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Getting to know: Santiago Giraldo

46K views 265 replies 47 participants last post by  tennis2018 
#1 ·
If JMDP has a thread, I think Santiago Giraldo from
Colombia deserves one as well. I am happy to be a
founder of this thread and I hope to update it, as I
see I'm not as busy as I thought I would (at least at
the beginning of schoolyear).


Santiago Giraldo was born on 27th November (ahh a
November child!!!!)
1987 in Pereira, Colombia, but now
lives in his home country capital - Bogota and works with Team Colsanitas. He has been seen practising with people who used to be responsible for Fabiola Zuluaga preparation.


My interest on Santiago Giraldo occured when I was
preparing materials for the website I used to have,
about players from Latin America. I wanted to pick up
some promising juniors and follow their developing
careers. It was September 2003. Giraldo had 7 won
tournaments in Boys-16 age category in singles and
doubles that time. In that moment, his junior career
stopped, but it doesn't mean he decided to give up
tennis. He started showing up in local futures events.
Continuing about his junior career, he played only 3
events in Boys-18 category. Two of them were really
successful.
Given in January a Wild Card to G-1
tournament in Bogota, he won the event. Then, in May, he
entered Roland Garros main draw after quallies and
lost in straight sets to eventual quaterfinalist Juan
Martin del Potro (Argentina). Surprisingly, the Colombian was
seeded 4 in another Grand Slam event for juniors, the
US Open. He took an advantage of that fact, reaching
the semifinal, where he lost to eventual finalist,
Jeremy Chardy of France.

Aged 15, he became a tennis professional. Beginning of his career wasn't easy, like in most of the cases for young players. There was no need to panic after being bagelled in first appearance in main draw of futures (in Colombia) by Carlos Avellan from Ecuador. Just one week after, he overcame Avellan in the quallification. How it happened? Giraldo got a walkover. He started playing futures more seriously in 2003, when he earned his first ATP point, after few attempts. As he received a WC to national ITF event, he defeated Erasmo Vasquez from Mexico. It took few big months for Giraldo to get really noticed in seniors tour. Where could it be? No other place, but in Bogota challenger in April 2005. The Colombian made a benefit of another wild card, reaching the quaterfinal. Even though he has never been above that level, he repeated challengers quaterfinals in Gramado in August, and in Bogota 3 this week. Impressive victories over no3 seeded Boris Pashanski and a hyped Argentinian junior player Juan Martin del Potro can give hope to Giraldo and his supporters give the hope he will be able to take the revenge on Marcos Daniel, his next opponent. This year young Colombian already has lost to Daniel. Neverthless, our hero is still on the run, continuing his winning time. Taking the crown in Medellin futures (15.000$) and winning two more matches in a challenger, he made it into seven match victories in a row.
Favourite surface for Santiago Giraldo is clay, however he knows how to play on hardcourt as well. He's right-handed, plays double-handed backhand. He started his adventure with tennis at the age of 6 or 7, following steps of his whole family, especially mother. I am not sure about this, but I suppose Daniel Giraldo, who unsuccessfully tried himself as a pro player is his older brother, and talented Andrea Giraldo is his younger sister. As far as they are not his cousins or they are not related at all. The Bogota's inhabitant likes listening to music (mainly merengue, salsa and vallenato) and using computer, so he's got rather typical hobby for teenagers all around the world. What makes him different to many others, is his goal: he wants to be ranked in top ten between senior players. As for now, he's ranked at 358 ATP, which is his highest position. The admirer of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal can be soon the one, on which eyes of Colombian tennis fans will be turned on as Fabiola Zuluaga retired and Alejandro Falla cannot fight back against injuries.

Good luck Santi!

all rights reserved, Nathaliia M.
 
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#2 ·
Thanks Nathi :) I admit I've never heard of this guy, but it's nice to get to learn about new players and I'll keep my eye on his results in the future. Thanks for sharing.
 
#3 ·
lol I've just skipped the text and saw some language mistakes.... i was in hurry while writing it ;) S O R R Y !!!
Santiago Giraldo won't be too much popular here, because the Argies are the ones who take most of attention but I am sure this Colombian guy can get into top 100 and get some fans of his as well.
 
#4 ·
Well done Nathaliia :) . It would be nice now that someone give information about his game to know a little more about his potential. Hope a colombian (or other) supporter will read these words...
 
