Reality can be distorted when we only look at the elite of the sport and we risk losing focus. John Paul Varillas he has not done so and he is aware of the enormous effort and sacrifice he has had to make over the years to begin to reap the benefits. Being a tennis player in Peru is a daunting and almost heroic task, given the country’s socioeconomic difficulties, the political instability and the large investment required to move around South America until carving out a niche and making the leap to other continents. Proof of them is that there are only four Peruvians in the top-500 and everything indicates that the Andean country will have a more than intermittent presence among the top 100 in the world, if Varillas continues to progress in the way he is doing. After beating Thiem in the ATP 250 Buenos Aires 2023reflects on ESPN and ElComercio about his vital and professional moment.
“This is the biggest victory of my career. Being able to beat a player like Dominic and overcome the rainy and windy conditions in which we have competed means a lot to me,” said a man who wants to make the final jump to ATP tournaments, abandoning a ATP Challenger Tour who has been his shuttle and who seemed doomed to remain forever. However, when many did not expect him to hatch, the Peruvian has broken the mold, stepping on the top-100 for the first time in his career in 2023 and playing two Grand Slam final draws. In them, he put Aliassime and Zverev in trouble, taking them to the fifth round and showing off his complete tennis and battle-hardened character.
Varillas has played two Grand Slam matches and lost both in five sets against Aliassime and Zverev
Questioned about his progression and national pride, the Peruvian is clear. “Little by little I am making my way, progressively improving and feeling more confident. It is a pride to be present for Peru in big tournaments and to feel that I am not only playing for myself, but also for my country, which motivates me even more”, admits Juanpa . “The ATP circuit is very competitive, a bad run can condemn you, but good dynamics also raise you many positions. My priority is to score points in the ranking ATP so as not to have to play many more previous phases”, acknowledges a man whose triumphs in Buenos Aires ensure that he will be among the top 90 in the world and pocket not inconsiderable amounts of money.
“I know that I am very lucky to be able to make a living from tennis since it is something that very few achieve. I am in great shape, I have more variations in my game, I have improved my physical condition and the truth is that I do not want to settle I’m making my dreams come true and I want to take every opportunity I get to keep improving,” admits a John Paul Varillas that promises strong emotions throughout this South American tour of clay, having also signed up for the tournaments in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago de Chile. His example can inspire many young people in his country and make tennis continue to grow and become popular in a country in need of references and positive news that increases national pride.
