Coria, the 22-year-old Argentine third seed, eased past Germany's Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 in the final here on Sunday, and now plans to repeat that title winning form at Roland Garros next month.

"I hope to follow in the footsteps of players like Ferrero and Kuerten who won here and then went on to take the French Open," said Coria after securing his eighth career title, and seventh on clay.

"But going into the French Open I will think match by match. I will not try to think about the fact that one player won or lost."

Coria's caution is justified -- last year in Paris, he lost in the semifinals to Martin Verkerk as Ferrero went on to victory in the final.

"It was a very difficult defeat because I had great hopes. But he was very motivated and that day he played a lot better. I hope this year I will get my chance for revenge."

Ferrero had won here just five weeks earlier following the examples set by Kuerten in 2001, Moya in 1998 and Muster who also achieved the Monte Carlo-French Open double in 1995.

Bruguera did the double in 1993, Borg in 1979 and 1980 and Nastase in 1973.

"I hope I will be able to maintain my level," said Coria.

"The victory here is great motivation for me to practice hard and I have great hopes for the French Open. The physical part is very important because it too is best-of-five so I hope to feel physically good before Roland Garros.

"On a surface like clay, I can keep it up for a very long time. I am very strong.

"Even though Juan Carlos lost first round here and has had some bad results recently, he is still a player who will be dangerous and for whom I have a great deal of respect."

The figure of former clay court master Muster looms large in Coria's thoughts.

The gutsy Austrian holds the record for the longest winning run on clay -- 40 matches in his French Open winning year of 1995.

Coria's win on Sunday took him to 26, a sequence stretching back to that defeat to Verkerk in June.

"I remember Muster winning everything. He was unbeatable but winning 40 matches in a row is very difficult to achieve. I will try my best to keep winning but I will not get desperate if I lose a match.

"What Muster did was very impressive."

The same word could be applied to Coria's demolition of Schuettler, who was fourth seed, in a desperately one-sided final.

Coria had 19 winners and just 24 unforced errors compared to Schuettler's 24 winners and 53 errors. The German, usually so solid, lost serve seven times as he wilted beneath Coria's all-court barrage.

"He is playing unbelievable tennis," said the German.