Contributing to the growth of Mexican tennis is one of the main objectives of the Open GNP Insurance since its inception, and it has fulfilled it by giving national players the opportunity to face higher-level tennis players.
Hernán Garza Echavarría, director of the tournament, considers it a fundamental part of giving Mexican players that opportunity, both in the men’s edition that is played this week and in the women’s edition to be held from February 27.
This year, between both branches, a total of 12 tricolor tennis players were benefited with wildcards or special invitations for both the qualifying tournament and the main draw, which gave them the benefit of acquiring international contact that other tournaments do not offer them.
Seven of these wildcards were dealt in the Challenger, to Ernesto Escobedo and Rodrigo Pacheco for the main draw, while Emiliano Aguilera, César Ramírez, Lucas Gómez, Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez and Alejandro Hernández received for the “qualification”.
For the WTA 250, five wild cards for Mexicans were awarded: fernanda contreras for the Main Draw, and Ana Sofía Sánchez, Marcela Zacarías, Lya Fernández and Renata Zarazua for the “qualy”.
Ana Sofía Sánchez is the Mexican tennis player who has received the most special invitations to the GNP Seguros Open, with eight occasions, and after not participating in 2022, she will return to the royal competition, while Lucas Gómez is the tennis player with the most invitations to the Challenger, with five; this year he will play qualifying.
“The same tournament and the resurgence that tennis has had in Mexico contributes to this growth that the sport has had in our country, proof of this is that we now have between 8 and 10 international tournaments, before they did not exist, that shows that tennis it is growing
“I think the clearest objective is to be able to get Mexican players, in our case, from Monterrey, it is a slogan, a goal and a clear objective that we have,” said Garza Echavarría.
These invitations have helped Mexican tennis players to compete at a level ATP and WTAon occasions in which the ranking would not allow them to enter the Main Draw or qualify, an opportunity that Pacheco seeks to take advantage of, who begins to make his leap from the Juniors to professional tournaments.
“He supports us, we would not have any Mexican with the possibility of playing at the Challenger level due to the ranking, so he supports us with wildcards that the tournament gives us to be able to participate in the Main Draw or Qualy, in the Qualy there were 5 and Main Draw 2 for Mexicans, which supports Mexicans and that is good so that we can continue to grow at a professional level”, indicates the Yucatecan.
In addition, Pacheco has highlighted the treatment of the organization of the GNP Seguros Open, which is playing for the second time since in 2022 he received a wildcard for the “qualification” and took advantage of it by defeating the Swede Jonathan Mridha in the first round and was one step away entering the main draw after losing to Strong Kirchheimer in three sets of the second round.
“This is my second participation, last year I received a wildcard to ‘qualy’, this year due to my results they gave me the chance to play in the main draw, the organization of the tournament is one of the best on the Challenger Tour, the attention to the The players are incredible, the courts are incredible, the place is incredible, we need nothing, we are happy with the support of the Abierto GNP Seguros”, he expresses.
The GNP Seguros Open also supports Mexican tennis players in doubles, a modality in which they have obtained favorable results, and this edition will have the participation of Hans Hach Executioner who achieved the 2022 title, alongside the American Austin Krajicek.
The Sinaloan is in 97th place in the world doubles ranking and debuted in 2015 at the Challenger in Monterrey with a wildcard for the singles main draw.
“They have helped me in the GNP Open, when I was playing singles they gave me a wildcard, nowadays you see many Mexicans through wildcards and that is key, helping players to climb the ranking, winning last year helped me to climb many places in the ATP ranking, the Open has improved year after year, today it is an incredible tournament, it is one of the best Challengers in the world, it is an honor to come to Mexico”, says Hach Verdugo.
The Mexican has a special feeling every time he plays in Mexico, especially in Monterrey, where he has won one of his five titles on the Challenger Tour.
“We tennis players play about 35 weeks a year around the world, having tournaments of this quality in Mexico is a great honor, representing the country, showing the world that we have first-rate players and events, I haven’t won many Challengers, Monterrey is one of them, I think it’s something incredible and it’s something I’m proud of.”
Hach Verdugo will now defend his doubles title alongside Miguel Angel Reyes Varelawho at 33 years old is in 66th place in doubles in the ATP ranking, has also played two doubles finals on royal soil, of which “Micky” has great memories.
“I have beautiful memories from the first years it was made, I reached the Final, I have lost two finals, but I remember them with great affection, one with Leander Paes and another with Marcelo Arévalo, with very nice matches in the stadium, once it was against Ferrer in doubles, another against Kokkinakis and another Australian who was very tough, went to the super tiebreak, they are memories that go beyond points, rankings or awards, they are memories that make me come back and feel the support of the people ”, expresses the tapatío.
One of the goals of the GNP Seguros Open is to promote the regional talent headed by Emiliano Aguilera, who has already participated in four editions of the Challenger and thanks to the efforts of the Regiomontana Tennis Association this year he participated again.
“The Open has given me the power to train with very professional and focused people, I am playing for the fourth time, on many occasions there is always not putting pressure on myself, it drives me to give my best, training is not the same as playing, it drives me to have fun, playing for my people, being in that environment helps me to know what level I am at, I am not that far from reality, I am very happy about this part”, comments Aguilera.
Along with Aguilera, this year another regio also had the opportunity to participate, and at the age of 17 Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez had his first experience in professionalism, which Marco Marín, president of the Monterrey Tennis Association see with good eyes.
“We take care of developing talent with children’s and youth tournaments, but there is a time when this talent has to make the leap to the elite and it is thanks to the GNP Seguros Open that this happens, which is why it is important that continuity not be lose and working together is the key”, mentions Marín.
Similarly, the Open has supported Ana Karen Guadiana, a royal tennis player who was invited to the 2019 “qualification” and is now in the NCAA university circuit with the University of Arizona, with support from the tournament.
“In particular, we have always tried to support players from Nuevo León, proof of this we have Ana Karen Guadiana at the University of Arizona, she is about to finish, next year she will be making her debut here (as a professional).
“There are other young men and women that we are looking at how to support them, because there are talents, there are people with a vocation, the important thing is who is going to discover all this and that is why we are there,” Hernán Garza mentions.
The director of the GNP Seguros Open sees it as an area of opportunity to improve Mexican tennis, help tennis players get scholarships at universities in the United States and train them in the NCAA.
“I think it is important to follow up on young boys who really have a vocation, who want to be professionals, you have to support them, give them facilities, grant them scholarships, that they go to the United States, to universities, that they have their process, like Ana Karen who in One year he finishes his career and he will be a professional”.
Hyperlinks:
Open GNP Insurance: https://abiertognpseguros.com/
WTA: https://www.wtatennis.com/
ATP Challenger Tour: https://www.atptour.com/en/atp-challenger-tour
Ernest Escobedo: https://www.atptour.com/es/players/ernesto-escobedo/e873/overview
Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez: https://www.itftennis.com/en/players/rodrigo-pacheco-mendez/800544947/mex/mt/s/overview/
Fernanda Contreras Gomez: https://www.wtatennis.com/players/323582/fernanda-contreras-gomez
Renata Zarazua: https://www.wtatennis.com/players/320716/renata-zarazua/
Hans Hach Executioner: https://www.atptour.com/es/players/hans-hach-verdugo/h938/titles-and-finals
Miguel Angel Reyes Varela: https://www.atptour.com/es/players/miguel-angel-reyes-varela/r736/overview
Monterrey Tennis Association: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075993191408
