Coria Building On Family Legacy

It is no secret that progressing as a professional tennis player requires sacrifice and patience. The higher you climb, the tougher the opponents become.

Federico Coria has been ready to tackle that challenge since leaving the juniors seven years ago, and now is starting to achieve his goals.

After a strong 2016 season during which he was the top Argentine on the ITF Futures Circuit, at one point winning four consecutive titles, Coria made another jump forward this season, competing on the ATP Challenger Tour. As expected, the transition has been demanding, but nonetheless he shows signs of improvement. This week, Coria has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Copa San Cristobal in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after defeating compatriot Juan Pablo Ficovich.

“I’m happy to keep advancing in the tournament. It´s a beautiful club, where I trained for a year and a half. I have the best memories of it. And because friends, my girlfriend, and my new team – headed by coach Francisco Yunis — watched,” Coria said. “When they’re here, you have to take the best from them. It’s a great feeling to be accompanied. Most of the season I’m alone.”

Alone or not, Coria’s results have been increasingly solid.

“Last December, I was afraid of confronting this year by playing only Challengers. But now I’m not,” Coria said. “My objective was to change the points from Futures to Challengers. If I end up with a better ranking, that´s good. In Biella I made it to the quarters and in San Benedetto to the semis. This season started well.”

Since breaking into the Top 250 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, “Fefo” played Wimbledon and US Open qualifying after missing the cut at Roland Garros qualifying by only two spots.

“It was difficult not to be impressed by everything,” Coria said of the experience. “I always dreamed to be there.”

Federico, 25, is inspired by his older brother’s legacy. But Guillermo, a former World No. 3 and the 2004 Roland Garros finalist, cannot just be his hero, Federico says.

“I want him to stop being my idol, a little bit, so he can be my brother because I see him and I keep shaking. I grew up watching him doing all that he did on TV. So, I was never able to enjoy him as a brother, from another side,” Coria said.

“Today, with 25 years, I want to change that. Always, when I finish a match, I have a message from him. He’s very aware of me, but gives me space. He supports me, but doesn’t get into anything. The message that he leaves me is that I have to win everything for myself and enjoy tennis. Every win I live it like that and I’m much less dramatic in defeat.”