- Horna won the Acapulco in 2006 coming from the qualifiers
Mexico City, December 12th, 2022.- Peruvian Luis Horna lived a dream week in Acapulco during the 2006 edition when he surprisingly and against all odds won the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presented by HSBC.
The move to Acapulco after its beginning in Mexico City brought the tournament a series of champions including Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten (2001), Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela (200) and Agustin Calleri (2003) and Spain’s Carlos Moya (2002 and 2004) and a young Rafael Nadal (2005), who were joined by Horna.
And although the Peruvian, born in the city capital, Lima in 1980, arrived at the tournament with many expectations, being to enter the main draw, a goal he achieved puttingt him on his way to the title.
“For me the best memories of my career happened in Acapulco,” Horna stated to the organization.
Commenting that during the tournament “it was the first time I had passed the qualy of an ATP tournament and at the same time winning my first ATP tournament”.
“I remember the atmosphere and the affection of the fans and of Raúl Zurutuza, (tournament director) who received all the players in the best possible way and made us feel at home, that’s why the Acapulco tournament for me has always meant the best.”
In the final, Horna won 7-6, 6-4 against Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, champion in 2000 and also who was looking for his second title in México. Almost a year after Acapulco, in February 2007, Horna won the Viña del Mar Open with a score of 7-5, 6-3 overcoming Chile’s Nicolás Massú.
Those two singles titles were the only ones he won in his career, in which he also won six doubles titles, including a Grand Slam in 2008 winning at Roland Garros teamming with Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas.
Speaking about the 30th anniversary of the tournament, Horna said that the fact that a tennis tournament can have so much continuity and remain in tiimeless “means that it´s a successful one and what the tournament (in Acapulco) has achieved through the years is to be able to bring together the best players of the circuit and generate an incredible environment for them”.
“Lucho”, as Horna was known (nickname), pointed out that Acapulco is the best destination to play tennis, stating, “I got to play in the old facilities right next to the hotel, it was fantastic since you could easily walk to practice and matches, we had the hotel nexto to the sea and it was really the perfect place to play in”, he stated.
He also recalled something that used to happen at the end of the tournament, where the players who had advanced in the competition, stating “we (the players) stayed several days to enjoy the beach, that paradisiacal place and the Mexican culture, the truth is that Acapulco has that charm and always made us feel very good”.
Horna, who became a professional in 1998, remained for 11 years in the ATP Tour, due to his injuries he retired in 2009.
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