How Becoming A Father Changed Bautista Agut's Life
In an excerpt from Eurosport’s Players’ Voice series, Roberto Bautista Agut reflects on the importance of family. The nine-time ATP Tour champion discusses how welcoming his first child to the world last year has impacted him after losing his mother in 2018 and father in 2019.
Becoming a father last September has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life so far, if not the best. I feel that the family bond I lost when my parents passed has been recovered by entering this new chapter of life with Ana and my child.
Family has always been the most important thing for me by far; the love you feel for your loved ones is incomparable. I felt this even before my parents passed; every time I came home and noticed they were gradually getting older, I made a mental note to enjoy every little moment I spent with them and that mindset stays with me now.
Recently, Ana and Mini Rober joined me on Tour during the Middle East swing, which was really special. It’s beautiful seeing your child grow because they’re in continuous evolution; day by day they edge one step closer to the person they will become.
If there’s anything I could pass down to him, it would be my stubbornness! I believe that persistence to keep fighting for things is a very good thing and an important way of overcoming difficult obstacles. Those are the times which I think ultimately help you grow as a person.
That can be said for all things in life — both big and small. The fact I wasn’t playing my best tennis in Australia motivated me to train much harder, and as a result, I’m now feeling really good on court, beating Top 10 players and starting to feel those positive sensations that come with winning again.
When I think back to Wimbledon two years ago when I reached the semi-finals, I lived it the way I had always dreamt it; those two weeks were honestly a dream come true.
Emulating that would be incredible, but the most important thing for me right now is maintaining my best level, enjoying my time on court and sharing the success and memories with my family.
Read Bautista Agut’s Full Eurosport Players’ Voice Column