In an interview with Ubitennis the Swiss player opens up about his challenging period, sidelined from the tour due to injury, and his prospects for the season.
by Massimo Volpati
Following some strong performances on Mexican soil, Swiss tennis player Marc-Andrea Hüsler—former ATP No. 47 in 2023 and winner of the ATP 250 tournament in Sofia in 2022—shares his thoughts during a comeback phase after a tough period. In this interview, conducted during the Mexico City Open, Hüsler opens up about his emotions, technical adjustments, and personal reflections, showing the human side of an athlete who has made resilience his strength.
Massimo Volpati: Marc, how are you? Are you happy to be here in Mexico City?
Marc-Andrea Hüsler: Yes, absolutely. I have great memories related to this tournament and to Mexico in general. Not just because of the results I’ve had, but because of the atmosphere and the feeling I get here. The last few weeks have gone well, even though the start of the year wasn’t ideal: I had an injury—an abductor strain that kept me out for six weeks. This tour represents a true restart for me, and I’m happy with how things are going.
MV: How do you feel physically and mentally?
MH: I feel good. Sometimes a forced break can actually be beneficial—it gives you time to rebuild both physically and mentally. I’ve had time to invest in my body, to really get back in shape, and now I’m back on court feeling fresh and hungry. I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve been playing with more conviction in Morelia, Morelos, and now here. I’m trying to enjoy the game more, because when you’re stuck at home injured, you realize how much you miss it. And when you’re not injured—which is obviously the main goal—you’re just focused on playing and traveling for at least 30 weeks a year, and that makes you forget how much you actually appreciate the game.
MV: Why did you choose Mexico over other countries?
MH: There’s an emotional element to that choice. I won my first Futures tournament here in Mexico, though I don’t remember the exact year [ITF in Metepec, 2017]. Then in 2019 I won my first Challenger in San Luis Potosí. When you have good experiences in a place, you’re happy to return. Also, the altitude here suits my style of play—my serve and aggressive game benefit from it. Of course, I haven’t always had good results at altitude, but here in Mexico, at this time of year when it’s cold in Europe and the game is slower, it’s a great alternative. It’s warmer, the game is faster, and that suits my tennis.
MV: Adapting to the altitude isn’t easy. How do you handle the technical shift?
MH: I consider myself a player who can adapt to different surfaces and conditions. I’ve had success on clay, hard, grass… but also defeats, obviously. When playing at altitude, everything depends on how high the tournament location is. For example, the ATP 250 in Gstaad is at about 1200 meters, and they use regular balls, whereas here in Mexico we use altitude-specific balls, which changes everything. For me, the key is accepting that the game will be harder: there will be more errors, even on simple shots. The serve becomes unstable, you make more double faults. You have to be mentally ready to handle that pressure. That’s just how it is. Matches, especially early in the week, are very tough because the level of play isn’t great. You might be playing in Miami, rallying 20-30 shots with no errors, then come here and struggle to keep the ball in play. If you mentally accept that, you give yourself the freedom to play well.
MV: Tactically, how do you adjust your game to the altitude? Do you play more conservatively or offensively?
MH: It really depends on the opponent—there’s no single strategy—but in general I try to be aggressive. Coming to the net here is key because I know how tough it is to hit an effective passing shot at altitude. When I have to hit a passing shot, I get very stressed because it often goes out. I like to put pressure on my opponent because I know they’ll feel it, and my height helps me cover the net well. Sometimes I even go to the net if the approach shot is not really an approach shot just to come forward, knowing it’s tough to hit clean passes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but the principle remains: if I can put my opponent under pressure, I’ve done half the job. At the same time, I assess each opponent match by match. If I see my opponent making lots of errors, there’s nothing wrong with staying back and playing more passively.
MV: Do you study your opponents in advance? Do you watch match videos?
MH: Yes, I like to have at least a general idea. I don’t keep a dossier on every player, but I’m aware that every match starts from scratch—for example, I might play terribly in the first round and be a completely different player the next day. I know that levels can shift, but yeah, I usually like to know where the opponent feels more comfortable when returning, whether they stay back or move forward… This helps me create a game plan, especially against players I don’t know. It’s not given, but it can help—for example, if it’s 5-all, it helps to know what part of the court to cover more when he’s serving. If he serves to the side I didn’t pick… well, good point for him. But I also know every match is different. The important thing is to stay flexible.
MV: What’s your schedule after this tournament?
MH: I’m not completely sure. The original plan was to play in Munich and Barcelona, which starts tomorrow, so obviously I won’t be playing there. I also requested a wild card for San Luis Potosí (Challenger 75 on clay), which came up recently. Depending on how this week goes, I’ll decide whether to stay here or go home to recharge after nearly five weeks on tour, and then prepare seriously for “normal” clay-court conditions and long rallies. Then I might aim—though I’m not sure yet—for Rome qualifying, then Turin (Piemonte Open Challenger 175 on clay), and Paris. I know it’s a rough sketch of a plan, but then the grass season starts, and I really want to play on that surface. Summer will be full of tournaments, as always.
MV: Do you miss home when you’re on tour? Swiss food, raclette?
MH: Yes, always. The food here is great too. It’s a beautiful life, but not easy. I’ve been traveling for eight years now, and I’ve learned to manage it, but being away from home for long periods is tough. I live in Europe, which makes things a bit easier—when I think about Australians, they’re away for seven months sometimes. So I don’t complain too much: in Europe, I can often return home even just for a few days.
MV: When you’re on tour, do you try to explore the cities you play in?
MH: When I have time, I always try to experience a bit of the places I play in. Sometimes you have more time, sometimes less. I usually try to do something if I have a day off or no training. It depends on the schedule. The week I was in Morelia, I didn’t get to see much. My goal was to focus on being on court as much as possible, but I remember visiting the city a couple of times when I was in Morelos, and also when I was in Cuernavaca. Mexico City is more complicated due to its size, but I’ve already seen a few things. I always try to take something with me beyond just tennis.
Marc-Andrea Hüsler shows that beyond talent, tennis requires adaptability, intelligence, and strong mental fortitude. After a difficult period, he’s returned with energy and self-awareness, ready to face any surface and opponent. And with his hunger for tennis, there’s every reason to expect great things from him this season.
