"It's something very big for our country," Calleri said. The last Argentine to win in Hamburg was Guillermo Vilas in 1978.
Nalbandian, last year's Wimbledon finalist, was the highest-seeded player still in the event at No. 8. Although technically an upset, his defeat against Calleri wasn't a complete surprise.
Nalbandian concedes that clay is not his best surface and that he is more comfortable on hard courts. Calleri, on the other hand, has compiled the best record on clay this season along with Gaudio, 24-7, and won his first ATP title in Acapulco.
He is in his third final on clay this year.
Coria, whose record on clay is 17-4, rallied and rolled through the final set.
"I had to play short points in the third set and to be aggressive," Coria said. "Without the trainer, I couldn't have finished the match."
Gaudio appeared to grab Coria rather strongly by the shoulder after the match, but both players denied any incident.
"Maybe he was upset that I finished the match," Coria said.
Nalbandian had won four of five previous matches against Calleri.
"You never know what he's going to do," a visibly disappointed Nalbandian said after the match.
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