PARIS -- Self-confidence doesn't come easily to 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, who has insisted since the tournament started that he had no chance to win again.
Trailing in a third-set tiebreaker Monday against David Ferrer, Gaudio remained pessimistic.
"Don't worry. You'll win today," he told Ferrer's coach, sitting in the stands.
For Gaudio, the words proved painfully prophetic. He blew a 4-0 lead in the final set and lost to Ferrer 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4.
Why did Gaudio predict defeat to Ferrer's coach?
"I could see that I wasn't playing well," Gaudio said. "There was no way I was going to get out of it playing like that."
During the tiebreaker, Gaudio became so angry he busted his racket. In the final set he lost the last six games and said he couldn't think clearly.
"I got too nervous, I guess. And after that, I couldn't do anything," Gaudio said.
Nerves had plagued Gaudio for years. When he was particularly down on himself a couple of years ago, he enlisted the help of a psychologist -- making his title last year at Roland Garros all the more impressive.
Against Guillermo Coria, Gaudio became the first man in 70 years to win a French Open final after facing match point.
Coming into the French Open, Gaudio had won three clay court titles this year -- in Vina Del Mar, Buenos Aires and Estoril.
That didn't boost his confidence. Last week he picked Coria, Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Roger Federer as the top contenders.
"When you're confident, your game is much better," he said Monday. "I knew it wasn't going to happen. I didn't think I was going to win it again."
