Diego Dedura-Palomero let his feelings run free. That was expected. And in this case very surprising.
The 17 -year -old Berliner went out again onto the Center Court of the venerable Mttc Iphitos, scrubbing a large cross into the red ash with the right shoe – and dropped with extensive arms.
The blond head is very believing
That looked bad theatrical – but had a good reason, as the previous number 549 of the tennis world rankings explained. “I’m pretty believing”said the Dedura-Palomero blond head after his first victory in the first match on the ATP tour, which he won at the score of 7: 6 (7: 2), 3-0 by the task of his opponent Denis Shapovalov.
“I believe in God”he added, “I think he helped me to win.” Before the match he had “Prayed for five minutes”and the cross and the laying on it, that is just a sign of his “Gratitude” been.
Emotions belong to his nature
To show his emotions in whatever form, that belongs to his nature, says Dedura-Palomero, son of a Lithuanian and a Chilean. He was on the pitch “Fighters to the end, I like to freak out, take people with them”. However, he is more of a “Quiet guy, I would also call myself nice”.
That fits his role models: Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud. From Nadal, says Dedura-Palomero with a smile, he knows “every match”. He also regularly trains in the Academy of 22 Grand Slam in Mallorca, and he was there even before the trip to Munich. Otherwise, Dedura-Palomero trains in Berlin, often with his brother, “Also a good tennis player”and under the guidance of father Cesar. “In case of emergency” Also come Mother Rita “To use”too, a tennis coach.
Hopeful Like Justin Engel
In addition to the 17-year-old Nuremberg Justin Engel, Dedura-Palomero is the second teenager who gives German tennis a little hope for the future. Initially, angels had been the youngest German since Boris Becker in 1984, who won a match on the tour. Now Dedura-Palomero has added-with a player’s first tour win from the 2008 vintage.
Both unite that they are buddies, as Dedura-Palomero emphasized. On Tuesday, their paths separated – and the round of 16 hopes that he will continue. From 549 of the world rankings, he has already climbed to 376.
Goals? Oh, it works in tennis “Always up and down, you can never say what will happen”says Dedura-Palomero, who had slipped into the main field as Lucky Loser. And therefore he also tries “down -to -earth” to stay. One thing is clear anyway: “Everything happens for one reason.” It fits: In the round of 16, he will play against Zizou Berg from Belgium – and not against Alexander Bucks from Kazakhstan. He had lost against him in the qualifying final.