Tennis player Gustavo Kuerten, known as Guga, exploded into the world and became a Brazilian sports star in 1997, long before the overexposure of social media. That didn’t stop him from having to face the spotlight: “The athlete feels almost above everything and everyone”. He attributes his ability to discern at that moment to his team and motivation in the sport.
When he won Roland Garros for the first time, he entered the tournament ranked 66th in a rare feat in the history of the sport. “To be a champion at such a precocious age — I was 20 years old and had never even played in the semi-finals of tournaments much smaller than Roland Garros — everything was a learning process. More than just running, flying, in each match”, he says in an interview with InfoMoney Interview.
“Suddenly, I turned from an ordinary tennis player to a top 15 player. Then, at any moment, everyone wanted to know what I was doing, what I ate, how I had dinner, where I slept”, he says. “And that required a lot of conversation and a decision: ‘what direction are we going to take?’. To continue evolving, understanding that that was a first step.”
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Now, at 49 years old and boasting the title of three-time champion of Roland Garros, a French tennis tournament, Guga remembers being the first tennis player to have an individual press office on the circuit.
The athlete largely attributes to his team the decisions that preserved his image to the status of tennis star and an almost unanimous figure in Brazilian public opinion. Hours after his first title at Roland Garros, the team also made up of Larri Passos, his coach, and Rafael Kuerten, his brother, and agent Jorge Salkeld would already meet to decide the next steps.
Guga talks about his career, image management and legacy to InfoMoney Interview. Check out the edited interview below.
InfoMoney – In 1997 you entered the Roland Garros bracket with 66th position in the rankings. It’s a rare feat in tennis. Do you remember what it was like dealing with that explosive performance?
Gustavo Kuerten – The most unusual thing there was the title, because participating in this position is already an acquisition of tennis. When he enters the world circuit, he can compete in the Grand Slam. But to become a champion at such a young age — I was 20 years old and had never even played in the semi-finals of tournaments much smaller than Roland Garros — everything was about learning more than running, flying in each match.
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The situations were very delicate, you can remember at least three: the fifth set with the [Thomas] Muster; After winning the Medvedev game, which was two days of matches and also 4×4 in the fifth set, I had 0-40 in the game. It seemed that my level of experience was much more advanced than I actually acquired, but that week everything flowed very well — inspiration ruled.
And culminating in the most difficult match of all, which was the quarterfinals with Yevgeny Kafelnikov [tenista russo, ex-número 1 do mundo]. He was winning two sets to one, he was the clear favorite to win that year, five feet behind him, and the excited boy started to let go of his arm. And also, of course, I had nothing to lose — that was my big advantage. This helped me, in addition to balancing the euphoria, because it would also be an important issue, and the impact of standing out more and more — round of 16, quarterfinals, on the center court, all the flourish that is Roland Garros. It’s easy to get sidetracked by all of this.
“I had nothing to lose — that was my big advantage”
IM – What did this moment teach you?
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GK – As much as it was the biggest result of my career, I was always looking for the next game and felt capable of beating the best in the world. This was wonderful, very unusual and to the point that it also helped me not know Roland Garros so much.
For me it was a sensational tournament, the biggest in the world, but the details, the impact, the size — I learned over the years. So much so that I only won three years later, when I understood everything it meant, and that brings an even greater challenge. It took me a while to prepare myself again and win again, in the year 2000.
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IM – Did that title leave a lesson for your personal life too?
GK – Tennis itself brings several facets and lessons learned. Each day has something to take into your life, into work. The number of solutions to problems that have to be generated in real time is very close to what we experience on a daily basis.
And of course, when it comes to a tournament like Roland Garros, the challenges and tasks are immense. All of this is useful, but the main thing was decision making. What to do after an award and a giant surprise — perhaps the biggest one in the world that could happen in our lifetime.
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Suddenly, I turned from an ordinary tennis player to a top 15 player. Then, at any moment, everyone wanted to know what I was doing, what I ate, how I had dinner, where I slept. And that required a lot of conversation and a decision: “what direction are we going to take?”. To continue evolving, understanding that that was a first step.
