently retired with a back injury. Coria finally returned to the main ATP circuit in the Movistar Open in Chile in January 2008. He showed positive signs of recovering his form, but was still defeated in the first round by Pablo Cuevas. In February, in his second ATP Circuit appearance of the year, Coria defeated Italian qualifier Francesco Aldi. It was his first ATP victory in 19 months and we hope he recalled how the victory tastes. He will now face not even mediocre clay court player, Temiraz Gabashvili from Russia. Well, the current results speak in favour of his Russian opponent but we still consider Coria to be several classes above Russian as regards clay court abilities and he simply cannot forget everything. Odds at this level are interesting for us.