Chris Guccione

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Chris Guccione
Nickname(s) The Gooch
Country Flag of Australia Australia
Residence Melbourne, Australia
Date of birth July 30, 1985 (1985-07-30) (age 22)
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia
Height 2 m (6 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Weight 93 kg (210 lb/14.6 st)[citation needed]
Turned pro 2003
Plays Left-handed; one-handed backhand
Career prize money US$557,297
Singles
Career record: 28 - 34
Career titles: 0
Highest ranking: 67 (April 7, 2008)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open 2r (2004)
French Open 2r (2005)
Wimbledon 2r (2007)
US Open 1r (2007)
Doubles
Career record: 5 - 13
Career titles: 0
Highest ranking: 200 (October 23, 2006)

Infobox last updated on: March 3, 2008.

Chris Luke Guccione (born July 30, 1985), is an Australian tennis player from Greenvale, Victoria. Guccione is coached by countryman and former ATP professional Anthony Lane.

The lanky, red-headed Guccione was born to Italian father Santo and Australian mother Diane. Guccione burst onto the scene in the 2004 Medibank International tournament, where he defeated then-recent World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Guccione is noted for his good service; he hit 50 aces in a qualifying match at Wimbledon in 2005. The good service has led fellow Australian player Mark Philippoussis to call him a "Wayne Arthurs clone". His strategy when playing is Serve-and-Volley.

January 2006 Guccione managed to once again defeat Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Medibank International. In February 2006, Guccione won the deciding fifth and final rubber against Switzerland's George Bastl in the Davis Cup. He continued this Davis Cup success in April at Kooyong in Victoria when he defeated his more fancied opponent, Max Mirnyi, in the opening Quarter-final tie against Belarus. Winning all his matches in Davis Cup in 2006 except for one Guccione was then dropped from the Australian Davis Cup Team to make way for the returning Mark Philippoussis.

During his career, he has won 4 ATP Challenger Series:

2005-- Burnie (Hard), Canberra (Hard)

2006-- Quito (Clay), Medellín (Clay).

Contents

[edit] 2007 season

Guccione began his 2007 season in Adelaide at the Next Generation Adelaide International. Guccione was given a wildcard into the Adelaide event and made the most of it beating the world number 93, Amer Delic 4–6 6–3 6–4. Along with four other Australians reaching the round robin stage of the tournament Guccione finished first in his group and defeated the world number 58 Benjamin Becker 7–5 6–3 and world number 42 Arnaud Clement 7–6(4) 7–6(5). Setting two new standards for himself beating three top 100 players in succession and reaching his first ATP quarterfinal the only Australian to do so in Adelaide. Guccione continued his run and upset number 2 seed and world number 18 Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals 1–6 6–3 7–6(4) to reach his first ATP semifinal, stretching his wins over top 100 players to four in a row. Following this win, Guccione came up with yet again another incredible victory, defeating another first time semifinalist Juan Martin Del Potro world number 92 to reach his first ever career ATP tour final. The final scoreline from the Del Potro match was 5–7, 6–3, 7–5. Guccione had stretched his wins over top 100 players to five in a row to the final of the Next Generation Adelaide International where he lost to Novak Đoković of Serbia in the final 6–3 6–7(6) 6–4.

After success at the Adelaide International Guccione reached a career high ranking of 107 in the world. Guccione began his second tournament of 2007 in the Medibank International beating Rafael Nadal in the first round. Leading 6–5 with Nadal to serve, the No.1 seed withdrew due to an injury he was carrying through the later part of the match.

Guccione was unable to continue his success into the Australian Open, losing in the first round to Belgian Olivier Rochus 3–6 7–6 7–6 6–7 9–7. Guccione's 2007 season then turned disastrous not recording one win for over a month, Guccione then qualified for Las Vegas through a lucky loser handout. Guccione then qualified for the American double Tennis Masters Series, Indian Wells and Miami but was unable to get past the first round in both tournaments.

At the 2007 Wimbledon Championships, Guccione's first round match was agasint Great Britain's Alex Bogdanovic, Guccione won in straght sets 7/6(2) 6/4 6/4, Chris Guccione's 2nd round match was against the 6th seed Russian Nikolai Davydenko. Guccione squandered a 2 sets to 0 lead losing the match in 5 sets.

