MELBOURNE- The pivotal moment came when Juan Pablo Varillas understood that he did not have to be like Alexander Zverev.
After sharing in juniors, the German’s career took off very early. The Peruvian, meanwhile, played the futures circuit for several years. Ten years later they meet at a Grand Slam and compete as equals having traveled the road in a different way.
“I learned that everyone has their moments of maturation, their times for everything,” he admits.
Varilas comes from losing in the fifth set against the German in the first round of the Australian Open. “Defeat that hurts, but that teaches,” says Varillas.
At the Margaret Court Arena he just played the second Grand Slam match in his history. The previous one was another five set battle against a favourite. At the Phillipe Chatrier at Roland Garros in May, he lost to Félix Auger Alliassime in what was the most watched match of his life.
«There is a small difference with the previous game. That’s when (Aliassime) starts to turn me around I think I didn’t have many chances. In this one I did have opportunities to win the game. It was for anyone. It was decided with two or three points », he tells CLAY.
– He spent ten years between Futures and Challengers, and now he’s getting a taste for the first circuit. How do you experience this change of scenery?
– Like when you go from Futures to Challenger and everything seems incredible and immensely better. I spent six years playing Futures and I saw these tournaments very far away and now I play them all. I am in the place that I used to see on TV, so that fills me with confidence. And very important to understand that everyone has their times. I learned not to compare myself with the rest.
– Did that help you reach the level you have today?
– It’s a mistake I made as a kid and it cost me a couple of years of career. I played juniors with Zverev. In 2013 in Italy he beat me. And exactly one year later, when we already left the juniors, he was making the semifinals in Hamburg, an ATP 500. At 18 years old. So he’d say, ‘crazy, what’s up? That I was playing one-on-one with this and next year…What’s happening?’ Those little things didn’t do me good in the head and emotionally pulled me down. Then I realized that comparing yourself to these guys is hard, it’s not the best. I learned that everyone has their moments of maturation, their times for everything. So when I began to understand this I matured and began to improve.
– Did something in particular happen that prompted you to make that change?
– I went to Argentina to train. I have been in Buenos Aires for six years. It was the best decision and at the same time the hardest of my career. Go there, because I found a much more professional environment, where every day I played with someone different, where there were all levels, and I always pushed myself to be better. That is not found in many places and it has made a difference to me as soon as I arrived.
– What will your next 10 years be like?
– These are the matches that show you that I can be here in the Grand Slams, in the big tournaments. I can play with whoever I want. So I trust myself more and what I can achieve.
– So the decision to have left engineering studies was a good one.
– Yes, at least. I withdrew from the University alone, I couldn’t sit in class for three hours straight. Memory. All my life I trained outdoors, I was with my friends, I played, I had fun with tennis and from one moment to the next, boom, they locked me up. I was shocked, I couldn’t.
– Did your parents force you to study the race?
– Nerd. I have been lucky with my family, they have always supported me. And since they supported me, my father also told me that he should try to do both and if he couldn’t, well see you later. At that time it was my parents who were going to bankroll everything I was going to do. I tried to do both, but I didn’t give my hundred percent in one or the other because I didn’t have time. I lasted a semester. So I said, I can study at any other time. Tennis is now.
– What other interests do you have off the pitch?
– I like soccer, I like the beach. I am lucky to be from Lima, because I have the beach ten minutes from my house. I like reading.
-What are you reading?
– «House of spies» by Daniel Silva. I like all that bullshit, spies, detective stories, all that stuff. They help me disconnect a little bit from all this because in the end, tennis and the circuit overwhelm you. All the time training, physio, this, that. In the end you are here all day, and you need to disconnect. That is my way.
– Turn off your cell phone and let no one bother you.
– Yes Yes. I always say, well, I’m going to read at least one chapter a day. 20 minutes, half an hour. So I completely disconnect.
– The tennis player does not read much in general.
– Not for me, I think not. They watch series more.
– So, with a book and a beach, you are in paradise.
– With a book, with friends, being there at sea, having a drink, eating something there. A ceviche, how delicious.
– Play paddles on the beach.
– Yes, sometimes yes. Although now that I was on vacation I said I don’t want to see a racket. I went to the beach with three friends. I didn’t want to know anything else. We were there calm. It’s been two weeks that I disconnect and then I come back strong.
– Melbourne has a nice beachside neighborhood. St. Kilda.
– Yes, I will try to go. It’s my day off.
