Andrés Carrasco (Barcelona, ​​1986) has managed to fill part of the void of tennis fans during these hard times of pandemic. From his home in Barcelona, ​​this young businessman has caused thousands of smiles with his imitations of Novak Djokovic , Roger Federer , Pete Sampras , Lleyton Hewitt or Nick Kyrgios , which the ATP has shared through its social networks. "The only one I lack is Rafa Nadal , but being left-handed and right-handed, I didn't get the degree of perfection that I like," Carrasco told EL MUNDO.

Curiously, Carrasco is an old acquaintance of the best Spanish tennis player in history. "We are from the same year and in the fry category I played twice against him. First at the Barcelona Tennis Club (6-2, 6-2) and a little later in Alicante, where I played much better but the result was even harder (6 -1, 6-0) ", he recalls with the nostalgia of those times. Then he also shared a trip to France with Rafa and Marcel Granollers , another illustrious tennis player with whom he still has a great friendship.

The influence of the three-time Davis Cup champion (2008, 2011, 2019) has been crucial in the development of the creative side of Carrasco. "I started when I was a teenager, just for fun, but everything changed in 2007," he explains about his time at the University of Arizona. "A friend was encouraged to post a video on YouTube. That had a great impact thanks to Marcel, who made it reach the best on the circuit," he adds.

"Nole knows how to laugh at himself"

In this way, Andrés acted personally before Djokovic himself in New York. "I used to live there and give tennis lessons. I also helped Marcel with the training sessions, so in 2015 he organized everything so that we could meet at the US Open," he recalls of that training session, with more than a thousand fans. clapping to rage from their seats. "It was great to share that moment with Nole . He has a great sense of humor and gives you great assurance that he is able to laugh at himself and take it so well," says Carrasco about 'number one', whose imitations were also famous in last.

Carrasco's catalog is almost inexhaustible, although he assures that such ease is due to "a gift". "As soon as I see them on the track something automatically fits me. And I have never studied anyone, nor have I practiced with video images," he admits of his parodies, where there is no shortage of self-criticism. " Carlos Moyà comes out very natural to me , with his back so upright, but Federer and Kyrgios' right should do them better," he reveals.

"No one has ever bothered"

Among the technical gestures of his great idols, Carrasco highlights " Andre Agassi's short steps ", the way Sampras "positioned himself to the right" or how Djokovic connects the ball "half falling" or his "endless little boats before the serve " On the other hand, the blows of Alexander Zverev or Dominic Thiem , two of the referents of the NextGen , seem "a little more predictable".

Perhaps because he has always been considered one of them, Carrasco puts "respect" for tennis players above all else. "I have taken it into account and I think no one has ever bothered. Feliciano López , Fernando Verdasco or Marc López have also seen me live and I can only say that they took it phenomenally," he concludes.

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