Gastón Gaudio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gastón Norberto

Gastón Gaudio in 2018
Country (sports)	Argentina
Residence	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Born	(1978-12-09) 9 December 1978 (age 46) Temperley, Argentina
Turned pro	1996
Retired	2011
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	$6,066,156
Singles
Career record	270–196 (57.9%)
Career titles	8
Highest ranking	No. 5 (25 April 2005)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2002, 2005, 2006)
French Open	W (2004)
Wimbledon	2R (2002, 2006)
US Open	3R (2002, 2006)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2005)
Olympic Games	1R (2000)
Doubles
Career record	26–39 (40.0%)
Career titles	3
Highest ranking	No. 78 (14 June 2004)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2004)
French Open	3R (2004)
US Open	1R (2003, 2004)

Gastón Norberto Gaudio (born 9 December 1978) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. He won eight singles titles during his career. His highest ranking was world No. 5 in April 2005. Gaudio is most famous for winning the 2004 French Open. He won this big championship by coming back from two sets down in the final against fellow Argentine player Guillermo Coria.

Early Life and Start in Tennis

Gastón Gaudio learned to play tennis at the Temperley Lawn Tennis Club. He was the youngest of three children. When he was a kid, he also played football and rugby. He chose tennis to help his family financially when their business faced difficulties. He started playing tennis when he was six years old.

Tennis Career Highlights

Gastón Gaudio became a professional tennis player in 1996. He was ranked No. 2 among junior players in Argentina that year.

Early Professional Years (1997-1999)

In 1997, Gaudio was ranked 639th in the world. By 1998, he started winning ATP Challenger tournaments, which are events for rising players. He won three of these tournaments and finished the year ranked No. 138. In 1999, he won two more Challenger titles. He also had a good run at the French Open, reaching the third round after winning five matches in total. He ended 1999 ranked No. 73.

Breaking into the Top 25 (2000)

The year 2000 was important for Gaudio. He won another Challenger title and reached the semifinals at several main tour events, including the Monte Carlo Masters. At Monte Carlo, he beat several top players without losing a set. He also played in his first Olympic Games for Argentina. He finished the year ranked No. 34.

First ATP Titles (2001-2002)

In 2001, Gaudio reached the final of a tournament in Viña del Mar. He also helped Argentina get back into the top group of the Davis Cup by winning all his singles matches.

In 2002, Gaudio won his first professional tournament in Barcelona. He didn't lose a single set in the whole tournament! He beat the world No. 1 player, Lleyton Hewitt, in the semifinals. A week later, he won another title in Mallorca. He reached the fourth round of the French Open and finished the year ranked No. 21.

Challenges and Comebacks (2003)

The year 2003 didn't bring any titles for Gaudio. He faced some tough losses, especially in the Davis Cup semifinals against Spain. He later said that he felt unfairly blamed for these losses, which hurt him. He finished the year ranked No. 34.

Winning the French Open (2004)

The year 2004 was the most amazing year for Gastón Gaudio. He came into the French Open ranked 44th in the world, meaning he wasn't expected to win. He had to fight hard, winning two five-set matches early in the tournament.

In the final, he played against his fellow Argentine, Guillermo Coria, who was a top player and favored to win. Gaudio lost the first two sets 0–6, 3–6. But he made an incredible comeback, winning the next three sets 6–4, 6–1, 8–6. This made him the first Argentine man to win a Grand Slam title since 1979. He also became the first man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam final after losing the first set 6–0. This was a huge achievement and a dream come true for him. After this win, he entered the top 10 in the world rankings.

Later in 2004, Gaudio reached three more finals. He also played in the Tennis Masters Cup, a tournament for the year's top players. He finished 2004 ranked world No. 10.

Reaching World No. 5 (2005)

In 2005, Gaudio continued his strong performance, especially on clay courts. He won five more tournaments and reached his highest career ranking of world No. 5 in April. He also made it to the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Cup. He finished 2005 ranked world No. 10 for the second year in a row.

Gaudio during the 2005 French Open

Later Career (2006-2011)

After 2005, Gaudio found it harder to maintain his top level. In 2006, his best results were reaching the semifinals in Acapulco and Monte Carlo. He finished the year ranked No. 34.

Gastón Gaudio at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships

In 2007, his ranking dropped further. He tried to rebuild his career by playing in smaller tournaments. He also faced an ankle injury. In 2008, he played only two matches. He didn't win any matches for a whole year, which meant he lost his world ranking.

In 2009, Gaudio started to play more. He won a Challenger tournament in Tunis, which was his first title in almost four years. He also played in the French Open again. He finished 2009 ranked No. 167.

In 2010, he won another Challenger title in San Remo. Gastón Gaudio announced his retirement from professional tennis on August 30, 2011.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Singles Performance

Gastón Gaudio played in many Grand Slam tournaments throughout his career. His best result was winning the French Open in 2004.

Grand Slam Finals: 1 (1 Title)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2004	French Open	Clay	Guillermo Coria	0–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1, 8–6

Year-End Championship Performance

Tennis Records

Gastón Gaudio holds a special record from the Open Era of tennis:

• He won a Grand Slam final after being two sets down. This is a very rare achievement shared with only a few other great players like Björn Borg and Novak Djokovic.

See also

In Spanish: Gastón Gaudio para niños