From a humble family, his father fought in the Falklands, he has the unconditional support of the man from Tandil, who even gave him a nickname. I know his story.
Sebastian Baez it is more and more present than future. This Sunday, at 21 years old, won his first ATP title in Estoril and he achieved what he always dreamed of since he was a child, when he began his journey with a tennis racket in his hand. Learn about the story of overcoming the young Argentine tennis player who promises the most on the world circuit and is 40th in the ranking.
Who is Sebastián Báez, the jewel of Argentine tennis
Báez was born on December 28, 2000, in Billinghurst, province of Buenos Aires. Started playing tennis at age 2. At 10 he began to be coached by José Luis Clercuntil in 2015 he became coached by Sebastián Gutiérrez to the present. The right-hander, with a two-handed backhand, seems to have no ceiling.
The Argentinian was number 1 in the junior ranking in March 2018, after reaching the Paineiras Cup final in São Paulo, Brazil. That same year, he reached Roland Garros junior final. Two years earlier, in turn, she had obtained her first ATP points with only 16. He participated in the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018where he won the medal for gold in doubles with Facundo Diaz Acosta. He also reached the semifinals in the individual contest, falling in that instance against the Frenchman Hugo Gaston.
After a great 2021, in which conquered six Challenger (Concepción, Santiago de Chile x2, Zagreb, Buenos Aires and Campinas), the native of Billinghurst closed last year getting into the top 100 for the first timeindulging in play the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan. He started 2022 with his first ATP final: lost in Santiago against the Spanish Pedro Martínez, by 4-6, 6-4 and 6-4. Each time he shows a better level, which led him to debut in the Davis Cup against the Czech Republic: opened the series with a win 7-6 (4) and 6-3 against Jiri Lehecka.
Sebastián Báez is the son of a former Malvinas combatant and stayed in campsites to play tournaments
Before beating Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Estoril ATP 250 and hoist the beautiful trophy, he had to overcome many things. Its origins are those of a humble, hard-working familywhich has a story that marked them: “My father (José Luis) is a Malvinas veteran and worked as a goalkeeper when I was born, while my mother (Adela) was a housewife. Ordinary people, with a lot of work”Baez assured Infobae. And about his father, he added: “When I grew up I realized and was aware of what it was and where it was. The reality is that from time to time he told some stories, but it is something that we do not touch much, because it happened so long ago, that it is not necessary play it again.”
Already two years old, he found his father’s tennis racket, probably bigger than him, and carried it around the house with him. “So, one day my mom got tired of seeing how I dragged her and bought me a little ball. That was the beginning of my history with tennis”revealed Seba, who as a boy also played soccer, basketball, swimming and more, “but tennis was always my choice”.
It was always difficult for the family to pay for the career that their son aspired to have. That is why his first tournaments could not be too far from San Martín, where he lived. Playing near Buenos Aires made him participate in the most difficult championships. Besides, he did not frequent hotels to spend the night, but the campsites were common currency When choosing a lodging according to your economic possibility: “I think that made me learn, gave me experience and an appreciation of things so today, at my age and living a different lifestyle, they make me feel that I have been a lucky person”Baez asserted.
Sebastián Báez’s special relationship with Juan Martín Del Potro
Del Potro is a great reference for Báez. Social networks have shown them training together on several occasions during the recovery process of the Tandilense in his attempt to return to the circuit. Seba said that Delpo is one of the tennis players who advises him the most, as well as being a source of inspiration for his career.
In Báez’s Instagram post to immortalize the title obtained in Estoril, the like and a special comment from Juan Martín did not take long to arrive: “Congratulations chick! May many more come!”.
“Juan Martín is a person very close to my coach. We are in constant communication”, Báez commented a few days ago in Portugal. And a little fact: with 21 years and 4 months, Seba became the youngest Argentine tennis player to reach two finals at the professional level since Juan Martín del Potro (19 years and 9 months) in 2008. And there is more: both became champions of Estoril on May 1: Delpo in 2011 and Báez this 2022.
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