#5 ·
I've seen him twice in my hometown, Barranquilla - Colombia :D First, in the Copa AeroRepublica, a big G1 juniors tournament he won in january [http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/tournaments/tournamentoverview.asp?tournament=1100010878] and then last month playing the Colombia F5 futures where he reached QF[http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=2377190&postcount=3]. I like his game, he definitely has some power and a great two-handed backhand but he seems to like the angles/moving around tactic :yeah:
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
alfonsojose said:
I've seen him twice in my hometown, Barranquilla - Colombia :D First, in the Copa AeroRepublica, a big G1 juniors tournament he won in january [http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/tournaments/tournamentoverview.asp?tournament=1100010878] and then last month playing the Colombia F5 futures where he reached QF[http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=2377190&postcount=3]. I like his game, he definitely has some power and a great two-handed backhand but he seems to like the angles/moving around tactic :yeah:
Hola :wavey: to my favourite Colombian :hug: Thanks for the report.
 
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#10 · (Edited)
Thank you, Alfonso Jose ;)

but bad news for everyone in here looking straight up at Santiago's future with curiousity. He lost to Marcos Daniel 6/7(2) 3/6.
I really thought he could achieve more in this tournament.

PS. Still, he should get somewhere into top 325-335 ATP.
 
#12 ·
Delsa :wavey:
I am following the young Frenchies careers and you are following those little kiddies from Latin America ;) Will we live till the times when Polish players and the ones from Madagascar are going to be the great hopes?
 
#13 ·
Nathaliia said:
Delsa :wavey:
I am following the young Frenchies careers and you are following those little kiddies from Latin America ;) Will we live till the times when Polish players and the ones from Madagascar are going to be the great hopes?
Nathaliia :wavey:

How funny isn't it? :lol: Your threads have more succes than mine. :tape:

The Polish guys could make a breakthrough. There are already some promising guys. ;)
I doubt about the Madagascan ones though. :rolleyes: Or at least i doubt i'll live to see that.

The closest we have to a good tennis player is Randriantefy. :eek:
 
#15 ·
Time to remind the posters of Santiago. He won his first futures event, of course in Colombia :angel: But this with many points to gain, 15.000$ (he'll get 18 points)

(3)(WC)Santiago Giraldo (COL) d. (WC)Santiago Villegas (COL) 6-2 6-2
(3)(WC)Santiago Giraldo (COL) d. (q)Hans Podlipnik (CHI) 6-2 6-3
(3)(WC)Santiago Giraldo (COL) d. (6)Daniel Garza (MEX) 6-2 4-2 ret.
(3)(WC)Santiago Giraldo (COL) d. (2)Lucas Engel (BRA) 6-1 6-2
Finals
(3)(WC)Santiago Giraldo (COL) d. (8)Carlos Salamanca (COL) 6-4 6-2


easy matches and a great win :aparty:
 
#16 ·
some news on Santi:

He played futures in Brazil. Semifinal in the first one, final in the second, victory in the third :yeah:

At the moment he's at career's high 297 ATP but going higher in the next rank ;) Looks like he'll play in USO quallies. I think... And he's the USO semifinalist in juniors.
 
#18 ·
These are my photos of Santiago from his 2nd round match at the Bronx Challenger where he lost to the eventual champion Michael Russel.







My favorite :)
 
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#20 ·
this guy is 4 real??
or is the next mauricio hadad or miguel tobon???
 
#24 ·
Unfortunately He will be facing Igor Andreev!!!!!!

Yesterday He have a very hard match against Levy..

He lost the first set 6-4, then he was losing 2nd set 2-0, but finally wins 6-4...
In the 3rd set he was leading 2-0*, and surprisingly Levy break 2 times and wins 5 games in a row (2-5).....
Santiago hold his serve .... 3-5* = Levy serving for match

15-0
30-0
30-15
40-15 (Ace Levy) = 2 Match Points!!!!
30-40
40-40 Double Fault
40-Ad

and finally Santiago breaks....
*4-5
15-0
30-0
40-0
40-15
40-30
40-40
a lot of adv for Santiago and 1 (ad) MP to Levy
after all 5-5*
then
6-6 and Santi won in the TB 7-4!!

sorry for my repetitive and bad english...

CHENNAI TUESDAY JANUARY 2 OOP
 
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