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31 octobre 2009 6 31 /10 /octobre /2009 18:42
Biofile: The Nicolas Massu Interview By Scoop Malinowski

Friday, October 30, 2009
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Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Massu  


It's not blood lust or a taste for all night outings that motivate him, but a trace of Transylvanian tradition that comes to tennis in the form of Nicolas Massu, nicknamed "Vampiro" for his  affinity for vampires.


The winner of six career ATP singles titles including Buenos Aires, Amersfoort, Palermo, Kitzbuhel, Athens and Costa do Sauipe, Massu reached career high ATP singles ranking of No. 9 in 2004. 


 
Massu became a Chilean national hero when he swept Gold Medals
in singles and doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.


Massu and Gonzalez captured Chile’s first gold medal in the 108-year history of the modern Olympic Games with a 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4 triumph over Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler in a taxing five-set match that ended at 2:30 a.m.. In a memorable climax to that match, the Chileans engaged in an emotional embrace and crashed to the court together.


Gonzalez and Massu had cause for celebration. The pair fought off four match points trailing 2-6 in the fourth-set tiebreak then rallied from a 1-3 deficit in the decisive set by winning five of the final six games to seize one of their nation’s greatest sports victories in a three hour, 43-minute that offered tense, tenacious — and at times tremendous — tennis.


Massu concluded that match collapsing on the court in Gonzalez’s arms in an emotional embrace and returned the next day to make another five-set stand and beat American Mardy Fish to strike gold in singles.


In a stunning span of 24 hours in Athens, Massu captured consecutive gold medals for his country, roaring back to earn a 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Fish and the respect of all who watched as he completed an astounding sweep of both singles and doubles gold medals.


"What he achieved back in Athens winning singles and doubles, it's never going to happen again, you know," World No. 1 Roger Federer said.


Scoop Malinowski, whose Olympic experience was confined to teenage backyard boxing matches that saw him play the roles of both former U.S. Olympic boxers Michael and Leon Spinks (unlike Leon, Scoop has retained his front teeth despite his affinity for the sweet science), caught up with Massu recently for this Biofile interview.


 

Height/Weight: 6-feet, 177 pounds.
 
Born On: October 10, 1979  in Vina del Mar, Chile.
 
Childhood Hero: "Rocky the movie [smiles]."
 
Tennis Inspirations: "When I start when I was younger — Boris Becker and Muster. Those were my two."
 
Hobbies/Leisure Activities:  "I like to play soccer. To be with my friends, go out with my friends."
 
Nicknames: Nico, Vampiro.
 
Favorite Movies:  "Gladiator."
 
Favorite TV Show:  "The Simpsons is my favorite."
 
Musical Tastes:  "Spanish music, Ricky Martin."
 
Early Tennis Memory:  "The first time that I passed the top 100 in 1999. After winning Challenger in Santiago in November '99. Was doing good in Challengers, I won three Challengers. Then when I won my first ATP tournament in Buenos Aires (2002), I saved match points (in final against Calleri)."
 
Pre-Match Feeling:  "All are different. Sometimes you're nervous, sometimes not. Sometimes you are more confident, sometimes without confidence. Normally, a little bit nervous but not too much. Just depends on when I go out on the court to play."
 
Favorite Meal: "Pizza."
 
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Everything."
 
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Vanilla."
 
First Job:  "Tennis."
 
First Car:  "'Chevrolet convertible, black. '96, I have it in '99."
 
Greatest Sports Moment:  "Now I think August 2004, champion of Olympics in singles and doubles. And also carried my countries flag at 2000 Olympics (when Marcelo Rios did not show up).""
 
Most Painful Moment:  "I think when we lost some important Davis Cup — Zimbabwe, India, Slovakia, Russia, Israel, Croatia. (Massu's overall Davis Cup record is 29-17 including 17-4 on clay.)"
 
Funny Tennis Memory: "Just not in singles, when I play doubles I have a lot of good memories."
 
Closest Tennis Friends: "Marcelo Rios and Fernando Gonzalez, some Argentine and some Spanish players."
 
Funniest Players Encountered: "Fernando Vicente. He's funny and a good person."
 
Toughest Competitors: "Federer, Nadal, Hewitt, Agassi, Ferrero."
 
Favorite Vacation Spot: "Cancun."
 
Favorite Athletes To Watch: "I think Mike Tyson when he was young. Because I think he was a good competitor. And he was the best in the world. He had a lot of confidence.Michael Jordan. I read one time a book of him, I like it. My favorite soccer team is Everton from Vina del Mar. (Tennis?) I don't have any one now. You don't have idols when you play because you play against all these guys. I don't have idols."
 
People Qualities Most Admired:  "Good, friendly people. Good person. And respect, you know?"

 

 


Tennis Week contributing writer Scoop Malinowski's latest book Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle was called "A smashing success," by Hall of Famer Emanuel Steward, who called the book "one of the two best boxing books I've ever read." Author Joyce Carol Oates, whose book "On Boxing" is regarded as a classic calls Scoop, "one of the hottest young journalists in pugilism." He's recently done Biofiles with Billie Jean King, Asafa Powell, and Olympic gold medalists Carolina Kluft, Oksana Baiul and Tirunesh Dibaba. Please visit his site www.thebiofile.com. Scoop is also a ham and egger tennis player, currently ranked No. 4 in the USTA Eastern 35s and holder of the Tennis Week singles title. 

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31 octobre 2009 6 31 /10 /octobre /2009 09:09
Nico lost to Thomas Bellucci 6-2 6-3.

