He had trained great figures, but he decided to accompany the little ones and that’s how he arrived in Tucumán
ON THE SIDE OF THE FIELD. Gumy (first seated) closely follows the game of his pupil Tobías Franco. He enjoys training the younger ones. The Gazette / photo Mariana Apud
“How was I as a player? People had to sit down and buy various snacks. Sitting in the main patio of the Tucumán Lawn Tennis, headquarters of the International Tennis Federation tournaments, Hernán Gumy He adds humor to something as complex as defining himself. He arrived in the province accompanying several players who compete in the male branch of the contest. Those who faced him on the professional circuit knew that Gumy would be the culprit of a long stay on the court. The former world number 39 started coaching players like Guillermo Canas, Guillermo Coria, Augustine Calleri already two former number one in the world: the Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten and the Russian, Marat Safin. Also to the Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. Why did you decide to radically change your coaching profile? Gumy told LA GACETA.
– You went from training professionals to kids who are just starting out. What is the reason?
– In 2016 we opened an academy with Alexander Lombardo and I began to fall in love with the training of children between 11 and 18 years old. There are boys who came to Tucumán that we have had since they were 13 and now they are 19. It’s nice to help them on this hard journey.
– If you have to choose between one of the two facets as a coach, which one do you prefer?
– I’ll take this one. I like the training. I don’t rule out returning to the high circuit, but for now I’m happy and happy to help the boys in our academy.
– You retired in 2001. Has tennis changed?
– It has changed, it has become faster and the players play more years because they are healthier.
– In what sense is “healthier”?
– The kinesiology part improved a lot, the physical preparation, they all play very evenly. They are more athletic and faster. It also caused that they have changed the materials of the strings and rackets. Most take out at more than 180 kilometers per hour and not before.
– You got to play five and a half hours at Roland Garros in 1998 and you lost to Alex Corretja. What were those games like?
– He made them suffer too much (he laughs).
– You also have a victory against Guillermo Vilas, in a challenger in Brazil, when he was retiring.
– Oh yes. I’m not one to tell much, but when they bring me the story… I don’t remember the city (it was in São Paulo, in August 1991). Guillermo was, he is great. I remember that he had total nerves. He is my idol for his sacrifice and his work.
– How do you see Argentine tennis?
– I see it well. Players appear every one or two years and there is a good crop that is going to solidify. In the next few years, about eight players will remain in the top 100.
