TENNIS | Carreño, with a title and the nerves of the debutant

Pablo Carreño, a player who has never turned his back on the Davis cup, debuts in Tokyo in a Games, with 30 years, the ATP 500 title in Hamburg (the most important of his career) under his arm and the tension of a first-timer.

“It will be important to know how to control your nerves. In Hamburg I was already awake at seven in the morning because of the importance of the final … And here I am realistic, it will happen to me the same”, smile the world number 11 in Tokyo, the trump card of Spain with Alejandro Davidovich (35th) In a tournament in which Pablo Andújar (65º) and Roberto Carballés (90º) have also entered, and due to resignations such as those of Rafa Nadal or Roberto Bautista.

The Asturian will make his debut on the fourth shift of court 1 of the Ariake Tennis Center against the American Tennys Sandgren (81º), at mid-morning on Saturday. And he comes out as seed number six due to the losses of top-ten like Federer, Thiem, Shapovalov or Berrettini.

Adapt to the track (not too fast), the heat (higher than 30º) and the high humidity (up to 80%) will not be easy coming from the ground. But Carreño pulls the Olympic kick: “It can be supplied with rhythm and the confidence with which I arrive. The track is not too fast and coming from winning a tournament is positive. “

Regarding the absences, he had no hesitation in traveling to Tokyo. “I consider it a privilege to be here and I had it marked on the calendar since last year although I know that it could harm me in the face of the US tour, “he happily argues. The Villa bubble is much better than that of the ATP tournaments.” large!”.