First-Tme Winner Highlight: Marcos Giron | ATP Tour

First Time Winner

First-Tme Winner Highlight: Marcos Giron

Thirty-year-old Giron displays on journey to maiden triumph in Newport

July 23, 2024

Marcos Giron claimed his first ATP Tour title on Sunday on the Infosys Corridor of Fame Open, the place he saved a championship level to defeat #NextGenATP Alex Michelsen within the last.

The 30-year-old American spoke to ATPTour.com about his journey to his first title, those that have helped him alongside the way in which, his relationship with Andre Agassi and extra.

What are the feelings that you simply felt if you gained championship level?
It is actually particular. For me this has been years of onerous work, years of dedication and years of assist from household, pals and coaches. And so I could not have finished this with out them. My childhood coach from once I was six or seven, Scott Christie, who believed in me from the start. My coach from once I was 16 to 22, I referred to as him Frenchie, however [his name is] Amir Marandy. Max Tabatruong, who’s traveled with me for fairly a while on Tour. Nick Meister, who traveled with me somewhat bit a couple of years in the past, after which he is joined me once more on the grass. It has been actually particular.

And my household, all of the assist all through the years, whether or not I’ve needed to play or not, they’ve at all times been supportive. And so I feel for me profitable it’s actually particular, as a result of I really feel prefer it’s all people’s doing, and never simply mine. Nevertheless it’s cool, it is fairly enjoyable to go and win the final level of the match.

Nothing beats that first title feeling 🥰@TennisHalloFame | #InfosysHallOfFameOpen pic.twitter.com/DHtUS3iWdE

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 21, 2024

Your mother used to toss you balls on the park if you have been somewhat child. What are your recollections of that?
I am unable to say I might have thought that I might be doing this for a residing [laughs]. Nevertheless it’s fairly humorous. It is fairly humorous how life goes. I used to be speaking with certainly one of my pals earlier this week about how one can go down loopy rabbit holes of all of the completely different prospects which have gone on via the world, completely different relationships that sort of got here to be out of various interactions. It is all sort of led to this, which is absolutely cool. It is actually particular to win after all. I am 30 years previous, turning 31 subsequent week. Would I’ve favored to have gained it perhaps seven years in the past? In all probability. However I would not change it. It is to my persona.

Once I was 12 years previous taking part in tennis, I by no means dreamed that I used to be going to be a Prime 10 participant on the earth or a Prime 50 participant on the earth or Prime 100 participant on the earth. I by no means had that dream. However each degree I’ve gotten to — 12s, 14s, 16s, 18s, faculty, I’ve at all times after leaving a court docket or once I’m on court docket, I am like, ‘Hey, I’ve the sport, I can really beat the opposite man’. And so I really feel prefer it’s been an enormous development.

Even once I received to highschool, my freshman yr in faculty, I completed the yr about 70. As I completed my third yr, I gained NCAAs. It is taken me a while, however I really feel like my sport retains bettering. I carry on transferring up within the rankings total, and so it is cool. It is my first time profitable a title. Hopefully it is not my final time both. I’ll be at a profession excessive within the 30s and I wish to preserve transferring ahead. This sport is hard. When you do not preserve bettering, you progress down.

Nearly 10 years in the past, you had two hip surgical procedures. How loopy is it to consider that now you are right here?
What’s really sort of becoming is that once I gained NCAAs in 2014, I received ITA Participant of the 12 months and I accepted my award right here in Newport, Rhode Island. I had by no means performed the match till this yr, 2024, which is sort of wild. So it is bizarre. It is bizarre to consider that. First time taking part in the match, first time profitable a Tour occasion.

And most American guys have performed it by now.
Most instances I have been too drained after the entire European swing. And so it is wonderful, higher late than by no means!

After you went via the hip struggles, and also you have been a volunteer assistant at UCLA, and also you pushed via that, and at 30 now you are taking part in the perfect you ever have, how a lot did you must persevere to get via these powerful moments and make it right here?
It is loopy. There have been a pair instances that I did not wish to proceed.

Once I had the hip surgical procedure, I used to be really optimistic. However then after ending the hip surgical procedure and coming again, it nonetheless took me a little bit of time to to enhance, to sort of get via challenges. It took me 4 years after that to really actually break into the Prime 100, and so it took some time…

It is loopy, however I really feel like that is at all times a testomony to who I’m. I am a tough employee and I persevere. I see issues glass half full total and I am a reasonably optimistic man and I am a excessive power man. I usually do not feel sorry for myself and I by no means wish to really feel sorry for myself. The one factor which you can actually do is try to resolve, discover a resolution and try to preserve getting higher. I feel it is simply actually a testomony to who I’m as an individual as properly.

I do not suppose too many individuals knew concerning the Andre Agassi connection earlier than this week. What are your recollections of watching him rising up and this week, what was it like having him within the crowd for a match?
It has been such an incredible relationship for me, actually. Rising up once I was younger, I keep in mind that my early first recollections of tennis have been actually him and Pete Sampras taking part in within the 2002 US Open last. That was my first reminiscence of watching tennis. And so it was wonderful. After which my coach once I was youthful stated that you’ll serve like Pete and you are going to play from the baseline like Andre.

Time went on and he was an absolute idol of mine. He was completely certainly one of my favorite gamers rising up. He is 5’10”, 5’11”, about the identical dimension. Good off each wings, sort of hits fairly flat. So if there’s any person that I look as much as and in addition sort of play just like nearly, it is him. You can not evaluate careers by any means and so it is sort of a humorous factor.

It was so loopy, destiny, sort of random occasions that made it. I used to be practising with a junior, nearly on the very finish of Covid and Andre was there. And so we met there briefly. Once more, this title can be a lot because of him. He helped my sport a lot. He noticed my sport, he made me see my sport in an entire new gentle and made me a method higher participant. Extra aggressive, but in addition total, simply seeing so many various methods to really [see] the layers of the sport, and easy methods to actually affect a match and the alternative ways there are to be the one controlling what’s taking place, and so he actually modified my trajectory for certain.

If we did not meet 4 years in the past, I do not know if I’ve gained a title or not. And so I might credit score loads to him as properly with the assistance he is finished to my sport and his imaginative and prescient and the effort and time. However once more, he is an excellent busy man. He is received a lot occurring. And actually, we have been in contact fairly a bit. I used to be at all times it like, if he could possibly be there, that may be wonderful. But in addition realistically, who is aware of when that is really going to work with the schedules. I am touring on a regular basis. He has so many issues, his basis.

He messaged me day of [the match he watched in Newport] saying, ‘Hey dude, any probability you may have an additional seat within the field at the moment?’ I could not imagine it. I used to be so hyped and I got here out completely juiced and so it is wonderful. First match he is sitting there on the match and I gained the match, so it is fairly cool. It is fairly particular. And it is so particular for me to have that relationship.

You used to play video video games loads, however not as a lot currently. What are your hobbies lately?
It sort of will depend on the place I am at. Once I’m again house, I at all times go to the seaside. I play Spikeball, seaside tennis, go [to the beach]. It relies upon, typically I wish to go for some enjoyable drives. I wish to play board video games with family and friends. I like to go climbing when potential.

I grew up snowboarding. I am unable to actually try this a lot anymore, though I’ve received some legs to do it [laughs]! I do not wish to to pop the ACL! I do not know, I similar to being in nature and simply being round folks and having enjoyable.