Imagine having 25 years and that you are missing the two fundamental pillars of your life. Yes, put yourself for a moment in the shoes of that person who cannot get up every morning and tell his mother how much he loves her, or anyone who has lost a brother or sister completely suddenly, without expecting it. How to find the strength and the will to live? What’s more, how can you remain undaunted by these circumstances and keep fighting for your dream without anything stopping you? Sometimes there are little known players who teach us life lessons.
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The of Laszlo Djere is undoubtedly one of them. 25 years ago, Laslo was born in the small town of Senta, in Serbia. With no idols in a country that would soon be ravaged by war and that had not enjoyed Grand Slam champions, his forays into the world of sports seemed to be headed for the world of soccer. However, the passion of his father by the Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic he made little Laslo rediscover the sport of the racket. I would never leave it again.
Now, Djere belongs to that line of perennial circuit fighters who are trying to get a name in the elite. In a very progressive way, the Serbian tennis player has fully entered among the best in the world. It was unveiled in early 2019, when it championed in Rio de Janeiro without ever having reached an ATP final before. That 500 category title put him on all radars, and his tears at the award ceremony caused the applause and general admiration of those who were beginning to know his story.
During the past weekend, Djere scored his second title. It was in Sardinia, beating in the final Marco Cecchinato, after leaving one of the biggest promises on the current scene like Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals. His story deserves to be told and known. Now he is # 53 in the world, but let’s go back, let’s revisit that kid who was touring Serbia after his father made him love tennis.
As he himself tells for the ATP, “I started training and after two years my father and my coach saw that I was quite good. I loved tennis, so we started traveling. At least three weekends a month, we would tour Serbia. We would go to Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Kraljevo, Subotica or Kikinda. My father would take me and I would fall asleep in the back of the car. “
Between trips across the country and visits to his grandmother’s town, Laslo’s adolescence would progress with the goal of one day becoming a professional tennis player. However, with only 15 years would take place the first shocking episode his particular odyssey. “When I was 15 years old, my career began to grow. It was then that I discovered that my mother, Hajnalka, had cancer. It had started in his colon, and by the time it was discovered, back in November 2010, it had already become metastatic. He died 17 months later. I was 16 years old and I had been left without a mother. “
Djere managed to redirect his life and overcome the death of his mother. What he called ‘his new family’ had become his greatest pillar, and by 2017 he was experiencing the best season of his career. He got his first Challenger tournament after reaching five finals, he enjoyed the track and was very close to finishing the year in the top hundred. With his mother always present, his father had become something of a mentor: advising him, arranging some trips for him and always there to comfort him after a hard defeat. Everything seemed to be going well. Until a new stick arrived.
“My father had cancer. Colon cancer, the same as my mother. Horrible thoughts ran through my head again. Why does this happen to me? Wasn’t it enough to lose my mother?This time, however, Laslo approached everything differently. He was older, more mature, and had a duty to his father and sister. If the worst happened, he would take responsibility and stay strong. “I had to be strong and be there for him. I wanted to help him as much as I could, give him all my love. Worst of all, it’s over. My father went through radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Nothing worked. He died in December 2018, at the age of 55. There I was: 23 years old and without parents. “
A new beginning
Laslo won in Rio de Janeiro and dedicated that triumph to his parents. His personality is totally different from anyone his age. Her way of living life has been shaped by the events that have surrounded her. Still, they have never given up and he has continued to fight for his dreams. “I’ve been through a lot, sometimes I feel like I’m 50 years old. However, I think I’m not the most unlucky person in the world. Many other people have problems and suffer. Nothing is easy.
I know I have to get on with my life. I miss the messages from my father after each game, the smile and the affection of my mother. Life would be easier with them. But I know that my time will come too, that we are not here forever. I know I will see them at some point, but in the meantime, I try to make them proud of me and do my best. “
How not to be happy for Laslo every time he picks up a title. You deserve all the best and for sure it is fulfilling its purpose.
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