‘Jarry’s ranking will fight’: the problems Alejandro Tabilo left in the past to make the jump to the ATP elite

Alejandro Tabilo (39th) climbs step by step, without hurrying, but in a big moment. His good results allowed him to regain the best ranking of his career. All the products of the work he has done since the end of the previous season. Surprisingly for many, after the doubts raised by his irregular 2023. This weekend he fell in the final of the Chile Open against Sebastián Báez (19th), but he continues to progress in the world rankings and add positive feelings after a great competition.

Today opt for calm. Two years ago he experienced something similar when he had an excellent start to the season, but on this occasion a series of poor decisions led him to lower his standard. Over time, he revealed that he didn’t feel ready to make the top 100 on the planet at that time. “It caught us a little off guard, because we had challengers scheduled and we tried to include a few ATPs. After that we had to try to play everything, because we had the chance to go up. It was more like that, taking it slowly. I also saw the level very well and a very big opportunity to add and I wanted to play everything and that mattered to me,” he commented to Sporty .

Based on this experience, they now hope to have the ability to better meet challenges and better plan their schedule. Guillermo Gómez, Tabilo’s coach, never lost confidence in his student, even when things did not go well. “Since March 2022, it has been a test for Ale. This is no easy feat for him, he has gone from moments of great success to a lot of pressure. There were too many injuries, which I attribute to the great effort he made at one point. His body was saying ‘I need a break’ and we had no luck,” he explained to this medium a few months ago.

Perhaps Tabilo’s most critical moment in recent times was his elimination at Santiago 2023. Even though he did not defend points at the ATP level since it was an off-tour competition, it was a surprise for everyone when Paraguayan Adolfo Vallejo (at the time 447th) won. eliminated from competition in the nation’s capital. The Chilean was ranked 122nd in the rankings. It seemed like it was a point of no return. Unlike many low blows, from that point on everything went uphill. However, the path was strewn with pitfalls.

He had added challenger titles in May and June, but the general thinking was that by then he might play in other competitions. Several factors had not allowed him to take the plunge before. One of them, an exhibition against Rafael Nadal (currently 652nd) that Tabilo himself wanted to play and which led him to hide an injury. “They had to operate on my back because I was experiencing a lot of discomfort there. Just a few weeks before the match. We accelerated this process, which I also think could have helped us start the year well. (…). Was difficult. In addition, it’s difficult with morale, so many injuries, to leave. I’m fine and I still need to stop. It’s hard knowing that I can be here and have to stop,” he said in mid-2023.

An analysis shared by his coach. “We had a commitment. There were a lot of medical issues for him to play, he was able to do it in a very good way. ; But it was a complex moment and we had to rush many situations so that he could play and then we had to stop for a long time because we had to have relative rest for this back which was very damaged”, contributes Gómez on this subject .

Until January, ATP titles were elusive for Alejandro Tabilo. Even the definitions. He only had a second place (Córdoba in 2022), but at the start of the year the bad memories were already behind him. He beat Japan’s Taro Daniel in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, in the final of the ASB Classic 2024 in Auckland and added his first ATP title. This Sunday he came close, but succumbed in the definition of the Santiago Open.

In dialogue with Sporty the history Patricio Cornejo delivers the basics of Ale’s moment. “Persistence eventually rewards you or leaves you alone because you put in all the effort, it doesn’t come true every time. But I think he achieved it, he’s in a very good place at the moment and time has proven his work to be right.” underlines the popularizer.

“I don’t know where he’s going to go, but he now has the opportunity with a better ranking to face higher level players. This will be very positive for him, because he will see how much he still has to work on. With the results he has achieved, he must be very motivated, and he is also at an age where he can improve a lot. “, he adds.

In this line, The native of Llolleo would like to see Tabilo competes against the best on the circuit . “At least He will have the opportunity to face athletes like Djokovic, Zverev, Alcaraz and all those players who are currently in the top ten. It’s a real privilege, whether things go well or badly, but being able to compete against top players is a huge satisfaction. To achieve this, you have to have done a very good job,” he says.

Horacio de la Pena followed Tabilo’s campaign. The Argentinian responds to the call of this medium and delivers his analysis of the rise of the tennis player: “In difficult times, he always pulled let go of blows too high, which made it very predictable and made for too risky a game in moments when you needed to be solid. “He has really strong ball speed on both sides, and when he gets in the zone and starts hitting the ball cleanly, it becomes very difficult to play with him,” points out.

“Another of the great virtues that he improved a lot was his serve, he does a lot of damage with it. This means that he starts all games with his serve commanding and when he commands, he throws very hard,” he adds.

El Pulga assures that he has become a tennis player who is difficult to predict in the game. “In difficult times it was very irregular, that’s what changed the most. He is a very talented player and when he started putting in the hours, his talent started to show a lot more. He is a boy with a spectacular hand, who plays very well both up and down,” he emphasizes.

It also visualizes the elements that still need improvement. “One of their biggest problems is when they play high. In the semi-final, when the Frenchman played it high, it made things very difficult for him, he didn’t have much strength up front. He has a very good whip in his hands, but when the ball leaves his shoulder line, it becomes fragile,” he explains.

What should you do now? Horacio de la Peña hopes he can hold his own against the best in the world. “The big problem that players face when they move up a level is that they don’t have the tools to play with the guys who play better, they have no luck. Tabilo has a chance, what he lacks is the physique, the physical strength and the mental stamina to stay grounded in difficult times. “It’s something he will gain through contact with the best players and with the number of tournaments he will play,” he rocks.

Tabilo’s rise coincides with the stagnation of Nicolás Jarry (24th) at the start of the season, so for the former coach of Massú and González, it would not be a surprise if they vied to be number one in the country. “I think Jarry will fight for the ranking, he will witness a very good fight between who is the best Chilean at the end of the year. Today I see Nico a little better, he has more tools and he has beaten better players more times and he is more powerful, but we have to see how Tabilo continues to evolve,” he said.

Six months ago, the Toronto native’s goal was to return to the top 100. He did so and in the first two weeks of the year he entered the top 50. Perhaps faster than anyone could imagine. Now more mature than in previous courses and with the experience of having lived through difficult times, he manages to climb among the 40 best on the planet. A place he hopes to stay. “Now I’m going to go to Indian Wells, which is another tournament, and then comes a long tour. We can’t always win, now I’m going to continue working with my head held high,” he said on Sunday.