First-time Winner Spotlight: Alejandro Tabilo

Alejandro Tabilo put together a memorable run in Auckland to clinch his maiden ATP Tour title at the ASB Classic.

The 26-year-old dropped just one set across six matches, including two in qualifying, at the ATP 250 to become the first Chilean to win a tour-level hard-court title since Fernando Gonzalez in 2007. ATPTour.com spoke to Tabilo after his triumph on Saturday in New Zealand to reflect on one of the biggest moments of his career.

What does it mean to you to win your first ATP title?
It's an unbelievable feeling, very emotional. I never thought it would be this week. I’m just very happy with the tennis that I played, and very emotional.

This is a milestone moment in your career. How do you celebrate this victory?
Today, I can't really celebrate much. I'm just gonna go out with my team and get ready for [the Australian Open].

If you could take a moment to acknowledge some of the key figures in your life and your career that helped you reach this milestone, who would they be?
For sure my family. My coach, Guillermo Gomez has been a key part in my process. I got to Chile with zero points, we started from the bottom, and now we're literally here.

Better late than never for Alejandro Tabilo's coach 😅@ASB_Classic | #ASBClassic pic.twitter.com/EClfyf8hYP

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 13, 2024

How did your experience playing in the 2022 Cordoba final prepare you for today?
Yeah that was a very nervous moment for me [too]. I didn't think I was going to get to a final at that stage. I don't think I was quite ready for that and just experiencing that, I think it helped me for today. I felt a lot calmer coming into the match.

You’ve entered the Top 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time behind your title run. What does that mean to you?
It's crazy. I remember finishing last year, and our whole goal was Top 100. With this tournament, cracking the Top 50 It's crazy. It's what we've been working for with the team and it’s just an incredible feeling.

Rafael Nadal was one of your idols as a kid and you played him in an exhibition match in Chile in 2022. How influential has he been on your career?
Growing up, I watched all his matches. I’ve always looked up to him and tried copy him in everything. Definitely someone I looked up to a lot growing as a player.

How would you describe yourself as a player and how would you describe yourself off the court?
As a player I think lately I've learned more about how well I can play with counter-attacking, with how aggressive I can be. I think my serve has been improving a lot more and it's been a big help. I think as an overall player I have become a little bit more aggressive, which has helped me a lot. Off court, I'm pretty relaxed. I'm kind of shy, but with the people around me that I know really well, I can be a little annoying. But I’m a pretty chill dude.

You've said that chess is your secret talent. Do you ever feel like you're playing chess when you're strategising on court?
I haven't played chess in a while. When I was a little kid, I actually played pretty well. I think in tennis you have to be almost a step ahead with your opponent and kind of read the game well, so maybe playing when I was a kid has helped me as a player as well.

How has your international upbringing, growing up in Canada, Chile and the US, shaped you as a person and shaped you as a tennis player?
Mainly having a Chilean family and that culture has helped me a lot in a family sense. In Chile, they are very family-oriented, and I think that's helped me to grow as a person. Growing up in the States, I think it [taught me about] myself, because I was there by myself. I didn't have my family and I had to be very independent, so I think that helped me to grow also as a person. I think living like that has helped me a lot and prepared me for life a little bit.