Gaudio finally tames his demons

Gaston Gaudio has finally managed to tame the demons which have hampered his past progress to book his first Grand Slam semi-final.

Gaston Gaudio has finally managed to tame the demons which have hampered his past progress to book his first Grand Slam semi-final on the sixth time of asking at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

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The self-effacing 25-year-old from Buenos Aires revealed that his on court battles with himself have often proved more energy-consuming than his opponents, and driven him to long sessions in the psychologist's chair.

But there were few signs of nerves as Gaudio demolished former Wimbledon and US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt, the 12th seed from Australia, in straight sets to advance to an all-Argentinian semi-final with David Nalbandian.

His performance over the past week has led unseeded Gaudio to jump from 34th position in the Champions Race to at least 19th when the tournament ends.

And the man who won both his previous titles on clay at Barcelona and Mallorca two years ago, puts his improved form down to a new mental approach.

"Before I was having a really tough time on court, so sometimes I was saying 'what am I doing this for if I'm having such a hard time?'," explained Gaudio whose previous Grand Slam best was a fourth round here two years ago.

"But that's what I've been working on with my phychologist so that I can enjoy things more.

"Very often when I'm on the court I want to go home and not play anymore. Sometimes I was having a hard time for different reasons. I think that showed on the court, and it showed in my tennis. I was trying to change that."

A record three Argentinians have made it to the final four for the first time as they bid to bring home their first trophy since Guillermo Vilas won the men's title in 1977.

And Gaudio puts their determination and his new mental strength down to the financial crisis in their debt-ridden South American homeland.

"Sometimes you had to stay in Europe for an extra month to wait for the next tournament. We couldn't go back home because we couldn't pay the airfare.

"Of course this means you suffer more than you usually would. That has a price. It's very difficult to reach the level we have now."

As for his chances of the title, Gaudio believes he is the underdog compared to third seed Guillermo Coria, who takes on English outsider Tim Henman, the ninth seed, in the final four, and Nalbandian, the eighth seed.

"I see things from the outside, just as you do. I think they have a special talent. They're incredible. They're in the Top 10. They really have something in them. I don't know whether things were easier for them from the outset. I don't know what it was that caused that. But I think they're level is better.

"They're the Galactico (Real Madrid stars) and I'm the Valencia," he said referring to Spanish football. "I'm just asking for one title, not two."