By Mark Winters
Everyone who attempts to make a go of it on the professional tour has to possess the necessary blocks to actually build a career. Obviously, physical and mental talents are a necessity; good fortune (or luck, as the case may be) is another part of the equation, but more often than not, the most pertinent factor is procuring financial backing.
Talking with Ernesto Escobedo III – nicknamed “Neto” – about what he has accomplished in his three years as a professional player, spoke volumes about the process of “Making It”. Following his first round 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, he related, “It has been tough, but it has been fun…Growing up, I could have taken another road and gone to an academy, but family is very important to me.”
His sisters, Estefania and Evanka, have always provided support; from the time he took up the game, but when it came to sacrifice, his parents, Ernesto Jr. and Cristina, are stars. “My mother has done so much for me and I am so grateful,” the personable 20-year-old said. “I have two older sisters, but she always found the time to take me to my lessons and to practice.”
As important as all of that was, his father went “beyond the call of parenthood”. Escobedo related, “He is a character. He shows no emotion, and is always very positive. Instead of working until 8:00 p.m. every night (for UPS – United Parcel Service), he would get off early and help me. There were rules, but he made tennis fun.”
Ernesto Jr. is the oldest of ten children. He was raised in Jerez, Mexico. When his father Ernesto Sr. was 40, he discovered tennis, and built a court in the backyard. The youngest in the line of Ernestoes grinned when he talked about it, saying, “It wasn’t the right size; there wasn’t enough room. The lines weren’t straight and the net really wasn’t a net.”
His father was twelve when he started to play and he fell in love with the game. In interviews, Ernesto Jr. has charmingly admitted that he had hoped to become a professional and he did play low level money events in Mexico and in Europe, but according to self-evaluation, “had no talent.”
After his son, who was born in Los Angeles, California, was old enough to engage in youth sports, Ernesto Jr. attempted to steer him toward team endeavors, such as football (soccer). He didn’t want “Neto” to have to scramble and scrape to make ends meet like he had done with his tennis. But, the youngster was gifted and, in a short time, it became clear that he could really play.
Money was a problem, though. “I never played the International Tennis Federation (ITF) events,” Escobedo said. “I never played Roland Garros juniors or a lot of national tournaments because of the cost. Basically, I played where I could.”
Escobedo’s story is even more captivating when details about how he developed his game on the public courts (not at a country club), and still lives with his family in West Covina, California, are revealed. It becomes movie script worthy after it is noted that he was born on July 4, 1996. July Fourth, of course, is Independence Day in the US, yet he is a prime example of what it is like to be in today’s roller coaster-like political world. He is very proud that he is a Mexican-American. The magic storyline continued when he defeated Denis Kudla of the US, 6-4, 6-4, in the final of the ATP World Tour Challenger in Monterrey, Mexico.
Proof of the “Pinch Me” quality of what Escobedo has accomplished becomes almost surreal when it is revealed that at the 2016 Roland Garros entry date in mid-April, he was No. 324. (Escobedo pointed out, “Last year, with my ranking, I wasn’t even able to get into the qualifying.”)
Defining Escobedo’s game is easy. The 6’ 1”, 180-pounder is sound off the ground. His shots are heavy. His forehand is a potent point winner and his serve is a formidable weapon.
“I was disappointed with the way I played against Istomin,” he said of his performance. “I had been practicing well and I thought I was ready. When I got on the court, I was nervous and as the match went on my confidence dipped.”
It is hard to believe that a performer ranked No. 75, who enjoys #NextGen status, is for the most part, unknown, but that’s Escobedo. He is comfortable with his improvement since turning pro at 17, but said, “My focus is on becoming more confident and moving better.”
Though his singles participation ended in disappointment, Escobedo notched his first Roland Garrros “W” teaming with Sam Querrey. The Southern Californians came up against Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, the Italian duo who won the 2015 Australian Open, and performed impressively, scoring a 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.
When his time in Paris concludes, he moves to grass play and he is excited. “I won my first career ATP match at the Aegon Open in Nottingham, (England)”, he said. “I defeated Diego Schwartzman, 6-0, 6-3. I haven’t played much on grass, but I think I can play well on the surface.” (It is ironic that Querrey, his Roland Garros doubles partner, defeated him in the second-round, 6-4, 6-4.)
For a guy who has come so far and has the promise of going so much further, “Tough, but fun” is the perfect description of what he has accomplished.
