A meeting with… Guido Pella - 網球 Tennis

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2008-06-06/20080606121276046554
6.html

其實認真看了內容 覺得這小夥子還真是不低調呀 在阿根廷人裡很少見 ^^||
(這篇是寫在四強賽前)

He is the last Argentinean in the singles draw at Roland Garros. The last
Argentinean who can hope to lift a trophy in Paris. We meet Guido Pella, the
junior player who is causing a sensation.

The Argentinean press, unused to not having a home representative in the second
week of Roland Garros, have latched on to the curly-headed 18 year old from
Bahia Blanca who has qualified for the last four of the juniors' tournament.
And Pella, who knocked out the No1 seed, Australian Bernard Tomic, is showing
that he is just as at ease in front of the cameras as he is on the court.

"It's a new experience for me and I like it. I like speaking in front of the
cameras and microphones and talking about what happened on the court," he says
with a relaxed smile, having just spent thirty minutes with the press,
including a live radio interview. For anyone else, this could be too much of a
good thing, but not for Pella who happily sits down for another interview,
relieved to be able to conduct it in Spanish.

The help of a psychologist

Once Guido starts talking about his tennis, he does not stop. "This has been my
best season as a junior player. If I win here, it will have been the best
season in my entire career, but until then, the best is still last year because
I reached two finals, two semis and several quarters on the Futures' circuit. I
felt ready to play them. I knew that I had the game to be a contender. And I
quickly broke into the top 600," says the recent winner of the Bonfiglio, one
of the most prestigious junior tournaments. "If I continue at this rate, I'll
be back here in two years' time in the main draw."

Coming from a tennis family – his father was a former Argentinean No15 and his
grand-father was passionate about the game – Pella benefits from the support
of his entourage. He is here with his coach, his manager and the latter's wife;
trio of guardians who he can rely on daily. His psychologist, however, stayed
at home in Argentina. His work is done. Pella explains, "Before leaving for the
tour, I was well prepared. I beat guys like Berlocq and Hartfield. But at the
same time, I also lost to friends of mine who were younger than me and who I
should beat every day. I even lost a set 6-0. It was the pressure but I've
managed to solve the problem with the help of a psychologist."

Objective: top 300

Based in the Fabian Blengino Academy in Buenos Aires since he was 14, the new
favourite for the juniors' tournament will next year be thrown in with the big
boys when he joins the ATP tour. "I always set myself goals. I wanted to break
into the top 600 and I did. Now, I'm targeting the top 300 and I think I can do
it," says the No615 player in the world. Because he is still ranked outside the
top 500 and has not played enough junior matches, he is still obliged to play
the qualifying rounds to get into the main draw.

Pella recently had a falling out with his federation and has been vocal in his
criticisms since his arrival in Paris. If he regrets the bitter words he used,
he does not regret the result that they provoked. "I spoke out because I was
hurt to hear that they thought there wasn't one good junior Argentinean player
on the circuit. Maybe I should have held back but everything's been sorted out
now. But I said what I said so that things would change in the federation," he
explains. Pella is so confident in himself that he is not afraid to have a dig
at David Nalbandian, Argentina's No1 player. "I don't have any role model. I
love Nalbandian because he knows how to do everything. But only when he feels
like playing. Otherwise, no."

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