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When your legs can no longer reach the court at Court 14 in the Parisian complex, take a deep breath, look around - or if you want, close your eyes - feel the energy of dozens of Peruvians who cheer relentlessly, who sing against everyone and against the noisy Polish bar and who are with you. Who will cheer you on until the end and if possible, if that premise that the fans also play is true, they will give you that little push you need to beat that enormous challenge. Even if it measures almost two meters. Juan Pablo Varillas defeated Hubert Hurkacz in five sets and advanced to the fourth round of Roland Garros.
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And now you realize that it's real. That you won on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and you made it to the second week of the tournament. If the first victory was a key one against the Chinese promise Shang, then came another marathon victory against Bautista Agut (seeded #19 in the tournament). Although cramps were looming, you stayed there, played doubles on Thursday, and even though the result was not what was expected, you gave it your all alongside your partner, the Brazilian Monteiro. On Friday, it was time for another stellar performance. Hubert Hurkacz, a Polish player who used to be among the top 10 in the rankings a couple of years ago. And there, once again, Juan Pablo Varillas. To say that Peru is back in the elite, to make us dream again.
It was a battle of over three hours in which the Peruvian was able to turn around an adverse score (once again) and come out victorious. It didn't matter the hellish forehand of your opponent, his almost 2 meters tall, and that first serve that came out like a missile. With every return, be it forehand or backhand, 'Juanpi' was able to figure out the Polish player and start competing. He first lost 6-3, then returned the score in the second set. He dominated a tie-break to win the third set and then, when it seemed like Hurkacz was coming back into the match by taking the fourth set, it was Juanpi once again who took the initiative to break the Polish player's serve in a crucial game of the fifth set. A break when 'Juanpi' was leading 5-2 and with his serve allowed him to win the match in almost 4 hours.
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It was Varillas and his consistency from the baseline, it was his forehand that could also be hellish and a dagger to Hurkacz, it was the Peruvian people who were winning the battle against the Poles in the stands, it was all of us who waited for the match to start at 9 in the morning, or 10, or 11, and every minute of waiting was worth it.
Now, the most important match against the greatest rival: 22 Grand Slam titles, 38 Masters 1000s and dozens of more trophies. The obstacle now is Novak Djokovic and it represents the most important match in Peruvian tennis history. Has Varillas already fulfilled his duty? Yes, and long ago, and this 2023 will be unforgettable for everything he has been achieving - and what is left to achieve. But why believe that everything will end tomorrow when against every opponent who seemed unbeatable, 'Juanpi' appeared and defeated them. Tomorrow Varillas has a date with history. And that history could be the most beautiful of all. Go for it, Juan Pablo!