Interview with Andrea Collarini

Andrea Collarini (ATP Ranking: 580th) was born in the United States but he moved at an early age to Argentina, was raised and shaped into a tennis player there. He explains his reasons for leaving the country to play in the USTA (United States Tennis Association) also clearing up the ordeal with the Argentine Tennis Association who denied him a Wild Card to the recent Copa Topper.

How did you get started with tennis?
- I began to play at around age 3 or 4 with my dad. We used to train at GEBA in Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires. I would always wait for him to stop playing or in the mornings I would wake him up early to go out there and play.

What made you choose tennis and not another sport?
- I would go to school from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, practically all day and I would play tennis and rugby there. I liked rugby a lot better because I could practice it with my friends, but one day I came back home with a cut on my forehead and my parents, especially my mom, told me to stop playing it. Up until that point I would only practice tennis twice a week, but once I dropped rugby I began to fully dedicate my time to tennis and I began to get better.

How were your first years playing tennis?
- In first grade I began to play tournaments but tennis was not my priority. Mi focus was always in school, but in one preseason I began to have great results and I fell in love with the competition. It was then, at age 14, that I changed to a school that only met for half of the day and I begun to practice on the afternoons as well.

Did you finish your schooling?
- Yes, I did last year. I took online courses for my last year.

How did you deal with the traveling? Did you receive any financial aid?
- To the tournaments I would always travel with my dad, and it was him that would support me financially for my travels. Luckily I never needed help in that aspect from others.

Did you find any sponsors?
When I was 15, IMG began to represent me, but they were not sponsors. Yonex and Nike did become my sponsors, but they would not pay directly for the traveling, but rather gave me a salary.

How did Nike find out about you?
- In a tour of Europe, when I was 14 years old, they came up to me and asked me if I would sign a contract with them, and obviously I could not refuse. The same happened with Yonex, they offered to sponsor me at the Orange Bowl.

Why did you leave for the United States?
- First of all because I was able to keep my same trainer, Diego Moyano. He was very sure that this was the best option for me, I would get to play in Hard Courts which would help improve my all-around game. In United States they also offered me to play in more tournaments, I would have Wild Cards and more financial help, although that wasn’t the main reason.

So, what was the main reason?
The main reason was that all of my family and my coach believed this was the best option for me to evolve my game. Living on my own would also help me mature faster.

How did you handle the move?
Good. Like with everything, it takes time for one to adapt. At first it was a little more difficult but I know feel like I’ve adapted well.

You were accustomed to playing against Argentines. When you left, did you find difficult the competition from the Americans?
- Of course, I had played against other Argentines in hard courts but it was totally different against Americans because they grew up playing in this surface all their life. It is the same as when they have to face me in a clay court, because they are not used to them. For me the competition overall was the same. The pace of the game is very fast and they all seem to serve very well. I was training hard for a month to adapt myself and I went several weeks without being able to win.

This year you played as sparring for the United States Davis Cup Team. How was that Experience?
- Very good. I got to share a week with Top 20 players.

What memories do you have of your time with them?
- (John) Isner and (Sam) Querrey are two kids. They are older but they acted closer to my age (Laughs). We would play all the time, cards, really anything. It was great seeing them up close to see how they would hit and how they would train.

This year you were finalist of the Roland Garros Junior tournament and you lost to your friend Agustin Velloti. How was it to play him?

- I was very nervous for the fact that it was the final. Against Agustin I’ve played at least 15 times or more. I played very well but he served incredibly. Honestly, we played an unbelievable game; I would love to play it again because it was something special.

Can you clarify what happened with your Wild Card to the Copa Topper?
- Yes, I am part of this club (Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club) and my dad had asked one of the directors for a WC. I always played interclub for them and this person said that they would get me one, but when it was presented to the AAT (Argentine Tennis Association), they denied it because WC were only going to Argentine tennis players.

How did you feel when they denied the request?
- (With his head down) nothing, if I had to make the request directly to the Association I wouldn’t have even asked for it. But because I am part of this club, and they were willing to give me the WC, I was hoping I would get it, so it is a shame it did not happen.

Do you plan to play in the Buenos Aires ATP tournament?
- The one in February? No, I don’t think I have a high enough ranking to enter the qualifiers, but hopefully next year.

What goals do you have for 2011?
- To continue to better myself but without looking at the ranking. If you have the game, the ranking will follow. I would also like to play in more challengers.

Interview courtesy of EL TENIS QUE NO VEMOS (eltenisquenovemos.com.ar).
Translation: Bruno Alatrista