Argentine tennis star denies reports of poor reputation
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-07 10:05

Argentine tennis star Guillermo Coria, number eight in the Association of Tennis Players(ATP) world ranking, denied reports that he was held in low esteem by his ATP colleagues, in an interview with Argentina's La Nacion newspaper on Friday.

"Either those rumours are lies or I am very stupid. The people who come and speak to me and say "bad luck, good luck or well played", would be acting," he said. "I don't feel discriminated against."

He added that he gave little importance to criticisms, like those of Chile's Fernando Gonazlez, who said that in October last year that he was the least liked on the circuit, after beating Coria in the Madrid Masters competition.

"People speak about reputation, but other players do several things in a row and because they have another kind of image, nothing happens," he complained.

"If I go out to "kill" a player like Fernando Gonzales did withme, people speak worse of me than they do him," he said.

Coria said he did not understand why the Chilean said what he did: "If he has a problem with me he doesn't need to go to the press. All the more so if, when he sees me in the changing room, he doesn't say anything."

The Argentine has rowed publicly with Australia's Leyton Hewitt, Chile's Nicolas Massu, and compatriot Gaston Gaudio. Coria, who turns 24 next week, has won nine professional titles in his career so far.