| Jose Acasuso |
Birthdate: 10/29/82
Residence: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Status: Pro (1999)
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Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 180
Plays: Right-handed
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 | | | Jose Acasuso celebrates in front of his hometown crowd in Buenos Aires.(AP) | |
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Highlights:
2001
- Won the Bermuda Challenger
- Reached the round of 16 at the Franklin Templeton Classic
- Reached the finals of his first ATP event, the Copa AT&T, in his hometown of Buenos Aires, upsetting Hicham Arazi and countrymen Franco Squillari and Gaston Gaudio before losing to Gustavo Kuerten
2000
- Reached the finals of the Montevideo Challenger
- Reached the semifinals of the Lima, Bressanone and Furth Challengers
- Reached the quarterfinals of the Budapest-2 and Aschaffenburg Challengers
1999
- Helped lead Argentina to the finals of the 1999 Sunshine Cup
- Reached the quarterfinals of the Buenos Aires Challenger
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SportsLine.com recently spoke with Jose. Here is what he had to say:
SportsLine: There are a lot of great young players coming out of Argentina today; yourself, Guillermo Coria and (2000 World Junior Champion) Maria Emilia Salerni to name a few. What do you attribute this to?
Jose Acasuso: A lot of it comes from the inspiration of watching the older players from Argentina. Most of the effort has to come from the players and the coaches because we get very little government support. You would be hearing about even more great players if we did.
SportsLine: What were you feeling when you faced 'Guga' (Gustavo Kuerten) in the final of your first event?
Jose Acasuso: It was a beautiful feeling to face the No. 1 player in the world playing at home. The crowd support was really helpful in elevating my play. I was just hoping to win a few rounds that week. It was a dream come true.
SportsLine: What are your goals for 2001?
Jose Acasuso: I want to break into the top 100 and just continue to play at this level and get better. (Jose was actually ranked 84th in the world at the time of this interview.)
SportsLine: What has been your high point so far?
Jose Acasuso: Winning Bermuda and facing Guga in the finals in Buenos Aires.
SportsLine: What types of adjustments have you needed to make as your competition has gotten tougher?
Jose Acasuso: As a junior, I got a lot of freebies from the other kids. I am definitely training much harder now due to the longer matches. There is also a greater mental demand. I am really taking a complete approach to my training. I lift weights, do a lot of running and work on my mental strength. I work on my focus and concentration with a psychologist.
SportsLine: What do you enjoy most about being a tennis player?
Jose Acasuso: Traveling and playing on the circuit is just a privilege. It's a beautiful thing.
SportsLine: Who is your favorite player to watch and why?
Jose Acasuso: Guga. We began to speak after our match and we've become friends. He speaks a little Spanish and I can speak some Portuguese.
SportsLine: Is there anyone you most look forward to playing?
Jose Acasuso: It would be nice to have a chance to play against (Pete) Sampras.
SportsLine: At this stage, do you still find yourself getting discouraged with your game?
Jose Acasuso: I try to focus on what I am doing wrong; there is a lot more pressure now because people are starting to watch me. This makes it more discouraging because now I am expecting more as well.
SportsLine: What are your career goals?
Jose Acasuso: I want to make it into the top 10 and win Roland Garros.
SportsLine: What do you think it takes to win consistently?
Jose Acasuso: The key is mental toughness and training hard. My training regimen is very different now.
SportsLine: What would you like to do after your retire from the game?
Jose Acasuso: I would like to work with the youth in Argentina and see if I can get some support from the government. I will definitely stay at home in Argentina.
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