Melo Named GQ Brasil’s Man Of The Year For Sports

It’s been some year for Marcelo Melo. First he captures his maiden Grand Slam doubles title alongside Ivan Dodig. Then breaks up the Bryan Bros. Dynasty, becoming the first player not named Bob or Mike to rise to No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings since Sept. 12, 2012. Now he’s been named Man of the Year For Sports by GQ Brasil.

GQ Brasil writes: The Brazilian brought tennis into the spotlight again, after Guga [Kuerten] retired in 2008. The two Brazilians to reach the top of the rankings, one in singles and the other in doubles, have known each other for a long time. “I met Guga when I was still young. I used to hit some balls with him to help his recovery after his hip injury. I think it is very hard [for me] to do what he has done for the sport, in the same proportion, but I hope to do it.”

Between training and tournaments, Melo dedicates his time to reading. Successful athletes’ biographies are his favorites: “I read that whenever the ball fell in the hand of Michael Jordan in the last seconds of the game, he thought, ‘This was the opportunity I wanted!’ … I always think this is my chance.”

He and Dodig had lost in the Wimbledon final in 2013 and at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in 2014. “When I returned to Brazil, I told Daniel [his brother and coach] and Cris [his physical trainer]: “I don’t want to go through these moments of ‘almost.’ We need to find a way to overcome the ‘almost.’”

Melo found success in 2015 regardless of whom he teamed up with, including Dodig, Max Mirnyi, Julian Knowle, Bruno Soares, Raven Klaasen and Lukasz Kubot. In all, he won six titles with three different partners.

With Dodig, the Brazilian reached semi-finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo, and the duo captured its second ATP World Tour team title in Acapulco. Then came Roland Garros, where, cheered on by Kuerten, Melo would team with Dodig to capture his first Grand Slam title, beating the two-time former champions and No. 1-ranked pairing of Mike Bryan/Bob Bryan 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5 in a thrilling final. Melo/Dodig had fallen to the Bryans in the 2013 Wimbledon final 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

While Dodig honed his singles game on the Challenger circuit, Melo didn’t miss a beat. Teaming with Klaasen, the first-time pairing reeled off back-to-back titles in Tokyo and Shanghai. But he wasn’t done yet. In Vienna, he took the court for the first time with Kubot, and the tandem went all the way to the Erste Bank Open title, coming back from a set and 2-4 down to beat second seeds Jamie Murray/John Peers 4-6, 7-6(3), 10-6.

Melo reunited with Dodig to win the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris and reach the semi-finals at the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The man they call “Girafa” (he’s 6-foot-8, 192 lbs.) says it’s not his imposing presence on the court that separates him from others, but his mind, his ability maintain composure in tough moments.

The soft-spoken Melo is looking forward to his next challenge: the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where he’ll play alongside countryman Bruno Soares.

 The complete GQ Brasil article (in Portuguese) can be found here.