Dynamite on their legs, devastating blows and an overflowing verve, when Alejandro Davidovich It channels its passion in a single direction has the ability to submit to anyone, even to riddict any player of the ATP ranking summits. Just bursting into the top-20 of world tennis -Now on 18-, Foki has reminiscences of the best Fernando Verdasco Because of its power, versatility and also that intriguing feeling that many times it has no greater enemy than itself.
In fact, and after a lifetime as a pupil of Jorge Aguirre, the Madrid left -handed 26 yearswho now looks at the Top-10 in which Fer became with Felix Mantilla y David Sanjuán Like his current coaches.
“He is a very passionate player,” Sanjuán acknowledges. “So, when you are a passion player it affects you both positively and negatively. What we have to try to do is manage those emotions at this time, which is one of the most important of your life being Top-20. We want US Open.
“In the moments of tension you have to breathe deep, be very strong, very solid, because the other player also has doubts. So, you have to accept the consequences, what is happening at that time and be very hard because everyone has those moments,” adds Sanjuán.
David Sanjuán attended MD in Toronto Masters 1000
The second Spanish in the ranking only behind Carlos Alcaraz (2), Rincón de la Victoria tennis player is living a summer of intense emotions and contrasts. As a better example that sometimes Davidovich himself is the worst enemy of Davidovich, in the ATP 500 of Washington He went through the unpleasant trance of resigning to 'deliver' a first ATP title that already caressed with the fingertips, with three match balls against the tireless Alex de Miñaur. Although, everything must be said, the Australian torquer must be killed several times before burying him.
De Miñaur had the deference of sitting down to comfort a Foki who did not give credit. He recognized the surrealist that the Spanish has not yet won an ATP title with what was done and demonstrated.
However, that Washington final is the one that opened the Top-20 door for the first time in his career.
“He got it very well, really. We said” Look, you are not the only one, this is tennis, you have to accept the consequences. “He happened to great players, as we saw with Roger Federer In the 2019 Wimbledon final, with 40-15 and took out the game or in Washington himself with Fritz (rooms against Davidovich). He was 5-3 with 30-0 drawing and made two double fouls. Doubts have them all, ”says Sanjuán.
From Miñaour, Davidovich consoled after winning the Washington final
“We have spoken the whole team with him about the evolution he is having in the year and that has the positive aspects, which in the end with good work will come good results. He is seeing it and has to be very positive and eliminate the past. This does not end here, it is a past page, you eliminate it and follow how the great players do. And he is among them,” says one of Davidovich's technicians, who is waiting for him In the second week of the US Open after being eliminated in the second round of Roland Garros against Jiri Leheckka and third of Wimbledon ante Taylor Fritz.
The conversation of Sanjuán with MD took place in the Toronto Masters 1000where Foki exhibited a prodigious mental recovery of the dramatic defeat in Washington. In one of those portentous recitals in which he is able to minimize a Top player as if the difference in the ranking was sidereal, then number 19 of the world Davidovich promoted the 18 Jakub fascinates In Third Round dispatching the Czech in just 1 hour and 16 minutes (6-2 and 6-4).
After this recital, Davidovich was beaten by physical problems in Toronto and then also in Cincinnati. In Canada he retired in the third set in the round of 16 Andrey Rublev And in the United States he also had to retire on the third set when he had the young Brazilian prodigy JOAO FONSECA seen for sentence in his first party. Foki took the first set 7-6 (4) and dominated in the second 4-0, at which time his physical downturn allowed Fonseca 4-5 so that Davidovich then had to retire again.
Sinner retired from Cincinnati's final against Alcaraz
The Malagueño transmitted a message of tranquility after these two withdrawals ensuring that there was no serious injury in between and that all he needed was rest after such tute between the Washington final, which he spliced with Toronto and Cincinnati.
Although he did not refer to it after any of these defeats, Foki has always been quite overwhelming about the always questioned and demanding ATP calendar for which Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic From a tacada they renounced Toronto, where the Malaga complained about the schedules.
Demonstrating more than ever he does to defend the players and is not a simple individual claim, Davidovich raised his voice again against the calendar after the surprising withdrawal of Sinner before Alcaraz in the final of Cincinnati Masters.
