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TENNIS: KUERTEN, A YEAR-END MASTER In Brazil he is regarded as the heir of the great Ayrton Senna. Gustavo Kuerten, after having inflamed his supporters in 1997, by unexpectedly winning the Roland Garros, is now becoming a reference point for Brazilian sport. The latest gem, after having repeated the victory this year in Paris, is called Masters, or rather Lisbon ATP finals. In the finals he crushed Agassi 3 sets to nil, after having dismantled a certain Sampras in the semi-finals. That is to say, in being labelled as the number 1 in this tournament, he could not have found or outclassed more highly-rated opponents. Born in Florianopolis 24 years ago, “Guga” is an example in his field of a champion who has come up from nothing but who has matured through several unpleasant experiences. The first one was the death of his father, Aldo, when he was only 10 years old; passionately fond of tennis, he never missed a match of his promising lad, who had an excellent backhand. And it was while following his son during an under-10 tournament in which he acted as scorer, that a heart attack killed him upon entering the field house. At home, he already had to look after his younger brother, Guglielmo, affected by mongolism. And possibly it was because of this concurrence of circumstances (the need for a strong and mature man, who could take upon himself the responsibility for the financial support of his family) that Guga grew up so quickly. Like a good Brazilian, he was also good with his feet, but the extreme competition and his unmistakable talent led him towards a sport in which his country did not boast significant traditions. However, the law of compensation granted him a coach such as Larry Passos, a brother more than a friend, as well as a playmate, who has always accompanied him in his race towards success. A companionship which has been going on for 21 years and which, with its continuity, has led Kuerten to be the first South American tennis player on the roof of the world. From third-rate little hotels to millionaire lodgings. He is the only one in the men’s circles to have personal press agent, Diana Garbanyi, and an Internet website which yields over 100,000 contacts a day. Still, his greatness can be valued by the very fact that he has not forgotten his humble origins. Charity for disabled, a clan made up of friends and relatives (grandmother Olga is eighty years old and does not miss an away-match) and uprightness. You may ask his last ex-love, Vanessa, dumped because of risqué photographs in gold and green on Playboy. In the heart of his people, with the slow rise of Barrichello and the decline of Ronaldo and Rivaldo, there is ever more space for the childlike smile of this beanpole who, maybe because of the scars left behind by the initial tragedies, never misses the opportunity to smile. Paolo Ghisoni

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