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30 octobre 2009 5 30 /10 /octobre /2009 10:04
Nico will play his quarter of final against the Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci on center court at 6 pm (8 pm GMT).

Order of play Cancha Central
Matches start at 12 am
Julio Silva (BRA) vs Santiago Ventura (ESP)
Nicolás Lapentti (ECU) vs Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
Franco Ferreiro (BRA) vs David Marrero (ESP)

Not before 6 pm
Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs Nicolás Massú (CHI)
Franco Ferreiro (BRA)/Ricardo Mello (BRA) vs Marcelo Demoliner (BRA)/Fernando Romboli (BRA)

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29 octobre 2009 4 29 /10 /octobre /2009 19:17

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29 octobre 2009 4 29 /10 /octobre /2009 16:44
Nico defeated Rogerio Dutro da Silva 6-2 6-0. In next round, he will play against the 21 years old Brasilian Thomaz Bellucci, ranked 43rd. They've never played against each other in an ATP tournament.

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29 octobre 2009 4 29 /10 /octobre /2009 10:42
Nico will play first on center court against the Brazilian Rogerio Dutra da Silva, a 25 years old player, 316th at the ATP ranking. That will be their first meeting in an ATP tournament.

Order of play Cancha Central
Matches start at 12 am (2 pm GMT)
Rogerio Dutra da Silva (BRA) vs Nicolás Massú (CHI)

Not before 2 pm
Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs Santiago González (MEX)
Nicolás Lapentti(ECU) vs Sebastián Decoud (ARG)
Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy (FRA) vs Juan Ignacio Chela(ARG)
Ricardo Hoccevar (BRA)/João Souza (BRA) vs Juan Martín Aranguren (ARG)/Sebatián Decoud (ARG)
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28 octobre 2009 3 28 /10 /octobre /2009 21:29
Nicolás Massú se cobró "venganza" ante Gastón Gaudio en Sao Paulo

El número tres de Chile venció al argentino en dos sets.

El trasandino había derrotado al viñamarino en la Petrobrás de Asunción y Montevideo.


Por Cooperativa.cl 


El tenista chileno Nicolás Massú (127º de la ATP) batió por 7-5 y 6-3 al argentino Gastón Gaudio (181º) y avanzó a los octavos de final del challenger de Sao Paulo,  perteneciente a la gira de la Copa Petrobrás.


La tercera raqueta nacional se tomó venganza ante Gaudio, quien lo había derrotado en sus dos últimos enfrentamientos: en los torneos de Montevideo y Asunción, otras dos etapas del citado circuito.    


Massú conversó con Al Aire Libre en Cooperativa y sostuvo que fue una victoria difícil de conseguir ante el trasandino: "Sí, fue complicado, sobre todo cuando te toca Gaudio en primera ronda, que anda bien y con confianza".


 

Imagen
Tras dos derrotas consecutivas, Massú pudo batir a Gaudio. (Foto: Copa Petrobrás)

 

Tras dos derrotas consecutivas, el viñamarino pudo batir a Gaudio. "No había tocado la pelota desde que jugué la final en Santiago, pero gané pese al viento y la lluvia. Está resbalosa la cancha.  Si juego al mismo nivel creo que tengo muchas chances de seguir avanzado", añadió.


El duelo de Massú y Gaudio se jugó este miércoles tras ser suspendido en la jornada anterior por la lluvia que retrasó el programa del certamen.


El chileno actuará en octavos de final ante el brasileño Rogerio Dutra Silva (316°), proveniente de las clasificaciones. El dueño de casa derrotó al español Pablo Andújar (171°) por 7-5, 1-6 y 6-4.


Massú volverá a la cancha en la tarde de este miércoles cuando enfrente en la primera fase de dobles, junto a Paul Capdeville, a los brasileños Franco Ferreiro y Ricardo Mello.


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28 octobre 2009 3 28 /10 /octobre /2009 11:07
Nico and Gaudio weren't able to play this tuesday because of the rain that fell on Sao Paulo. The match will take place at 12 am (2 pm gmt) on court n°1.

Order of play Cancha 1
Matches start at 10 am :
Rogério Dutra Silva (BRA) vs Pablo Andujar (ESP)

Not before 12 am :
Gastón Gaudio (ARG) vs Nicolás Massú (CHI)
Paul Capdeville (CHI) vs Franco Ferreiro (BRA)

Official site : http://www.copapetrobrasdetenis.com.br

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27 octobre 2009 2 27 /10 /octobre /2009 10:07
Nico will play against Gaston Gaudio on the center court at 5.30 pm Sao Paulo time (7.30 pm gmt).

Order of play Cancha central :
Matches start at 10 am
To finish :

Rui Machado (POR) vs Ricardo Hocevar (BRA) 6/4 2/1
Ricardo Mello (BRA) vs Thiago Alves(BRA)
Nicolás Lapentti (ECU) vs Diego Junqueira (ARG)

Not before 5.30 pm :
Gastón Gaudio (ARG) vs Nicolás Massú (CHI)

Not before 7.30 pm :
Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs João Souza (BRA)

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26 octobre 2009 1 26 /10 /octobre /2009 10:56
Nico will play for the 3rd time in a few weeks against Gaston Gaudio in the 1st round of the tournament of Sao Paulo, last step of the Copa Petrobas 2009.

Nico's part of the draw :

Thomas Belluci (BRA) [1] vs Joao Souza (BRA)
Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Pablo Andujar (SPA)
Gaston Gaudio (ARG) [SE] vs Nicolas Massu (CHI) [7]

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