The last ATP Challenger tournament of the year in Spain will take place this week at the Sánchez Casal Academy. The clay court tournament, endowed with 43,000 euros, takes place in the greater Barcelona area, not far from El Prat de Llobregat international airport.
By Florian Heer from Barcelona
The tournament director will be Sergio Casal, the former number 3 in the double world rankings. The 56 year-old was able to achieve a total of 47 double victories, including two Grand Slam triumphs alongside his partner Emilio Sánchez. The duo also won the silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. In 1995 Casal finished his professional tennis career. Three years later, the former double partners founded their first joint tennis academy.
We met the likeable Spaniard for an interview on the opening day of the first edition of the Mapfre Sánchez-Casal Challengers.
tennisnet: When did the idea of holding an ATP Challenger tournament in your academy come about?
Sergio Casal: There wasn’t really much time and lead to think about. It was perhaps April when the Spanish Tennis Federation acquired the rights to three Challenger tournaments. We are already very active in organizing junior tournaments. Organising a Challenger event is a different house number, however, as there are many requirements to be met by the ATP.
tennisnet: Was there something that surprised you in the context of the organization?
Casal: Emilio and I had already organized ATP tournaments in Marbella and Valencia in the past. So I knew a little of what was coming. These tournaments were bigger, but the editions are similar. It must also be taken into account that our “normal” academy operations continue. There are still 100 young people on the campus every day who have school or stay on the premises to train. This makes the whole organization a little more demanding.
tennisnet: What are your goals for the event?
Casal: The Academy was founded in 1998. So we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. Our mission was and is to give young players the chance to play at a high level and attend school at the same time. Our focus is on the youngest. Nevertheless, we also want to help those who are about to start a professional tennis career. A tournament like this is a good chance for them to prove themselves. I think it’s a great event for the whole region because we’ll have a lot of good players here. When the players leave the tournament satisfied at the end, we have done everything right. We will definitely put a lot of heart and soul into this event. This also applies to the next two years in which the tournament will certainly take place. We will have to learn a lot to improve bit by bit, year by year.
tennisnet: After the tournament at the JC Ferrero Equelite in Alicante and at the Rafa Nadal Academy, this is already the third ATP Challenger event to take place at a Spanish tennis academy. Have you attended any of the other tournaments before?
Casal: It’s a great thing that the three major tennis academies in Spain can each hold a tournament. Some people from our academy were in Manacor for a day or two with Rafa Nadal. However, in the end there is not much cooperation.
tennisnet: Do you have a favorite on the tournament win this week?
Casal: Roberto Carballés is seeded number 1 and therefore probably the favourite. But you never know. I expect a lot of close matches. Most players are in the top 200 of the world rankings. This makes the field very balanced and in the end the daily form of each individual can decide.
tennisnet: Your academy has expanded strongly in recent years. Can you tell us something about your strategy?
Casal: We laid the foundation stone here in Barcelona. After that, we opened another academy in Naples, Florida. Emilio has been living there with his family ever since and runs the academy together with our coaches. He’s only here in Spain four or five times a year. In the academy in the United States there is also an affiliated school according to the same system. This makes it possible for students to switch back and forth between the USA and here in Spain. This makes the thing very interesting and is probably quite unique. With Nanjing in China, we have finally opened a base in Asia.
tennisnet: Let’s still talk about your great career. They were absolutely world class in doubles, but also have some successes in singles. How would you describe the differences between the two disciplines?
Casal: I think that every professional tennis player wants to be number 1 in the singles. Many forget the double. I like players who can focus on both. You can learn a lot from the double and take it with you. Maybe with the exception of my last years on tour, I’m always tempted to play in both competitions. It used to be like that. John McEnroe or Stefan Edberg have regularly competed in singles as well as doubles. However, this has changed over time.
tennisnet: You have defeated Boris Becker twice in your career. First in 1985, when he was still rather unknown to most, and two years later when he was already double Wimbledon champion.
Casal: Yeah, that’s right (laughs). This is interesting because Boris hasn’t lost many matches in the Davis Cup. Against me, however, he has been a loser twice. The first time was in Sindelfingen. In the same year he later won at Queen’s and Wimbledon. But more important for me was the second victory at home in Barcelona in 1987. It was the decisive last match in the Davis Cup. A lot of people still talk to me about this victory today. You’ve been on the tour for 15 years and a player like me, who was okay but not at the top, will remember one or two moments.
tennisnet: Was it the best match of your career?
Casal: At least it was a special one. But there was also the encounter with John McEnroe. In our only match against each other, I defeated him in Paris-Bercy. When we meet today, he still speaks to me about his negative direct comparison against me. He’s still burning for revenge (laughs).
tennisnet: Let’s look to the future. Is there a headline you would like to read at the end of the tournament week?
Casal: It would just be nice to see our efforts paying off in the end and a lot of people from Barcelona coming by for the final weekend. I hope the players will feel comfortable and come back next year. We, for our part, will definitely give our all.
tennisnet: Many thanks for the interview and a successful week.