Mourning in Argentine tennis for the death of a player aged just 27: the farewell of the Argentine Association

Argentine tennis mourns the death of Ignacio Ortega Enriquez, only 27 years old. Emerged in Vélez Sarsfield, he has participated in all the circuits of the Argentina Tennis Association, has competed in the ITF international circuit and in the University Games (Universiadi). In addition, he worked as a tennis teacher at the Huracán de San Justo.

THE Argentine Tennis Association communicated the news through an extensive statement in which he specified that Ortega Enriquez, a native of Ramos Mejía, has become “an outstanding junior player from the moment he prioritized tennis over football.”

foal came to win a National G1, the highest category of minors, He played tournaments in the AAT Professional circuit (the last one, in 2021) and also participated in the ITF international circuit, in 2014, more precisely in seven tournaments played that season in Argentina.

Furthermore, Ortega Enriquez has competed under the Argentine flag on two occasions -Chinese Taipei 2017 and Naples 2019- at the Universiade he represented the University of La Matanza.

Ignacio was a historical representative of Vélez in the various categories of the Interclub AAT Championship. Already retired from professional level, in 2021 he was champion of Intermediate +25 and joined the Libres Caballeros team of First Division. “With great sorrow, Vélez says goodbye to one of his athletes who has always raised the flag of our pride,” said Fortín.

“He was a good boy, with a big heart, caring, sane, responsible and committed.. On the pitch he was a fighter, a warrior, he never gave up. Simply, a dying breed,” recalled Fernando Rilo, General Tennis Coordinator of Vélez Sarsfield and club captain for 27 years.

Until the disease he was suffering from did not allow him, Ignacio Ortega Enriquez he trained at the II level of the tennis coaching course held by the AAT Masters. This is how Valeria Mac Loughlin, operational coordinator of our training department, described him: “He was a tennis enthusiast, a young man with shining eyes, a calm but deep voice. He was a very good tennis player but, in addition to this, he was always looking for knowledge, he read, he listened, he was very meticulous and he was super involved in the growth of his students ”.

Precisely, Ortega Enriquez worked as a teacher at the youth academy and the Huracán de San Justo tennis school with Pablo Unrein, the coach who accompanied him for eight years from his youth stage until his retirement.

“He started playing tennis in Vélez and since I was related to Fernando (Rilo), he asked me if I could accompany him, and then I coached him from 15 to 23, when he played his last tournaments in France. He was very colourful, hit the ball very well and moved very well on the pitch. But above all I underline his human warmth, he was a boy who radiated genius. And he was also a very good teacher, he loved what he did with the boys and he participated with great enthusiasm in the organization of the club’s youth competitions.Unrain commented.