What a journey it’s been for Charly and Me. Although we don’t talk after every tournament, I’d say we’re pretty close. But as I watched Carlos Berlocq dispatch a resurgent Fernando Verdasco to win his first ever ATP title in Båstad, Sweden [pronounced BAH-shtod], I knew things were about to change.
Leading 6-5 in the first set, Charly played a prototypical point at 30-All. Tracking down every ball. Never giving up. His hard work earning him yet another set point.
Later, on his sixth set point, Charly put his new found doubles skills to work [he also advanced to the doubles final in Bastad with partner Ramos]. First he fought back a tough half volley and then stabbed a pure reflex volley into the open court. Charly was only one set away from the title and his place in tennis history.
Ok, so a 250-series clay court title won’t punch Charly’s ticket to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, but he will certainly shake his underdog status. That was one thing that drew me to the journeyman. I also have a soft spot for one-handed backhands. However, it was something more that cemented my fanhood.
So what was it that pulled me into Mr. Berlocq’s orbit? He drew me closer to the game of tennis and I’ll never forget him for that. Something clicked in 2011 as I sat courtside for the opening round of the Inaugural Winston-Salem Open. I realized that the ATP tour was filled with journeyman trying to eek out a living. These guys are just trying to keep it together physically and mentally to earn a pay check each week.
There I was, watching what should have been a fairly straight forward battle of equals. Carlos Berlocq ranked 75 on the ATP World Tour rankings taking on Andreas Haider-Maurer ranked 74 at the time. But after being broken early in the first set, Carlos [that’s what I called him before we became BFF] let his emotions get the best of him. He spent the following return game venting into a towel between each point as his coach shouted “Vamos, Charly!”, trying to pump up his man.
Seeing a pro athlete lose his cool 8 feet away from you is an intriguing sight to say the least. It was then I realized that all these guys carry baggage onto the court. It's only the strongest players mentally that are able to focus match in and match out. Winning any tour title requires a player to be at their best for 5 to 7 matches in row. I can’t even empty the dishwasher correctly 5 times in a row.
If Charly had folded that day, and it sure looked like he would, I might have become a huge Hauder-Maurer fan. Thanks to my “VAMOS, CHARLEEEEEEEE!” chants after every point, the Argentine turned the match around and won in straight sets [at least that’s how I choose to remember it].
Charly had guts. He was my kind of tennis player. Able to persevere in the face of adversity. Who knows what made Charly so emotional. He hadn’t played in over a month. Maybe he was home sick. Or he could have felt an injury flaring up. It’s not important. He won.
The next year, Charly came to Winston-Salem ranked 44 in the world, this time with his family in tow. Although I was there shouting “Vamos, Charly!” the whole match, it wasn’t enough. Charly lost his first round match to Ernests Gulbis. His opponent was ranked 153 in the world and would finish the year ranked outside the Top 100. The very next week Charly suffered a first round defeat in the US Open at the hands of Bernard Tomic.
It was a reminder of how difficult it can be out there on tour. The ATP tour is a grind and just like stock market, past performance is no guarantee of future success. Players have to work their butts off to stay in the Top 100. It requires something super-human to stick inside the Top 10.
This year Charly will start the summer hardcourt season ranked inside the Top 50. He might even get a bye in the first round at Winston-Salem. That means I’ll have to delay my annual pilgrimage a day or two. But it’s totally worth it.
If you are one of those fans focused exclusively on the Big Four in tennis right now - find yourself an underdog. Take it from me, it is much more rewarding to watch them breakthrough. Vamos, Charly!
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