Alejandro Tabilo: “We didn’t expect to make the top 100 so quickly and it caught us a little off guard”

Alejandro Tabilo (26 years old and 112th ATP) is experiencing a key moment in a complex season due to various situations. Despite everything, he draws positive lessons from it and is delighted with a soon return to the top 100. The third as part of a Dove Men+Care South American Legion challengers circuit event.

How has this year been for you?

They have been good months. I’ve had my ups and downs with a few injuries and ailments, but overall on the occasions I’ve been able to play I’ve done pretty well.

His coach said he was unable to prepare properly due to injuries. How could he compensate for this?

We tried to play it all or be very focused on the top 100; sometimes I try to rush the process, and it takes a lot out of my body. I had a problem with the tooth. After Roland Garros, I had a terrible infection and I had to stop. Obviously, I don’t really like to talk when something hurts me, because sometimes people think I don’t want to play. But I had to get out of a tournament in Puerto Rico, another in Italy… I’m having trouble getting out of it. Now at Umag I had a problem with my quadriceps, I just arrived in Los Cabos. He came out ripped, but luckily it was nothing major.

I was going to ask him about Los Cabos because the way he moved in that game against Meligeni was striking. He even seemed a little soft.

I am one of those who always play, with or without pain. I don’t like to say something hurts me if I’m hurt. When I quit or hurt myself, it’s because I put up with a lot. People don’t know everything that’s going on, but yes; after Umag, I had to stop for a whole week because of my leg. I tried to do better in Los Cabos, to see how I felt, because I was still on a good pace, reaching the semis and winning challengers. The tennis was good, but physically he was half there. I felt lazy, it was difficult for me to move a bit.

He really had a hard time…

There weren’t big things, but there’s always something small and it’s hard for a tennis player to compete like that. Things that are out of his reach. For example, I never thought I was going to get an infection in a tooth. I had bad luck, but despite all the problems I had, in the few tournaments I was able to play, I did well and that makes me happy.

Last year, the exposure with Rafael Nadal caused him many problems. How do you remember this moment?

It was an unforgettable experience. My dream has always been to play with Nadal and that’s why we rushed a lot of things in time to be able to do the exhibition. It’s not something I wanted to say either, but they also had to operate on my back, because there I had a lot of discomfort. A few weeks before the game. We rushed through this process, which I also believe could have gotten the bill passed to start the year off right in Australia. I was unemployed for a few days, it complicated the pre-season. I had to give up some tournaments. Was difficult. In addition, it is difficult with the spirit, so many wounds, to start again. I’m fine and I still have to stop. It’s hard to know that I can be there and that I have to stop.

Looking back, would you do the same things again?

Last year, when I started to do very well at first, maybe I would have calmed down physically. I played a lot of tournaments. I did well in Australia, finished in Córdoba and then went straight to Buenos Aires. Maybe he should have done it differently, knowing that Santiago was coming and he had to prepare him. I wanted to do everything at once. After making the semi-finals at the Chile Open, I made the final at the challenger in Santiago and I wanted to go straight to Miami, but because of the pain I had to lower the loads. I need to improve schedules and take breaks better.

What will your schedule be?

You have to see the calendar better. We had to speed things up a bit because of the points I was going to lose trying to get back into the top 100. But now that we’re in a better position, there’s no need to rush. I know that seeing the finish line close, you want to hurry, but I think you have to go slowly. There is no longer so much pressure to defend the points.

What will you do after the US Open?

We want to see how we finish the US Open, because we still have to arrive a week before in Davis. These weeks are hard, because we hit it hard, there is a good level and we take it as a good week of training. And then comes Antofagasta, there are many Dove Men+Care tournaments and the Pan American Games. It would be a good opportunity to play another challenger, but you also have to see the physique and the length of everything.

Do you think he may have lacked maturity when he reached the top 100?

I don’t know if maturity, because tennis and professionalism we were very good. We didn’t expect to make the top 100 so quickly and it caught us a little off guard as we had challengers scheduled and we tried to include ATPs. After that hit us, it was just to try to play everything, since we had the chance to raise. It was more than that, calm down. I also saw the level very well and a great opportunity to score and I wanted to play everything and it happened to me.

How do you analyze the Davis Cup series?

There is a very good opportunity, there have been a few casualties. If we are well, it is a very good chance. It must be taken without pressure, calmly. We’re a very good team, we all play well: doubles, on concrete, everything… We’re a strong team, so we have to go game by game. The dynamic is a little different, since there are not five games, but three where you have to be very involved. We have a good team and I hope we go in November.

What was your reaction when you learned that you were playing against Canada, the country where you were born?

The coincidences of life that Canada played in the band… I’m going to see all my friends from before again. We have known Shapovalov since we were little; we are very good friends with Galarneau, who is now nominated. Happy for him, he’s doing very well… It’s going to be a good competition, a nice challenge and I hope we can get the victory in this series.

How do you anticipate this fight being a single player in the Davis Cup?

It’s a very difficult decision, but we trust Nico (Massu). We know that it will be the best decision for the team and there we will see how the dynamic will be in singles or doubles. If it’s time to play, I’ll be ready as always and if not, you have to support the team with everything.

Tell me about the Unagi, which you refer to on your social networks.

I don’t know if you know the series Friends. When we were getting to know each other with my girlfriend, we talked about Friends and we started talking about Unagi, which I don’t know how to say in Spanish, but it means to be focused around you or know what’s going on . It’s almost like a state of concentration and then you start making jokes about everything.