Alejandro Tabilo of Chile (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Alejandro Tabilo’s Roland Garros run ended Wednesday with a straight-sets defeat to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin (5-7, 3-6, 4-6), but the Chilean left Paris with clarity and emotional progress after a turbulent stretch in his career and personal life.
In a wide-ranging interview with RG Media and CLAY, Tabilo looked back at his journey from his Grand Slam debut to his place in the top 20, reflecting on growth, family crises, therapy and the challenges of staying mentally strong while carrying the weight of expectations.
“In January 2020, I gave my first Grand Slam interview in Melbourne,” Tabilo said. “At that moment, I said, ‘I want to be top 50.’ I didn’t imagine I’d win two ATP titles, become top 20 and beat the greatest of all time. All those things I achieved are mine, and I couldn’t have pictured them back then. I’d tell my young self to keep pushing.”
Tabilo’s progress on the court has come despite deep personal struggles, many of which became public earlier this year following a rift with his father.
“Yes, it’s been tough, but I’m feeling better and better. Right now, my mind feels much clearer, more at peace, and I truly enjoyed this Roland Garros—especially when I was on court,” he said.
“I had a great time in Paris. So on that front, I’m good. I just want to keep competing. I know I still need that extra spark, but I’m happy to have recovered from injuries, spent time at home and recharged to come out strong.”
Battling Self-Doubt
Asked how a streak of losses can affect confidence, Tabilo was candid: “Yes, I think the doubts come out more in the key moments. It’s been harder to start matches—I come in doubting myself.”
“In Paris, I finished without pain and with good sensations. I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball much better, and that helps with confidence. I still need to build more rhythm, get more matches under my belt, but more than anything, this tournament made me feel very comfortable physically and with my tennis.”
While the exact details of his family crisis remain private, Tabilo acknowledged the emotional burden. “It’s something I prefer to keep more private, but of course, everyone now knows that the personal issues I had referred to were about that,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult chapter in my life, but I’m working on it internally. That’s what’s bringing me more peace. In a way, I’m also glad things are kind of public now—that’s the reason I’ve been performing below my level.”
Finding Strength in Support
To stay mentally strong, Tabilo has been working with sports psychologist Pablo Pecora. “He’s been helping me a lot, mainly with staying focused during matches, staying in my game, not thinking so much about what’s happening outside,” he explained. “There are different tools that help me stay locked in and keep my mind on tennis.”
One constant source of support has been his girlfriend, who now travels as part of his team. “We’re really good. She’s been a key part of all this—of my journey,” he said. “What happened wasn’t fair to her. It’s been tough on her too, but she’s stood by me through everything. I’m very grateful for that. We’re in it together, strong.”
Tabilo also found time to reflect on Rafael Nadal’s tribute ceremony at Roland Garros. “I saw it on TV. It was incredible—very emotional that they gave him a plaque in his honor,” he said. “I hope he keeps getting tributes, because all the records he’s set are amazing.”
Asked whether the stadium should have been renamed after Nadal, he smiled: “(laughs) I don’t know—it’s tough because he’s not French. But personally, I think he deserves it. What he did will never be repeated. Fourteen titles—it’s unbelievable what Nadal did at Roland Garros.”
If his career ended today, what would he be most proud of?
“Being top 20, having a winning record against the greatest tennis player ever and one of the best athletes in history,” Tabilo said. “On the other hand, I feel like last year I had a real shot at going even further, at breaking into the top 10. That’s still my biggest goal—to be a top 10 player. It would be sad not to reach that.”
As he leaves Paris behind, Tabilo does so with a renewed sense of balance. The fight continues, both on and off the court.
Journalist. Founder of CLAY, a global tennis media platform. Since 2012, Sebastián has covered multiple international events for various sports outlets, including the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Tennis is his specialty, and his yearly calendar is built around four essential stops: the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. His love of travel has also shaped his work beyond sports, inspiring travel chronicles from unique journeys — like crossing the Australian desert in a van or exploring a tourist-free Japan during the pandemic — published in travel magazines.
