It is an important first title for a young man who is trying to make a name for himself.
Benefiting from an invitation for the qualifications of the Porto Alegre tournament (category 1 junior tournament), Léo Borg, the third son of the legendary champion of the 1970s, passed his three preliminary rounds, before winning three of his four matches in the large painting in three sets.
This is the first major title in his young career (he won a tournament in Costa Rica at the end of January, but it was a minor event).
Currently 43rd in the world hierarchy of juniors, he should move to 16th place this week.
Born in 2003, he is however not yet classified at the ATP (male pro circuit).
For now, he has still not won a match among the big boys.
He owes his famous dad his first two appearances in February 2020 on the Challenger circuit (second pro division).
His two invitations to Bergamo and Pau ended in two rather dry defeats in the first round.
In future (third division tournaments), he also lost his three matches, taking only one set.
The professionals' march is clearly still too high.
This year, Leo has decided to focus mainly on the juniors in his age category.
And it is starting to pay off.
"I have to stay focused on myself, that's also what my father tells me every day"
Leo Borg
Blonde hair held back by a headband, like his father, the 18-year-old knows that he will not escape comparisons with the former world number one.
"I started playing tennis at the age of 3, it was my grandmother who taught me," he told
Le Figaro
in 2017
on
the occasion of the Petits As de Tarbes, the world tennis tournament. 12-14 years old.
I was young when I realized that my father was not everyone. ”
The one who embodied… his teenage father in the film Borg / McEnroe, must always assume this so particular pressure to be the “son of”: “At the beginning, it was a little difficult to manage the comparisons with my father, explained he last season after a defeat in Bergamo.
In my life, it never happened to look for him on YouTube or to replay an entire old game.
I don't think it would do me any good, it wouldn't add anything to what I know.
I have to stay focused on myself, that's also what my father tells me every day. ”
He now trains in the Nadal academy
Leo trained for seven years in Sweden at the Royal Tennis Club in Stockholm.
And last summer, the son of man with 11 Grand Slam titles, decided to take a step forward by settling in Mallorca in the Nadal academy led by Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of the world number two.
“The most important thing is that he has the ambition to be a good player despite his young age, then explained his father in
Marca.
There, he will be able to prepare himself on different surfaces and meet young people like him, from all over the world.
I hope he will learn the cult of winning, know how to act. ”
Because if his father follows his career closely, he is not an omnipresent, even oppressive dad, like many parents of future pros ... We imagine, however, that he must have particularly savored the first significant title of his son.
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