And that was 24 hours later. We all sat together — my brother Rafa, Larri and Jorge, who at the time worked as an agent. I said, “You guys talk, decide what’s important. Larry, keep guiding me to achieve this dream, and let’s go after it.”
There was also a huge impact on the routine. Instead of returning to Brazil to celebrate — the whole country was celebrating —, we continued in Europe, where our mission was.
IM– You report a moment that was a shock from a professional, exposure point of view, at a time when athletes were not yet as overexposed as they are today, with social media. Can you imagine what it would be like to go through that now?
GK – I get scared and I believe that it would be, for my profile, something very delicate. Although tennis allows and has a very preserved environment through the players’ routine and discipline. In my time, I had immense freedom, from another planet, compared to today. This also helped me prepare, having a very good team.
I was the first [tenista] having an individual press officer on the circuit, with Diana, when she was number 60 in the world. These decisions brought reflexes and a very early boost to my career.
Very [do que conquistei] It is a consequence of these moments when crossroads appear. You need to have clarity and discernment to understand what your main desire and motivation are, and surround yourself with good people — which is still the case with me today.
I am eternally grateful and can easily recognize that this made it so much easier. I was 20 years old, the chance of getting lost along the way and starting to daydream was great, even more so with the conviction and feeling of power that the player acquires.
IM – Can you explain a little more?
GK – The athlete feels almost above everything and everyone. Even at that time, he became a figure who moved the entire country. People stopped to watch, had coffee, had lunch, and we were there in their house as if we were family.
This came into my life naturally. I received a lot of guidance to understand how to do it and what the limits were for me to maintain my space. I also needed the boy, Guga from Floripa, walking along in a good way. Living there helped me.
Time corresponded to my head, my way of thinking. Today, they do ten things at the same time. I’m not capable of that. So, everything is corresponding — even the financial impact that an athlete has today, the ability to mobilize and reach people in a very direct way. This moves everyone instantly, but the level of privacy and space for personal life is always a counterpoint.
But I’ll say it again: tennis already has a balance and a very generous balance with the athlete. It preserves the athlete and even the guide, it points to a side that is prolific — of taking care of your career, having dedication and discipline with your actions and your way of acting, also preserving and idolizing this image that tennis provides, which is something formidable.
IM – The legacy you left for the sport is clear. What legacy do you want to leave now as Guga after your sports career? What is the legacy of this phase of yours?
GK – I don’t have the perspective of a goal or mission in this sense. I have this opportunity, which is actually a great benefit, to be able to choose where I will get involved, how and what to do.
Obviously, the family part is super important to me today. I have two children, aged 12 and 13, and with my wife I experience what is the greatest and most beautiful experience in the world. I enjoy every moment with my mother, who is still with us, with Rafa, my brother, and the family in general.
Professionally, I can choose tasks that are, at the same time, challenging, but the right word would be inspiring — such as, for example, being related to Senior Sistems [a entrevista ocorreu em um evento da empresa]a company from Santa Catarina that today conquers all of Brazil. It intends to deliver even more, and the philosophy we live by makes perfect sense.
IM – You have also given some lectures. Is it a career possibility?
GK – I get really nervous, I even avoid it in some situations, but I know that when I’m up there [do palco] It’s important for whoever is listening. I try to be as natural as possible.
That’s what led me to win that tournament where we started the interview — that 1997 Roland Garros — loose, joking, sometimes even with very complex decisions, but understanding that, to a certain extent, there is this analysis: I did well, I did poorly, the level of importance of my game… But, compared to the size of life, of what we should still value more, this remains in the background.
Life has a more imposing role, and this is what guides my activities. This is how I like to decide: by being happy, excited, excited about the actions in which I participate. And, at the same time, a little nervous — that chill, the cold hand — which is also part of the magic of trying to overcome yourself, of putting yourself in an unusual situation and, if it goes wrong, having lightness and a smile to break the tension.
