translated from Spanish: Fernando González: “A lot of the great player I was is thanks to Nico”

Former national tennis player and current commentator Fernando González recalled their friendship with Nicolás Massú, highlighting the healthy rivalry they both had in their professional careers. In addition, he recalled the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he won singles bronze and doubles gold. In conversation with Channel 13’s “From You to You”, Gonzalez stated that “with Nico (Massú) we grew up together. We played the first time when we were 8. If the Nico wasn’t very good as a kid. Then we started traveling and became very close.” In the same line, he added that “I always say, a lot of the great player I was is thanks to the Nico and I think the Nico too thanks to me, because it was a big competition but super well carried. We played doubles, our families spent new years together. I haven’t seen him much today. He came again to meet my son.” On the other hand, he remembered the JJ.OO. From Athens 2004, ensuring that the match with Mardy Fish in the semi-final was “the saddest day of my life, of my tennis life. I couldn’t eat, I don’t know if stress, tiredness, grief, itching, or all the above.” And the Nico had won and we were sleeping a metre and a half away. And the next day I played for bronze and we had to play doubles. I got up and had to play with the ankle half complicated, single and double, and with all the emotional load it had,” he added. In this sense, the former ATP No. 5 said he saw an award on television, where the one who won the bronze medal began to cry. That improved his spirits and then played and won the bronze medal. Finally, González recalled his arrival in Chile with Massú after the 2004 Olympic Games, arguing that “not in my best dreams did I imagine anything like this”, after being greeted by a crowd on the streets.” We arrived at the Constitution Square was full, the President (Ricardo Lagos) went looking for us downstairs, and left us the balcony,” the Olympic triple medalist recalled.

Original source in Spanish