"As a player, I see myself reflected in Djokovic"

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🎾 Ignacio Monzon vs Julian Cundom

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With a few exceptions, it's not easy to determine whether a 20-year-old will become a world elite in tennis. What can be assessed is whether they have the tools to make a living from tennis at some point, an impression we had at first sight with Ignacio Buse (Lima, 2004). His presence and bravery on the court made headlines last February when his surprising victory over Nico Jarry in Chile made waves around the globe. At that time, he wasn't even in the top 400 worldwide, but one renowned triumph is enough to make your name known forever.

It has been eight months since then, and Nacho’s—his nickname—life has changed significantly. Not only has his tennis improved, but so has his ranking, halving it and pushing him towards the inevitable top 200. This week in the Copa Faulcombridge, he advanced to the quarterfinals, where he succumbed to the top seed, Pedro Martínez. Setting aside the tension, Buse sits down for the first time with Punto de Break to share his story and discuss his dreams in the world of tennis.

First time in Valencia?

First time in Valencia, yes. Perhaps I was here with my family when I was young, but I don't remember anything. Now I can say that I love Valencia.

Whatever happens, the mental leap you have made in 2024 is undeniable. Many would have become trapped in that victory in February.

Honestly, it also affected me negatively because then, in the next tournament, I lost a tough match against Karue Sell, a Brazilian YouTuber who is now ranked #300. Those couple of weeks after the Davis Cup were tough; he showed a high level and beat me that day. That was the first match I lost after the Davis Cup, and...

...Did you feel something different?

I felt the pressure... I felt like I was being followed, like I had a spotlight on me, so I wanted things to go well. I lost in the second round, but I wanted to win the tournament. I tried to take credit away from the other player, but he also played very well. Then things started to fall into place for me, but the first 2-3 weeks were a bit tough; it took me some time to find my rhythm and put everything back in place.

Learning is also important.

Absolutely, that helped me improve, especially in managing my social networks. Now I know that after losing a match, I shouldn't check anything, although sometimes it's impossible to avoid notifications. You have to block all of that and not engage with any social media.

Now you are #211 in the world; can you imagine being #111 in a year? That's a jump of a hundred positions, which wouldn't be bad.

I'll sign that, 100%. It would mean being on the verge of a Grand Slam main draw.

So, you settle for that.

(Laughs) I don't settle, but I like to assess the current situation. Today, I'm almost #200, I don't settle, but you have to keep your feet on the ground; a year ago, it would have been impossible for me to imagine being here.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Como estructura de jugador, me veo reflejado en Djokovic”