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Nestled amongst high-rise buildings and a brief stroll from the Pacific coast lies the host venue of the Lima-2 Challenger: Membership Terrazas de Miraflores.
You might go to the seaside, strive browsing, go to a few of Lima’s well-known parks akin to ‘Paruqe del Amor’, style the Peruvian delicacies, and benefit from the ATP Challenger Tour match all without having public transportation.
Whereas which will appear to be a dream getaway for a lot of, match director Luis Horna, former World No. 33, strives to carry a house feeling to the opponents on the Lima-2 Challenger.
“It doesn’t matter the place the gamers come from, we at all times meet them with our arms huge open and attempt to give them a very good therapy,” Horna mentioned. “That’s a key for us. As I was a participant, I understand how I used to really feel at a match.
“Miraflores is a properly positioned district right here in Lima. All of the eating places, purchasing malls are right here. There’s at all times a very good environment across the match. Not simply the native gamers but in addition for the fellows which might be coming from different international locations.”
The Lima Challenger, celebrating its eleventh version, is the fifth longest working energetic South American Challenger match, solely behind Montevideo (20), Guayaquil (17), Santiago (15), and Campinas (12).
After a 14 yr drought of no Peruvians within the High 100, residence hero Juan Pablo Varillas climbed to a career-high No. 97 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in August, changing into the fifth Peruvian participant to crack the High 100. Whereas Varillas is carrying the torch for tennis in Peru, the four-time Challenger champion’s coronary heart is about on doing it with humility.
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“Once I began going up within the rankings, began enhancing, the youngsters wanted a tennis participant and a determine to observe,” Varillas mentioned. “I really like the function I play. There’s a little bit of strain as a result of I wish to be a very good instance. It’s a very nice motivation for me to be a very good function mannequin. Not solely as a tennis participant but in addition as an individual.”
Varillas has been enjoying his residence match since 2013 and is a two-time semi-finalist in Lima. The 27-year-old has a particular relationship with Horna, who can also be Peru’s Davis Cup captain.
Luis ‘Lucho’ Horna (left) and Juan Pablo Varillas on the 2022 Lima-2 Challenger. Credit score: Grant Thompson
“My first skilled match that I noticed once I was younger was ‘Lucho’ [Luis Horna] enjoying Davis Cup,” Varillas mentioned. “He has been a terrific motivator for us and a job mannequin to observe. Now that I work with him and his administration company, he’s my buddy additionally. It’s a very nice relationship we’ve got.
“Lima was my first Challenger that I performed once I was in juniors. It’s a terrific feeling to be at residence and it has been a pleasant journey enjoying 9 years in a row at this occasion. Initially it was robust for me, the primary six years I didn’t win a match. Since 2019, it has been good. I really like the vitality of the group. Generally there may be further stress as a result of there usually are not many tournaments right here in Peru. It’s a bit totally different however I prefer it.”
Horna, who claimed two Tour-level titles (Acapulco 2006 and Vina del Mar 2007), mentioned he has seen tennis develop into extra well-liked for the reason that pandemic and now, nearly each tennis academy in Lima is stuffed with college students wanting to study. Having Varillas make historical past additionally performed a job in rising the sport In Peru.
“Juan Pablo is a superb, hard-working, humble man,” Horna mentioned. “He has a terrific household round him, it’s a pleasure to work with him not solely in tennis but in addition as a supervisor. He’s a participant that also has loads to present to the ATP. I hope within the subsequent couple years, he can explode and make the High 50, I feel he has the prospect.
“The picture of Juan Pablo is getting greater and greater. We even have two juniors which might be going very excessive on the Challenger Tour: Ignacio Buse and Gonzalo Bueno. They’re making a very good step, every little thing goes in a very good route.”
Since Horna retired from professional tennis in 2009, he has remained within the sport in quite a lot of methods. Between being Peru’s Davis Cup captain, working his academy (Academia Lucho), his work at IGMA sports activities (sports activities administration company), and directing the Challenger occasion, Horna stays busy together with his life publish skilled tennis.
Membership Terrazas de Miraflores, host web site of the 2022 Lima-2 Challenger. Credit score: Adam Roberts
“I’ve at all times been concerned within the sport in some way,” Horna mentioned. “I like to do it, tennis has given me every little thing in my life, my household, mates. It’s a solution to be in contact with the gamers and assist them. I’m at all times happy to do this.”
Whereas ‘Lucho’ is continually seen giving again to the game, he acknowledges that the ATP Challenger Tour is significant to skilled tennis. The Challenger 80 occasions (August and October) in Peru’s capital metropolis are a terrific instance of gamers making their pathway to the very best stage.
“The whole lot begins on the Challenger Tour,” Horna mentioned. “We had [Marco] Cecchinato right here in 2017 and the following yr he made the semi-finals at Roland Garros. We had [Diego] Schwartzman enjoying right here, the primary Challenger quarter-final of his profession (2012), then he turned a High 10 participant.
“Lots of the gamers make their first steps on the Challenger Tour and really shortly they adapt and begin to play Tour occasions. There’s no ATP with out the Challenger Tour.”
Situated on the Pacific coast and wealthy in South American tradition, Lima has been internet hosting a terrific Challenger Tour occasion for over a decade. Peru’s capital metropolis is the fourth largest metropolis in South America, behind São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro. When Horna and Varillas had been requested what to eat in Lima, they laughed and answered the identical: ceviche and japanese meals.
Did You Know?
5 former High 50 stars hailing from South America are working Challenger tournaments of their residence international locations: Horna (Lima), Andres Gomez (Guayaquil & Salinas, Ecuador), Diego Perez (Montevideo, Uruguay), Santiago Giraldo (Pereira, Colombia), and Nicolas Lapentii (Ambato, Ecuador).
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/ZT70aPS
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