SANTIAGO, Chile — With a season full of firsts ahead, Francisco Comesaña has a clear wish: “I want to play against Djokovic!”
Comesaña, 24, is a fresh face on the international circuit: his cheerful personality, even in the toughest moments of matches, brings a refreshing energy that captivates everyone who discovers him.
“I even enjoy the suffering and being tired,” the new tennis sensation told CLAY in an interview in Santiago, Chile, where he is playing the Chile Open — just the tenth ATP tournament of his career. These are more than happy days for Comesaña, following a magical week in Rio de Janeiro, where he defeated Alexander Zverev on his way to his first semifinal.
Born in Mar del Plata, home of great champions like Guillermo Vilas and doubles star Horacio Zeballos, Comesaña offers some advice to players who feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and frustrated by tennis: they should focus on enjoying the privilege of being a professional tennis player.
Interview with Francisco Comesaña
— Every tennis player has their forehand, backhand, and serve — the shots they rely on to win matches. You, however, also have your smile. It’s clear that smiling brings a lot to your tennis and your life.
— I just enjoy being on the court so much! I even enjoy the suffering, the hours of training under the sun or in the cold, and feeling tired. I’m doing what I love the most. Tennis, with everything that comes with it, makes me feel incredibly happy and gives me a huge sense of well-being. So the smile is just a reflection of all that, and it’s something that defines me.
— Even in the most stressful moments of a match, there’s your laughter. When you lose, you still greet your opponent with a smile — that’s not very common on the circuit.
— Yes, when you lose, of course you get upset, but I try to greet my opponent properly because they obviously deserved the win. After that, I try to quickly shift my mindset and focus on preparing for the following week. This sport constantly gives you chances for revenge — that’s one of the great things about tennis.
— What do you think when you hear players complain that the calendar is too long and there should be fewer tournaments? Do you think today’s players complain too much?
— I understand it can be very tough for some players because they play so many matches a year. Carlos Alcaraz plays around 70 or 80 matches a year, plus the exhibition events — which I think are a bit too much. Add to that all the travel. Last year, I played between 25 and 30 tournaments — my busiest year so far — and yes, it does get a bit long because we spend so much time away from home. But in the end, I sit down and remind myself to be grateful: I’m doing what I love. So as long as I’m healthy and can keep competing, honestly, I’d play every week if I could.
— Then I’ll ask you again when you’re playing at a top-20 pace.
— Of course, we’ll see how things go as my level rises and I start playing more matches. We’ll see the physical and mental demands and how much of a toll that takes. But for now, I’m fine. I don’t really know how the minds of those top-level players work because the demands on them are incredibly high — not just for one season, but year after year for many seasons.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
— What advice would you give to those players who are no longer enjoying tennis and feel overwhelmed by the demands of the tour?
— If tennis is truly what they love, they should focus on enjoying that privilege. And they should surround themselves with good people, with a team that not only helps them in tennis but also supports them in life. That’s what I’m experiencing now.
— Have you found any off-court tools that have helped you find that well-being?
— Yes. Meditation. It’s helped me a lot because it slows me down and helps me relax. Today we’re exposed to too much social media, and there are a lot of people who throw a lot of negative energy your way. But at the same time, there’s also a lot of people sending good vibes, so you have to focus on the good. Disconnecting from your phone a bit is important for living a calmer life.
— Are you trying to detox from your phone use?
— I am, and it’s helping me a lot.
— Beating a world No. 2 doesn’t happen every day. After your remarkable win over Alexander Zverev in Rio de Janeiro, what does that magical night mean to you?
— I try to see it as a very important victory in my life, of course, but it’s still just one more win. When I look at the big picture, the whole week in Brazil felt like a huge step forward. Tennis is incredible — I could have lost to Gustavo Heide in the first round, to Nicolás Jarry in the second, and the same with Zverev. I lost to Alexandre Muller, but I could have won that match too. These were all matches decided by small details, and that’s very common in this sport. Tennis is very even, so I’m happy that I trusted my abilities, went for my chances on the court, and managed to win some very tough matches.
— Tell me a bit about your family. You’re very close to your parents and your brother. You traveled together to the US Open. It seems like you have a very special bond.
— Yes, we’re very close and have a wonderful family. It’s a bit harder for them because I’ve been living in Buenos Aires for the past seven or eight years, far from our home in Mar del Plata. I know they miss me a lot, so whenever I’m in Argentina, I try to escape and spend weekends with them, go out for dinner. Yesterday my dad called me, and I told him, “Dad, I’ve been a bit disconnected, that’s why I haven’t been chatting with the family.” I’ll probably call him soon and tell him about everything happening here — we haven’t even had time to talk about what happened in Rio yet.
– You come from the land of Guillermo Vilas and Horacio Zeballos, who was world No. 1 in doubles. What does that mean to you?
– I started playing at Zeballos’ tennis academy. And Vilas is a very special inspiration. He’s the greatest tennis player in the history of Argentine tennis, and honestly, being from Mar del Plata like him is a source of pride for me. I try to represent my city in the best way possible.
– In a year where you’ll experience many new things… who are you most eager to face?
– Yes, it will be a year of many firsts. And I’m really enjoying big challenges, so I want to play against more top-ten players. Djokovic! I’d love to face Djokovic before he retires. I don’t know when that will be. I missed Federer. I never got to share a locker room with him. I did with Nadal, but I never had the luck to play against him and he was always far away. Now I’m sharing some main draws with Djokovic. He’s the one I want to play.
