PARIS – Horacio Zeballos experienced one of the happiest moments of his life lying on the clay of Court Philippe Chatrier, rolling on the ground and bursting with emotion as a champion of the Roland Garros men’s doubles title.
Together with Spaniard Marcel Granollers, he finally claimed his first Grand Slam trophy after losing the three previous finals he played (Wimbledon 2021 and 2023; US Open 2019). To achieve that long-awaited milestone, he had to put a strong focus on mental training.
“We realised that the worst thing you can do is try to deny the pressure that comes with these moments. When I was younger, I would have tried to tell myself there was no pressure, just play freely… but at some point, that becomes a lie,” the Argentine told CLAY in an interview in Paris.
It was only the second time the 40-year-old had played on the French Open’s main court: “Just imagine how I’ll tell my kids about this, how special this place is for me. In 2010 I played against Rafa – of course I lost – and now I came back for this.”
Interview with Horacio Zeballos
— What were your first thoughts when you threw yourself onto the floor as a champion?
— It was overwhelming. I thought of my family, of my first steps in tennis. When I was a kid, I used to play against the wall with my friends and dreamed of winning a Grand Slam. All those memories came rushing in, and then I just felt pure joy.
— Did you take a big weight off your shoulders? Can you die in peace now?
— That would’ve happened whether we won or lost. Because I think one thing we always try to do is give everything in every match, every training session. Right now I’m focused on this joy, and I’m not going to let it go anytime soon. I’ll take my time, I’ll give myself several days to enjoy something I worked for—something Marcel and I worked hard for, and earned with a lot of effort.
— You’ve said the psychological side was the most important part, the missing piece to make the final leap. What was the key?
— We realised the worst thing you can do is try to ignore the pressure in moments like these. It’s important to trust the person next to you—your psychologist, your wife, your father, your coach, your doubles partner. It’s always crucial to surround yourself with people who want to help you, and who you want to help as well. With Marcel and the team, we talk a lot. We don’t hold anything back—because bottling things up only makes you suffer in the end.
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— Not hiding your fears is important.
— Absolutely! I think that’s something time and experience have taught me, right? Before, when I was younger, I would’ve said, “There’s no pressure, I’m just playing freely…” But at some point that becomes a lie—because there is pressure. And that’s fine. So what? I’ll go out there and try to play with that pressure on my side, try to give my best. That’s what I’ve finally come to understand, and I think we’re getting through high-pressure situations because of how we think about them now.
— And what are your fears today?
— Well, look—truthfully, fear is something someone feels going into a war, right? Let’s be honest, we’re just playing a tennis match. This is a game. The people who went to the Malvinas (Falklands) war felt fear—those who fought to survive. So it’s kind of embarrassing to say I feel fear, compared to what a tennis match really is. In sport, we deal with pressure, and you have to try to overcome it—or at least play with it and give your best.
— How much did being recognised as Argentina’s best doubles player and returning to the Davis Cup team impact your mental approach?
— I’ll be honest: in the semis, when the crowd was cheering for our opponents and the noise was coming from all sides of the stadium, I tried to imagine I was playing Davis Cup. That’s when the lion inside me comes out—I think of representing Argentina and giving my absolute best. Because it’s not just about me—it’s also about my team and my country. “Davis Cup mindset, Davis Cup mindset,” I kept telling myself. It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? This year I had a blast when I got to rejoin the team and they gave me a role. Not just as a player, but also as someone with more experience, someone who’s been through a lot of ties. The younger guys were really open to hearing my thoughts. It was very emotional.
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