Juan Martín Del Potro close to Roland Garros, albeit with a different role

When he visited New York last September, he toured the halls of Flushing Meadows and was applauded at the Arthur Ashe champion in 2009, Juan Martin del Potro He assured that he still doesn’t feel like a former player and left the door open for a future return. Next week he will take the field again, albeit in a different role.

Because he will be the Ambassador of a tournament which will bring together 32 of the best Under 16 rackets in South America (16 boys and 16 girls) in Sao Paulo and which will give the champions a wild card to play in the junior tournament Roland Garros. A unique occasion, made even more special by the presence of the man from Tandil.

The dream of playing the Parisian Grand Slam is the one shared by all South American players, who train and take their first professional steps on clay. And thanks to this contest, called “Roland-Garros Junior Series by Renault”two young tennis players will be able to make it happen.

The tournament was born out of a collaboration between the French tennis federation (FFT), the South American Tennis Confederation (COSAT) and the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT), with the support of the international federation (ITF), which governs the junior circuits. Will summon players from ten countries in the region, the host Brazil, Argentina, Bolivian, kilos, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguayan, Peru, Uruguay AND Venezuelaon the powder courts of the Sociedade Harmonia de Tenis, in the capital São Paulo.

The albiceleste representatives will be the santafesina Moon Cinelli, 14 years old and 155th in the world junior ranking; the tandinal Sol Larraya Guidi (15 and 172°) and Ushuaiense Valentine Gary (also 15 and located on the 774th step of the ranking).

The two champions will earn a place to play in the main junior draws in Paris, which would otherwise be out of reach for the Argentines, given that the “cut” for the big junior tournaments is around 60th in the standings.

And as if this award weren’t enough, the kids will live an unforgettable experience, because they will receive advice and advice from Delpo, champion of the Davis Cup 2016double Olympic medal (bronze in London 2012 and silver inside Rio 2016) and former world number three.

“The ambition of the tournament has been strengthened by the presence of Juan Martín del Potro as ambassador,” he said. Aymeric LabasteDirector of international development of the FFT, who also underlined the commitment of ESPN, which will broadcast the matches on Star+.

“Together with COSAT, we are fully committed to providing all 32 players with a unique experience that will be beneficial for their future careers,” he added.

Del Potro knows very well what it’s like to play on French brick dust. In his youth phase, he played twice in the tournament: in 2004 he lost in his debut and the following year, he reached the quarterfinals and lost against Andy Murray. Already as a professional he played it nine times and twice reached the semifinals. In 2009 he lost in five sets against the Swiss Roger Federer, who later won his only title at that Major. And in 2018, when he was eliminated by the Spanish Rafael Nadalwho lifted his eleventh trophy in Paris that year.

Last year, in an interview with The nation During his stay in New York, the man from Tandil said: “I like advising and advising children, but because I like that they listen to me and I feel that my message reaches them, that they can take note of it, apply it and there is a positive result”. Now you can pass on all your experience to some of South America’s future stars.