MONACO, 26 April 2004 — Argentina’s Guillermo Coria hammered home his credentials as French Open favorite by extending his winning streak on clay to 26 matches with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 demolition of German birthday boy Rainer Schuettler in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters here on Sunday.
The 22-year-old No. 3 seed, runner-up to Juan Carlos Ferrero last year, clinched the eighth title of his career and his second Masters crown to add to his Hamburg win in 2003.
His last defeat on clay was at the hands of Martin Verkerk in the semifinals of the French Open last June.
Former French Open winner Thomas Muster holds the record of 40 in 1995, but the manner of Coria’s win here suggests that the Austrian’s mark is well within his reach. Coria, who collected 396,000 euros for his victory, clinched breaks in the third and fifth games on his way to taking the first set in 42 minutes as the German endured a miserable 28th birthday.
France, US, Belgium Cruise Through in Fed Cup
In London, holders France, the United States and Belgium were comfortable first-round winners in the Fed Cup yesterday.
Amelie Mauresmo gave France, 2-0 up overnight, victory in the best-of-five encounter against Germany in Amiens with an easy 6-2, 6-3 win over French Open junior champion Anna Lena Groenefeld in the day’s opening singles.
Emilie Loit won the remaining singles and France wrapped up a 5-0 thrashing with victory in the doubles.
In July’s quarterfinals the holders face Italy or the Czech Republic, whose tie in Lecce will resume tomorrow after being halted due to rain with the Italians 2-1 ahead.
The United States lost their opening rubber against Slovenia in Portoroz on Saturday but Venus Williams pulled them level and she beat Tina Pisnik 6-3, 6-1 yesterday before Lisa Raymond gave them a decisive 3-1 lead by winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 against Katarina Srebotnik. Martina Navratilova, 47, wrapped up a 4-1 triumph by partnering Raymond to victory in the dead doubles rubber. The US face Austria, who beat Slovakia 3-2 in St. Poelten, in the last eight.
In Bree, Belgium’s world No. 2 Kim Clijsters chalked up her second win in two days following her return from a recurrent wrist injury by hammering Croatia’s Karolina Sprem 6-1, 6-3.
Teammate Els Callens secured Belgium’s 3-2 win with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over Jelena Kostanic in the penultimate rubber.
Belgium will play Spain in the quarterfinals after 32-year-old Conchita Martinez, who also won both her singles matches, teamed up with Virginia Ruano Pascual to win the decisive doubles in their 3-2 win over Switzerland in La Manga.
Russia, semifinalists last year, beat Australia 4-1 to set up a quarter-final clash with Argentina who easily beat Japan.
Vera Zvonareva clinched the tie for the Russians in Moscow by trouncing Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-3 in less than an hour.
