UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, August 29, 1995
3B
Tennis player has strong year ahead
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
Enrique Abaroa looks back with a special fondness on one of the first times he lost in a major tournament.
He was playing an international tournament in Caracas, Venezuela, to determine the top 10-year-old in Mexico. His opponent was J.P. Visepo, now Abaroa's teammate at Kansas. Abaroa recalled how both kids ended up crying in the match, which Visseno won.
"We were 9 years old, and I don't know if we knew how to handle it," Abaroa said. "All of Vissepo's teammates were cheering every time I lost a point."
Visspe also clearly remembers. "He started crying, and then I started crying." Visspe said. "It turned into one big cryfest."
Since then, Abaroa has learned not only how to stop crying in matches but also to win under pressure, which helped him become the best junior circuit player in Mexico.
Abaroa was inspired to pick up a racket at the age of 6, after watching his father and uncle play. One day his dad's coach finally allowed him to hit a few balls.
"I started hitting the balls over the net right away," Abarro said. "My coach said, 'This kid is 6 years old, and he can hit the ball over the net. He can do things right. He can do things you (his dad) can't do."
Abaroa began practicing with his father. By the time he was 8 years old, he was practicing five times a week — a work ethic that remains today.
The prosperity he enjoyed was a first. He won the Mexican National Championships when he was 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years old. The championship is held every other year.
Aside from balancing tennis with academics, Abaroa was successful as his high school's starting quarterback.
"It was very hard for me to manage my time," Abaroa said. "I
Enrique Abaroa
1991 - Orange Bowl doubles championship
1992 - Orange Bowl doubles championship
French Open doubles crown Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open
Mexico's men's national champion in doubles play
1994 All-American
12-8 singles
10-3 doubles
1-1 in the NCAA Tournament
wanted to be very competitive and dedicated in everything, but I had to pick one. It was a really tough decision for me."
His decision also was tough for his future opponents. Abaroa joined the International Tennis Federation tour his junior year of high school and played the Grand Slam tournaments - Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon - in 1991 and 1992. In 1992 he captured the French Open doubles crown and was Mexico's men's national champion.
"The French Open was the highlight of my career," Abaroa said. "To win a Grand Slam is really unbelievable."
In 1991 and 1992, he won the Orange Bowl Doubles Championship, which is the fifth Grand Slam event of the junior circuit crown.
Abaroa compiled a 12-8 singles record and 16-3 doubles record, en route to an appearance at the NCAA tournament. He went 1-1 and became the first men's tennis player to earn All-America honors since 1977.
Abaroa used to take to the court with his dad, who he says is his idol. Now he takes to the court some advice that his dad gave him.
"My dad always told me, 'Whatever you do, do it at 100 percent,' Abaroa said. "If I listen to my dad, I think I'll keep having success."
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