By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Much was made of Australian Bernie Tomic giving up on the final point of his 6-2, 6-4 first-round loss to Fabio Fognini at the Madrid Open by returning serve with his racquet handle butt.
The incident made something I saw recently in person – on the complete opposite end of the spectrum of professional tennis – become even more poignant.
In the quarterfinals of the USTA Pro Circuit event in Vero Beach, Florida – the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, for which I served as the co-tournament director – Juan Benitez, a qualifier from Colombia ranked No. 1,325, was playing Denis Shapovalov of Canada, a fast-rising 17-year-old ranked No. 450 and seeded No. 3 in the event.
Benitez, a former collegiate player at Baylor University, was on the verge of a relatively big victory for him at this $10,000 “Futures” level event, leading Shapovalov 6-3, 4-5, serving to stave of the Canadian from tying the match at one set all. A titanic struggle ensued for this important 10th game of the set, the match hanging in the balance as Benitez began to show signs of distress, grabbing his leg in an early stage of cramping. When Shapovalov eventually broke serve to even the match at one set apiece, most knew that he would go on to win as Benitez was struggling physically, playing his 12th match in the last two weeks, advancing through the qualifying rounds in the Florida sun for two consecutive events.
Benitez, however, did not give up the fight until the very last point. Trailing 5-1 in the final set, his cramping moved to his right hand and he tried to stretch out his fingers between points. Unable to even hold the racquet, Benitez proceeded to finish the last three points of the match playing left-handed. He did not bow out until the final point was contested, Shapovalov winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
The 150 people or so who watched this courageous effort in defeat were deeply impressed with the effort they had just seen. In his post-match on-court interview to the crowd, Shapovalov immediately gave props to Benitez. “It was very courageous for him to finish the match,” Shapovalov said. “I really respect him for that.”
“I can tell you that his courage is not only during the matches, but also in practice with the mental effort that he practices,” said Jean-Luc Fontanot, who has coached Benitez since December via his Tennis Pro Tour program (www.TennisProTour.com)
The effort from Benitez reminded me of Derek Redmond from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona is one of the most touching moments in Olympic history as seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2G8KVzTwfw or Gabriela Anderson from the 1984 Olympic marathon as seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBasZWjd92k&feature=cards&src_vid=t2G8KVzTwfw&annotation_id=b5eb97c7-efc9-4edc-aa4d-c737ad0e42c9
What is so incredible about this match and the effort from Benitez was that there was only 190 dollars on the line for the match (the winner would be guaranteed to win at least $480, semifinal prize money at the $10,000 Futures level). There were also only 4 ATP points on the line (the loser earning 2 ATP points and the winner earning at least 6 ATP points as a semifinal loser).
As it turned out after the match, the struggles for Benitez were just beginning.
The on-site tournament trainer treated Benitez after the match for his cramping with stretching, hydrating and icing to get his body temperature down and placing Benitez in the pool to help cool his core. As he and his coach got into the car to drive to Fort Lauderdale to fly to Mexico for his next event, Benitez went into a full body cramp and needed to be sent to hospital to get an IV due to being “profoundly dehydrated” according to Fontanot. “His kidney needed a lot of fluid,” he said.
After 24 hours at the Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Benitez was discharged but he and Fontanot then could not find an affordable flight to Cordoba, Mexico, site of their next $10,000 ITF Pro Circuit Futures event. So a flight had to be arranged out of Miami on Sunday morning to Mexico City, where Juan had to rent a car and drive four hours to get to Cordoba, arriving just 30 minutes before his match was to start! Not surprisingly, he lost the first set to Gabriel Tumasonis of Brazil, but won 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 and then beat Priego Carrillo of Mexico 6-3, 6-0 to qualify for the main draw, where he was able to earn another precious ATP point with a first-round win over Camilo Erazo of Colombia 7-6 (6), 6-4. His run ended in the second round to American Adam Mihdawi 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
You may never hear of Benitez ever again, or, you may soon see him playing in ATP World Tour events. Who knows how his career will turn out. However, I will always remember his amazing effort to the bitter and painful end in Vero Beach and hope that others will too, in particular when reminded of the now famous wasted effort from Tomic.
