Juan Pablo Varillas PER, 10/06/1995
Juan Pablo Varillas, a Peruvian tennis player, has reached a historic milestone: he became the second tennis player in his country to reach the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament. The first to succeed was Jaime Yzagawho had achieved this result four times.
Varillas’ extraordinary achievement is even more impressive when you consider his journey. He entered professional sports in 2013 and has had to work hard and dedicated for many years since then before reaping the rewards of his efforts. He only celebrates his first ATP victory in 2020, seven years after the start of his professional career.
Upon arriving in Paris, Varillas had never experienced victory in a Grand Slam tournament. Not only did he break that barrier, he also won three straight games, all of which were decided in five sets. These come on top of his two previous Grand Slam matches, both of which lost in five sets, one to Aliassime at Roland Garros in 2021 and the other to Zverev at the Australian Open in 2023.
Varillas’ record puts him in a unique position in tennis history: he is the only player of the Open Era to have played his first five Grand Slam matches in five sets.
The story of Juan Pablo Varillas is the story of a warrior. An athlete who endured long struggles to get what he wanted, to get the results he deserved. His five-set matches are a testament to his stamina and courage.
For Varillas, his participation in the round of 16 of the Grand Slam means more than a personal victory: it is an achievement that glorifies all of Peruvian tennis. And like Jaime Yzaga before him, Varillas is preparing to write a new page in his country’s tennis history.
