Hamburg, a site that energizes Leonardo Mayer even in defeats

The Argentine lost to Basilashvili the final of the Open of Germany, where he won his two titles; "It is difficult to know exactly what it is, it is difficult to find an explanation, the players often come to a tournament and feel a different energy, there is something in Hamburg, a special aura. reached the final and won, in 2014 he was at a very good level, not last year, but he was with his newborn son and gave him a crazy energy, now he came back he had some doubts with his tennis, but it started and it did me good, I do not know, there will be something in the air, because the courts are dusty like everywhere. "The testimony belongs to Mariano Hood, one of the coaches of


Leonardo Mayer
. And what the old world number 20 doubles tells is the same as most people ask. Before the end of the day yesterday against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, the Correntino recorded a record 15 wins and two losses in the German Open, with two titles included (the only ones of his career).

This time he arrived at the definition with little triumph in


season
but was revitalized in the port city and built a positive week in which, even, beat Diego Schwartzman and Gael Monfils. The fence was not good, of course: Mayer fell to Basilashvili by 6-4, 0-6 and 7-5. But Argentina overcame the frustration of defeat and grinned at the ceremony, led by Michael Stich, ATP # 2 in 1993 and recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, Newport [19659006]. he played against Mayer against a rival who had the weight of not winning a trophy (the Georgian final accumulated at Memphis 2017 and Kitzbühel 2016), but he had more lucidity in the decisive section. From the beginning, Basilashvili was more connected and that's how he materialized, in the third match, the only break option that he had in the partial. As in the semifinal against Chilean Nicolás Jarry, Basilashvili collapsed in the second set and did not even win a match (Mayer managed three breaks in five attempts and 80% points with the first service). The final set was adjusted, with errors and nerves in both rackets. The break was only in the eleventh match and Basilashvili, who went into the main draw to overcome the standings, went from the front 6-5. After the break, the player born in 1992 (the same reach of Schwartzman), closed the game with his service, staying 30-40. Three consecutive points gave him his first ATP title and prevented the national tennis team from winning the 221st individual trophy (206 are the individual finals lost by the Argentines, Guillermo Vilas, 62 and 42, is the one who won and lost the most).

"I played the best games of my life on this field," he said, despite the accident, Mayer. And, apart from the good feelings that he gets in Hamburg, there is one detail that guides him. The Swedish-origin bullets used there, brand Tretorn, are much harder than those used in other tournaments, they sting more and become real shotguns when they are fired from explosive rackets. like those of Mayer. "Usually these balls help Leo to take the initiative, and his second serve, which is usually done with a kick, stings the opponent very high," adds Leonardo Alonso, another Mayer coach. The ball, which is usually marketed in the Scandinavian countries and, in turn, is also used in Stockholm, virtually does not lose the pressure. In fact, it was announced with a cross nail and, despite this, it was not damaged. Even, the legend says that in 1976 the Italian Adriano Panatta managed to beat Bjorn Borg in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros because he was playing with that ball mark and that the Swede could not realize its classic effects.

After four months of residency in Europe, Mayer will return to Buenos Aires this week to begin preparing for the hard court tour in the United States. Last March, the Yacaré made the decision to settle with his wife (Milagros Aventine) and his son (Valentino, a year and a half) in Estepona, Spain, where he has relatives, with the aim of travel less and that his wife and son live in a house and not in a hotel while he is competing. They even accompanied him to some tournaments, like Hamburg. "The experience has been positive," said Alonso, regardless of the results. After the Masters 1000 in Miami last May, Mayer played ten tournaments in the Old Continent. The end, in Germany, was not as he dreamed, but he still drew positive conclusions. Cincinnati, Winston-Salem and the US Open will be the next stations of the correntino