Never Gabriel Diallo would have thought to live such a season. Now, he will be able to live his dream of representing Canada on the international stage thanks to the Davis Cup.
Posted at 5:10 p.m.
“Since I was young, my dream has always been to represent my country, whether in the Davis Cup or the Olympics. It’s something that was and still is very important to me,” the 20-year-old explained.
This summer, after enjoying some good times in the NCAA with the University of Kentucky, Diallo caused a stir at the National Bank Open in Montreal, even though he only played in the qualifying draw. He quickly became a crowd favorite thanks to his spectacular play and infectious smile. A few weeks later, he became the first Quebecer to win the Granby Challenger.
” It goes quickly. I didn’t expect this at the start of the summer when I was making my plans with my coaches. I had goals to achieve, but I really exceeded those goals. »
The 6’7” guy has exceeded his standards, but it still remains a priority for him not to cut corners. He is still at university and he wants to feed on each of his experiences to eventually offer good performances among professionals. It is in this way, at least, that he managed to accumulate the good results during the last months. “I think I put so much emphasis on working on my game and trying to get better that the results just happened without me thinking too much about it. I was not concentrating on the result, I was really focused on developing my game for later, not necessarily for now,” said the Quebecer.
Lean on others
Diallo meets for the first time in his life established players of the ATP, and some who are among the best on the circuit. Since arriving in Valencia, where the group stage will take place, “it’s been a lot of experience and observation”.
He likes to see the professionals in action, their habits and their preparation, both on and off the pitch. “It’s an atmosphere I’ve never experienced before. I just want to get as much experience as possible and have as much fun as possible before going back to school and continuing to work,” he said.
He is lucky to be able to be supported by Félix Auger-Aliassime, whom he has known for a long time, since Félix’s father, Sam, trained the young Diallo. Auger-Aliassime has always been a model to follow and he will take advantage of this week to study and be inspired by the 13e world player. “It feeds me, it inspires me a lot. […] It motivates me to work even harder to reach this level one day. »
Moreover, Diallo is proud to be accompanied by Auger-Aliassime and Alexis Galarneau. Three of the four members of the Canadian formation are from Quebec. According to him, it says a lot about the talent emerging from the province. Canada has become one of the best nations on the tennis planet. Its model is modeled all over the world. So that three Quebecers have carved out a place for themselves in the most important international competition is a feat of arms of which the people here can be proud. “I think it’s inspiring for young people who watch TV and it’s inspiring for us as young Quebecers who have dreamed of one day being part of the Davis Cup. »
Diallo will take advantage of this week to fill up on memories and learning and even if he realizes his dream, he knows that he is only at the beginning of his road. “The path is very long. Very, very, very long. He will use the lessons passed on by his family and his coaches to realize all his other dreams. He believes he can achieve this by staying humble and working harder than others. However, he believes that his greatest strength lies in the people around him.