Reading, chess and out mobile: this is how Davidovich approached the best in the world

SA Alexander Davidovich he looked desperate and even choked a little, squeezing the heat with the painful pressure of the impending tip.

This did not give him a break in the third and decisive set Casper Ruudhitting the ball over 200 kilometers per hour on serve to make it 5-3 and prepare to close out the game by more than three hourssame face as when Davidovich dominated him in the first round.

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Not knowing what was going through the Norwegian’s mind, fearless face poker The whole rivalry, which shows more or less the game but does not show any emotion either when the man from Malaga suffers him, everything is under control as Foki’s excitement increases. That, the iron control over emotions, is the only but sidereal difference that separates the one who is in the top-10 -number 5 in the Ruud world-, and the 37 currently occupied by the man from Malaga, who has nothing to envy to rules of wealth tennis.

-I can’t afford those low ones!- exclaimed Davidovich, turning, almost asking for help, to his coach, Jorge Aguirre, half a meter.

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But Foki, betrayed too many times by his insecurities and bad decisions when the score was tight and kept the pressure -that bad serve- left against Rune in Wimbledon as a paradigm-, manages to control oneself. Up a 0-30 with 5-3 and Alex, more fire in his exploding legs than ever, was on fire like one who had just taken “a shot of tequila” as he admitted. Tennis Channel.

-There are also doubts huh! Let’s go! -, Aguirre guided him while pointing to Ruud’s side. Davidovich returns full of energy that comes from winning for the first time in the Alexander Zverev submitting the German in just over an hour (6-1 and 6-2) and knocking off a top-10 player for the first time on hard court after taking a tie-break. Reached the semifinals of a hard court Masters 1,000 for the first time in Toronto, held last week. The world sees him break out of the top-25 again on Monday but this time with his best ranking yet. today is the 23rd. The lone Spaniard was now ahead, Carlos Alcaraz and above. Foki controls himself, defeats himself, finds peace in that young volcano that he himself describes as “crazy as a chota”. Something changed inside.

“When I play, I don’t care if I win or lose, I just enjoy every moment,” reflects the tennis player from Morale Cove, No more martyring yourself for what has failed, close to that memory the more fleeting the better in tennis.

“Today I read and that made me more relaxed outside the court, and more focused on the moment. Reading helped me with my tasks, not wasting time on my mobile and doing other things more productive things like reading or playing chess too, anything more productive than spending time on my social networks. That changes your routine and habits and becomes more concentrated, patient and calm, so as not to be overwhelmed by other stupidities”, he acknowledged to MD Davidovich, reluctant to that already reflex action at dawn like going to the bathroom.

“Before, when I woke up in the morning, I would take my cellphone. Now I can go to the bathroom, have breakfast, but I tell myself “don’t pick up the phone”. I left social networks earlier two months and now I can relax more”, he also said Tennis Channel ‘Foki’, adds another animal passion, two cats to his house and helps find pet owners through his platform adoptas.org.

“Now I’m reading “The Power of Gratitude” to be more grateful for everything. In the end, what matters is that we are alive. This may be the most stupid thing that may sound, but in the end it is a real truth. Being grateful for everything around you, for what they give you. The simple things are what make the difference in the end and that’s what I realize now. That’s why I’m just focused on this moment,” Davidovich told MD in deep thought.

He knew very well the new attitude that suited his disciple Jorge Aguirre, that ‘Foki’ is known like the back of his hand, training with him for more than half of his life from Malaga, now 24 years and because he is 11 with Aguirre in a circuit where the coaching position is volatile.

“There are not enough projects like ours or the Musetti, Fighting as a team for something common is something very beautiful. It seems that sometimes the player is selfish, the king of the party, and has little respect for the coaches, many times it is given by the managers and the players don’t even know who he is. Ours gives the point of Alex’s image of confidence, of wanting to achieve things with your coach from the beginning,” explained Jorge Aguirre to MD.

“What about reading? Young people today want everything very fast. That’s not reading 3 books and that’s it. It’s about doing it and within a few months it becomes a habit, it’s part of your training. I recommend the readings that will help you ”, Aguirre revealed, not wanting to put limits on his student in the same way that he is not rushed.

“This year he put himself in the top-35. It has the potential to grow more, but if it doesn’t show, it’s because it’s not ready. Things will come when they have to come, we have to bring them patience, hunger, calm And don’t judge us, don’t set expectations. I can say that I don’t see a ceiling or I see a potential for top-10, but that is shown on the track”, the coach highlights Foki, champion of junior wimbledon in 2017, quarterfinalist at Roland Garros in 2021 for the best result in a Grand Slam and finalist in Monte Carlo in 2022 for the best performance in a Masters 1,000.

Through reading, Jorge Aguirre improves Davidovich’s reading of the game.

“Tactically, he has to be more organized in the points where there is more pressure, not having that urgency of being the decision-maker, understanding that he has to play well and that other people are feeling it. the pressure, A point missed by others is equal to the value of what you did not do”, analyzed Aguirre, indicating that sometimes daring can turn into recklessness.

“Alex is a determined player. He has tennis strength and is mentally prepared for that level. And sometimes we have doubts, in important moments we believe we have to do a little more to achieve a rest or when we are serving with 5-4 and he needs to understand that playing at his level without having to overdo it or get overexcited is enough. They can hit impressive shots at times, but the best players play hands-on and point when it counts. Sometimes it seems you have to make it a point of the week to show that there is, that desire. You have to have the confidence that just by staying in the game, waiting for others to decide, the opportunity will come.” Jorge Aguirre stands out, constantly adding arguments to his approach.

“Making a decision (referring to taking a shot with more risk) is courage but at the same time a lack of confidence that you can do it. win the point in another way. When you play against someone better ranked, sometimes your head seems to be telling you that, for example, if the opponent is number 8 in the world, it’s for something and your body is asking you to do something else. And playing solid and controlling risk Alex can be as competitive as anyone. But we are going in the right direction”, highlights Aguirre.

Alejandro Davidovich in Toronto found the balance in between vertigo and control so that the abundant and varied tennis that he possessed was unleashed, bringing him very close this year to the two best in the world, resulting in a tight 7-6 and 6-4 against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of Number of Godó and for a 7-6, 7-6 and 6-2 in the third round of Roland Garros against a Novak Djokovic the one he knocked out last year in Monte Carlo.

“Regarding the game, we can improve more than anything half Track Transition, forward (on the net). When he does, it’s when he’s more comfortable with his game and easier to adjust, when he tends to go forward and finish the play. It should also be more consistent with the serve, sometimes we lower the average because of tension or a bit tired”, Aguirre points out. But, just as he must continue to deepen his reading habit, he must continue it in the game as he learned in the elimination in the semifinals against the indefatigable Alex de Miñaur, one of the players who make you think the most:

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“He’s got to give that game another turn, give it another turn. one is missing intention to look for things to change the game, but we are on the right track,” said Aguirre. “Let’s see if he brings out his best version and maintains that habit, which I think so,” Alejandro Davidovich’s lifelong coach also mentioned.

Alex has reached another Alex, the one he needs to meet to start bringing out his best tennis, on the inner journey of reading to find himself. The best Davidovich appears to be.