[JonnyC21]

Looking through the year end top 100 I noticed 2 player I have not heard of before #83 Carlos Berlocq of Argentia and #84 Boris Pashanski of Serbia and Montenegro. These are two young lads in their early 20s who have not managed to win an ATP match between them at tour level, or played at a grand slam. Yet they still have managed to come just a couple of places short of the much hyped Novak Djokovic, with Berlocq having exactly the same number of points.

Does anyone know if either of these players are hot prospects for 2006? They have both obviously had killer years on the challenger surface, and I remember when Coria as a teenager went on a huge win streak on the challenger circuit which set him up to a top 80 ranking while he was still an unknown. Although it's worth bearing in mind that these blokes are a far few years older.

[Nathaliia]

Hi,
As I seem to have a couple of minutes and the subject of Carlos Berlocq is called out, I feel obligated to write something about him. I guess I am not as competent as anyone from Argentina, but I've been following his career and wishing him luck from mid-2003, so it can give me some credit to write anyway.
Berlocq was born in 1983 and really didn't play any junior tournies (except Argentina Bowl where he got a WC and reached a QF), so this makes his situation different than Coria's, who was a top junior player and got some support from national federation, while Berlocq didn't get anything, knowing local conditions and players' opinions about that federation. Apart from the mentioned Wild Card to a juniors' game, he has never ever received any other WC. It also shows the way Berlocq performs and deals without help. His first breakthrough was in 2002, when he played wel in futures events, winning some, and reached a Gramado challenger QF (lost to Ancic). Unfortunately, in 2003 he was still bothered by injuries, which gave him a stop in developing career. Continuing from August 2003, he was a "futures king" winning most of played in South America. He also won a bronze medal in PanAm games in doubles, where he (I don't remember who he played with ) defeated Rios. Berlocq's dream was to play in PanAm since he ballboyed at this tournament when he was a child. In summer 2004 Carlos Berlocq came to Europe and it was his breakthough moment number two - he was winning the futures events like crazy, even those big in France 15.000+H. All of them on clay. But the Argentine considers hard as his favourite surface, and, being practically a newcomer to challengers, in summer challenger swing in Latin America he managed to get another two chall. quaterfinals and then his first semifinal and his first final (lost to G. Lapentti in Manta). This year he's been quite known in challenger world, he won Tunis, Cordenons and now Buenos Aires. he played also an event in Poland - Poznań challenger (QF). He didn't manage to quallify to any ATP tour event, but I suppose he's on the right way to still develop, now he can get some sponsors or something, and if he played the ATP regularly, he can get the experience and defend his points. He surely can afford the quaterfinals in Latin America ATP in February or maybe he can become a "Casablanca King" (for Sopot he's too old, only teens win at ours). From what I know, he has strong shots from the baseline, but can play a volley as well. Many people like this show up tribute to their good performances in challengers and then their careers crash, but remember the late bloomer Agustin Calleri, who even had to throw in his towel for a year and help his dad in a shop with wine, due to no money. Let's see what hapens to Berlocq next.

As about Pashanski, our friends from Serbia and Montenegro were hyping him much in the "challengers thread". He's said to be no less talent than Djoković. I'll be waiting for the 2006 the more eagerly.

greetings,
Nathaliia

[Herceg Novi]

for me Boris Pashanski is SCG player of the year as he has had an amazing run fromm ay when he was ranked about 350 til last month where he reached 84!!!!!
he has wone a match before in munich ont he atp tour when he beat Wesley Moodie.

basically a clay courter i can see him making great progress int he first few months as he has no points to defend to may!!!!!

he will pick up a lot of points in the the earlyc lay court events in brazil mexico and argentina

i can see him getting into the top 50 very quickly!!!!!!!!
i guess u can call him a typical "spanish" type clay courter!!!!!!!!

it will be interesting to see how he goes in adelaide and melbourne

[virex]

from what i´ve heard boris is a pure baseliner, who hits hard and close to the line. but his volleys are as good as roddick´s.

[Horatio Caine]

I saw him play in Nottingham challenger November 2003.

He seemed to be a good player then he disappeared...and now suddenly he is in the top 100!

...I also got his autograph that day...the day I missed out on chatting to the future star, Joachim Johansson :retard:

[shotgun]

Originally Posted by Nathaliia

He didn't manage to quallify to any ATP tour event, but I suppose he's on the right way to still develop, now he can get some sponsors or something, and if he played the ATP regularly, he can get the experience and defend his points.

Nathii

Berlocq made his debut at ATP level this year in Stuttgart, as a qualifier, losing to Razvan Sabau from Romania in the first round 6-2 6-2.

[Nathaliia]

Originally Posted by Shotgun Blues

Nathii

Berlocq made his debut at ATP level this year in Stuttgart, as a qualifier, losing to Razvan Sabau from Romania in the first round 6-2 6-2.

Shotgun
ahh yes, i remember. you're right. my fault. i missed it like Jez missed talking to PimPim.
indeed he played stuttgart - but it doesn't change the fact he didn't show much over there.
i hope his career won't end like Federico Browne's (who was the top junior in early 1990's by the way.)

[Sham Kay]

Huh, so Berlocq and the real Serb number 1 have received attention in before. It's a shame Berlocq's the one that gets the most attention around here out of these two.

[motorhead]

bump of the year

[TigerTim]

[Alex999]

hilarious bump . Good to know that some guys/gals had faith in Pashanski and Berlocq .

[Johnny Groove]

Nathii, Nathii, Nathii, love her.

Excellent analysis in that 2nd post.

[TennisOnWood]

Originally Posted by motorhead

bump of the year

Bump of the century I would say

[Kat_YYZ]

this thread is so cute Pashanski > Nole
Nathii

[motorhead]

I thought Nathii were 18 years old, she must be older