The correntino Leonardo Mayer announced today what was sensed, his goodbye to tennis at the age of 34, leaving behind a career that had as its climax the conquest of the Davis Cup in 2016, after beating Croatia 3-2 in Zagreb, being the first of the four heroes to retire, as Guido Pella and Federico Delbonis are still active, while Juan Martín Del Potro will insist on a new return.
“I want to announce that I am retiring from professional tennis. Tennis gave me many joys and it has been part of my life from a very young age, I feel that it is time to close this wonderful chapter as a player”, published the “Yacaré” Mayer in his account of the social network Instagram.
“This decision was made with the full support of my family and the people who always accompanied me so that I could achieve my goals,” explained “Yacaré” in his farewell message on his networks.
The “Yacaré”, a fan of Boca and fishing, built an outstanding career with effort with two ATP 500 titles, both in Hamburg, in the 2014 editions after beating the Spanish David Ferrer in the final, and in the 2017 merced to a victory in the definition over the German Florian Mayer.
His best place in the world ranking was on June 21, 2015, and his favorite tournament was in Hamburg because, in addition to having won it twice, he reached the final in 2018 and gave up against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.
“I want to thank each of those people who always lifted me up when I had bad times in my career, who were always there when things didn’t work out, and who fought to achieve every goal with me,” Mayer added.
In partnership with Milagros Aventín, a woman from La Plata who accompanied him on his Davis Cup trips including the four seasons of magical 2016, in Gdansk (Poland), Pesaro (Italy), Glasgow (Scotland) and finally Zagreb, with three children, the eldest 4-year-old Valentino and twins Camilo and Pedro, just 9 months old, who arrived earlier this year.
“I had unforgettable moments thanks to tennis, like participating in all the tournaments, winning some, competing against the best, being part of the Argentine Davis Cup team and winning it,” recalled “Yacaré”.
“Thanks to my wife Milagros who was part of all the moments lived and fundamental support, we have three beautiful children who are the best trophies. Thank you very much and I will continue to be very involved in tennis. Goodbye,” Mayer concluded in his farewell letter.
Beyond his campaign on the circuit, “Leo” will be remembered for his enormous commitment to the Argentine jersey and Davis, long before he became champion with the team that Daniel Orsanic wisely led.
The “Yacaré” starred in a historic match at the Tecnópolis venue in the series that Argentina beat Brazil for the opening round of the 2015 World Group.
Mayer won a marathon fourth point from São Paulo Joao Souza by 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 5-7 and 15-13 in a physical and mental battle that extended for six hours and 42 minutes, a record in Davis and that forced us to reflect to the point that they modified the way of play so that such wear and tear on the tennis players would not be repeated.
That enormous effort deprived Mayer of playing during the weeks following the tour of the United States, which took away his chance to win a lot of money and climb positions in the ranking, but it had been worth it because that victory over the Brazilians was the foundation stone. to sustain Orsanic’s cycle, glanced at by several tennis heavyweights who were eager to get hold of his chair.
A month earlier, in September 2015, the “Yaca” saved Argentina from relegation, with an outstanding performance at Sunrise, close to Miami, in the playoffs against Israel to avoid relegation.
The Corrientes won his two points, against Bar Tzuf Botzer by 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and 6-1, and against Dudi Sela by 6-2, 6-1 and 6-4, and made the victory possible 3-2 and the permanence in the World Group, despite the fact that the final photo was for Carlos Berlocq in the fifth point.
In 2016, Leo was in the four series of the title, with dissimilar prominence.
He was the one who carried the weight of the team in Gdansk, in the 3-2 win against Poland, as they won their two points against Hubert Hurkacz and Michal Przysiezny.
Then, in Pesaro, on the shores of the Adriatic, he gave the lead to Delbonis in the victory over Italy 3-1.
His long figure reappeared with force in the semifinal against the powerful Great Britain of Andy Murray, at that time the best on the planet.
He knew how to accept his secondary role, behind the giant figure of Juan Martín Del Potro, who beat Andy Murray but to advance to the final one more triumph was needed and Mayer achieved it by beating Briton Daniel Evans on the fifth point by 4 -6, 6-3, 6-2 and 6-4 to sentence the 3-2 and the long-awaited pass to the final.
The “Yaca”, born in Corrientes on May 15, 1987, took over the flashes in Glasgow and, far from showing himself before the cameras, chose to take refuge in his wife “Mili”, he celebrated with her and “Juanjo” Grande, the sports psychologist that helped him overcome his shyness and strengthened him mentally, in addition to accompanying him at Davis and on the circuit.
In the final against Croatia, Orsanic designed a plan that only included the man from Corrientes in the doubles point with “Delpo”, who was a singles player and star figure alongside Delbonis, the star of the series with his unforgettable triumph over the giant Ivo Karlovic. in straight sets that made possible the 3-2 and the title.
Mayer was part of a unique and perhaps unrepeatable feat, he left his name in the golden pages of Argentine tennis and to that aura of champion he added a gift of people difficult to find, which is an outstanding detail of his personality to stand out in the hour of the bye.
The Corrientes is the third of the seven champions to retire from tennis, after Juan “Pico” Monaco in 2017 and “Charly” Berlocq in 2019.
Monaco was against Italy in Pesaro and Berlocq in Gdansk against Poland, in a series of which Renzo Olivo, who is still active, also took part.
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