“Final on a Monday, at 3 in the afternoon in August in Cincinnati, after the entire Toronto and Cincinnati tour, with so many retreats and physically dead players … something has to change,” said Foki on social networks. David Sanjuán also gave his opinion yesterday to MD.
“Lately many players are retiring from the matches. Tournaments calendars, the pressure of having to play week after week, even without being 100%, to stay in the rankings, in addition to the very current level, make the games more and longer and more intense. All this entails a very large physical and mental wear,” reflected one of Foki's technicians.
“The physical issue is carrying it very well. At the moment the injuries are respecting very well, it has a physical portent Spectacular and there are a very good job with him, physical trainers know what to work at that time, ”adds David Sanjuán.
The following steps to be Top-10
Even the most studious coach who is asked about it does not hesitate to describe Alejandro Davidovich as a “complete” player, without obvious weaknesses, powerful jacket, fine voller and plastic right A kind of left -handed.
“The reverse is one of its best blows,” says Sanjuán. “It has great power in the legs, which allows it to lower very well and finish many points. In fact, many of them define them with the reverse. And that is very positive, because normally the reverse is usually the weak point of most players,” says Davidovich's coach.
Any of those cut setbacks They carry poison are a caramel for foki and especially if they are scaled balls. The Malagaño, with an imposing leg force, arrives, supports a thousand wonders and releases a parallel ditch or opening angle. Although, like all players, Davidovich has a margin of technical improvement.
“Technically I think it can be greatly improved. And it is tactically very intelligent playing, so among all the minds that we are in the team and he, I think that in the end tactically solves it very well,” says Sanjuán, who prefers not to enter the detail of the specific technical areas of improvement of his pupil. Like many others, balance is one of those aspects that the team works to polish like so many others.
But in large part, the management of emotions, the power of the mind, is the key for Foki to open the most difficult door, that of the top-10.
“You have to be as cold as possible, knowing that the other player also has doubts and that you have to accept those moments of tension. Give the maximum, neither more nor less. Do not try to do more than you know, do not anticipate at that time. And, above all, be brave, build the point but with order, not want to look separate your pupil from the absolute elite from tennis, Carlos Alcaraz y Jannik Sinner.
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“When you are climbing steps, the most difficult moments are usually those in which you put yourself pressure on yourself. You think:” I am going up, I need to win this. “But with work, the results arrive alone. The key is to demand every day, in doing things better, in working hard and maintaining humility. You have to have your feet on the earth and understand that the road is to continue working, as all the players do,” explains the coach of Granada.
In conversation with MD, the one who was coach of Davidovich for 15 years, Jorge Aguirre, The need for the Andalusian of not wanting to seek the winning blow of first at the determining points in the always complicated balance between playing without fear but at the same time with the head, highlighted two years ago.
That head that sometimes betrays Foki, who is nevertheless closer to making his best blow. If Alejandro has just tamed his passion, it is then when Davidovich can become indomitable and according to Sanjuán, knock down the door of the club that today seems exclusively reserved for two players.
“Win a Grand Slam? It's okay to say it. For us it has potential to achieve anything that is proposed. ”
A tennis currant
David Sanjuán and his time with Rafa Nadal
Felix Mantilla It is the best known face of Alejandro Davidovich's work team for his respectable career in professional tennis, in which he became Top-10 and won 10 ATP titles between the late 90s and the beginning of the 2000s.
However, the other coach of Foki, David Sanjuán, is a tennis currant that leads his entire life dedicated to him having gained an experience and knowledge that now allow him to lead one of the best players in the world, with whom he has always been working in one way or another. Born in Granada, Sanjuán obtained a scholarship Real Club Tennis de Barcelonawhere he trained with Rafa Nadal for two years on the same team and Marcel Granllersyour train partner.
Sanjuán, now with 39 yearshe came to play futures but, in that hard path that is to be a professional tennis player, he had to hang the racket with 20 years for injuries and not being able to afford to follow that tortuous path. While the Granada could not reach ATP as a player, he has done it as a coach and carrying Davidovich to the world top-20 and with expectations of continuing to ascend.
“I am grateful for what life gives you these opportunities, after so long that you have dedicated yourself, since I was really four and a half years. ran and do it with humility, working better and having more demand in terms of doing things better, ”says David Sanjuán.
