Mariano Puerta
Mariano Puerta
Mariano Rubén Puertais a former Argentine professional male tennis player. His best performance in a Grand Slam was reaching the final of the French Open in 2005, where he lost to Rafael Nadal in four sets. He won 3 singles titles and reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 9...
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth19 September 1978
believe final grand
I can't really believe this, that I'm in the final of a grand slam,
beat
There was nothing I could have done better to beat him.
believed fifth
Even when I was 4-2 down in the fifth set I still believed that I could win,
determined finals forget happy hard masters reach top win
But with this victory, I can forget everything about it. I'm happy about this win today. I'm the top seed. I'm determined to reach the finals here, it's important for me to make a berth in the Masters in Shanghai. I'm working hard on it.
beginning feeling great match
In the beginning of the match I was not feeling good. It's great to play the Masters, and I was very close. It's really a pity. I'm very disappointed. I'm very disappointed, that's what I feel.
gave hours party tough trip waking
I was waking up from a big party the day before and they gave me two hours to decide. It's a 30-hour trip so it's a very tough decision.
attack balls fastest hard kick places
He doesn't have the fastest serve, but he places it well. His balls have a lot of kick and it makes it hard to attack his serve.
asked days five four holiday second
Four or five days ago I was on holiday but the ATP called and asked if I wanted to come as the second alternate,
knowingly livelihood position prohibited
My position has always been that I did not deliberately or knowingly ingest any prohibited substance. I find it extraordinary that it could ever be thought satisfactory a person's livelihood can be terminated in circumstances like these.
call dinner restaurant
I was having dinner in the players' restaurant when the call came.
concentration good played served
I think he served very good the whole match, ... I played very good with a lot of concentration.
coming fans felt nervous stepped supporting
I wasn't nervous about coming here to play in France. When I stepped out on court, I felt the fans were supporting me.
courts cup good help masters moving played serve toward win
Today's win will help me to make it to the Masters Cup in Shanghai, ... I think I played good today. I'm working a little on my serve and moving toward my backhand because these courts are fast.
affect played
The allegations didn't affect me. I played as well as I could. He just played better.