The season was relatively quiet as Guccione lacked consistency against players in lower tiers.

[edit] Criticism

Prior to the AO Series 2008, John Newcombe lashed out at Guccione for his lack of match fitness "with his height and his serve, he could be f...ing lethal out there" and not realising his considerable potential "he should be top-30 in the world and trouble anyone if he was properly fit". However, Chris Guccione responded to his criticisms for his performances at the 2008 Medibank International.

[edit] 2008 season

Guccione aim to break into the top 50 by the end of year was fasttracked in the AO Series. Guccione's 2008 AO campiagn commenced at the 2008 Next Generation Adelaide International with a 7-5 7-6 win over Wayne Odesnik. However, Guccione was unable to defend his 2007 runner-up points at the Next Generation Adelaide International succumbing to second seed Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4 3-6 4-6 in the second round.

Guccione responded with a run at the Medibank International, Sydney. Guccione was drawn against qualifier world number 138 Alberto Martin 7-6 (6) 6-4. Despite Lleyton Hewitt's fantastic record against compatriot Australians, Guccione knocked him out 7-6 (4) 7-6(2) in the second round. Showing signs of the form from the 2007 Next Generation Adelaide International, Guccione scalped world number 14 Tomas Berdych 4-6 7-6(6) 6-4 and world number 32 Radek Stepanek storming his way to the final against Dmitry Tursunov. However, his dream run came to a halt as he was edged out 6-7(3) 6-7(4). Guccione was unable to replicate his form at the 2008 Australian Open, being knocked out by Hyung-Taik Lee in straight sets 7-6(6) 6-3 6-4.

The American Tennis Tournament Series kick started at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, Memphis, and Guccione made an impressive showing by defeating world number 117 Robert Kendrick 7-6(6) 7-6(5) and world number 54 Thomas Johansson 6-3 6-4. The Sydney rematch against world number 34 Radek Stepanek in the quarter finals went in favour of Stepanek 6-7(4) 1-6.

Guccione failed to qualify for the Indian Wells Masters tournament. However, in the Sunrise challenger, a warm up tournament for the Miami Masters, Guccione recorded his best ever scalp against world number 12 Fernando Gonzalez 5-7 6-4 6-4 in the semifinals. However, he was unable to continue his stunning form as he failed to qualify for the Miami Masters.

[edit] Playing Style

[edit] Scheldule

Chris Guccione Tennis Scheldule:

2008 Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Townsville, Australia (April 11-April 13)

First Rubber: vs Danai Udomchoke (World Ranking: 204) W 6-7(3) 7-6(6) 4-6 7-6(6) 7-5

2008 Grand Prix Hassan II

First Round: vs Rainer Schuettler (World Ranking: 87)

[edit] Rankings

Chris Guccione reached a career high ranking of 67 on April 7, 2008. His current ranking is 69 on April 12, 2008.

[edit] Singles titles

Legend (Singles)
Grand Slam (0)
Tennis Masters Cup (0)
ATP Masters Series (0)
ATP Tour (0)
Challengers (4)
Futures (1)
No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent in the final Score
1. November 15, 2004 Berri, South Australia, Australia Grass Flag of Australia Robert Smeets 6–4, 6–4
2. February 7, 2005 Burnie, Tasmania, Australia Hard Flag of Japan Gouichi Motomura 6–3, 7–5
3. April 4, 2005 Canberra, Australia Clay Flag of Germany Lars Uebel 7–5, 6–1
4. October 2, 2006 Quito, Ecuador Clay Flag of Argentina Guillermo Cañas 6–3, 7–6
5. October 9, 2006 Medellín, Colombia Clay Flag of Colombia Santiago Giraldo 7–6, 7–6

[edit] Grand Slam singles performance timeline

To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only after a tournament or the player's participation in the tournament has concluded. This table is current through to the 2008 French Open.

Tournament 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
Australian Open 1R 1R 1R 1R 2R
French Open 1R 1R - 2R 1R
Wimbledon - 2R - - -
US Open - 1R - - -

[edit] References

[edit] External links