A lot of the attention in tennis goes to the all-time greats like Novak Djokovic and ascendant stars including Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. But one of the most interesting stories in the sport belongs to 30-year-old American Marcos Giron.
Once a top junior in the United States and a college standout at UCLA, Giron underwent right hip surgery in December 2015 and left hip surgery in February 2016 to repair labral tears. Doctors shaved down his hip bones, which were wearing down cartilage.
More than eight years later, Giron is playing the best tennis of his career and proving that he can compete at the highest levels of the sport. The No. 46 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will try to show that again Thursday against fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the second round at Wimbledon.
“It's been an amazing journey. There are a lot of people to thank for that, but I'm really proud of the effort, the drive and the consistency that I've put in throughout the years. It's tough,” Giron told ATPTour.com. “Professional tennis is tough. You have to prove it every year. There are no handouts. Anybody can win on every given day and it's tough. It's amazing. In the end, I think I've been able to just keep improving over and over and over and keep believing in my ability.
“Of course, there are undulations to the year, it's not always just straight up, but it's kind of like the stock market I think, in a funny way. There are going to be some ups, there are going to be downs, but hopefully in the long run, you're going to be better off.”
It has been the best season of Giron’s career. Among the players he has defeated are Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Denis Shapovalov and Frances Tiafoe. In February the home favourite reached the second ATP Tour final of his career at the Dallas Open.
“I'm really proud to not just have made the Top 100, but then to have been able to stay there. Also, each year, I feel like I'm improving. In this sport, you have to either improve or in a way you die. It's kind of aggressive to say it that way, but you have to keep improving,” Giron said. “I feel like I've really done that. I've become more aggressive off my forehand, my backhand has gotten better, my backhand has gotten more aggressive. I return better. I'm 30, but it kind of feels like just a number that I don't physically feel.
“I physically feel good. I understand the game better than ever and so I'm really fortunate to be healthy now, to have been healthy for the last several years and to keep improving and keep playing well.”
Giron did not crack the Top 100 in the PIF ATP Rankings until August 2020, when he was 27 years old. There was a time while dealing with his hips that he even returned to UCLA as a volunteer assistant coach. Not only did he persevere to break through, but he continues to evolve. According to the American, a match between the current version of himself and the one that broke into the Top 100 would not be competitive.
“I think it'd be pretty bad. Honestly, I think the Marcos 1.0 would have been hurting a lot more on court,” Giron said. “He would have been running a hell of a lot more, I think maybe on a given day he would win. But I take 30-year-old Marcos most days of the week.”
For years, Giron has been a tough out on the court. Opponents knew they would have to beat him and that he would always make them work hard. But now the two-time ATP Tour finalist brings not just his competitive spirit, but a set of weapons with which he is able to attack those across the net.
“I feel like now my tennis does the talking,” Giron said. “It’s not that before I was a big talker necessarily, but I feel like I was able to hustle my way and fight through a lot more matches versus now, when I feel like I actually take it to my opponents.”
Giron on Thursday will face Zverev for a place in the round of Wimbledon. Their first Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter, at the 2021 Australian Open, went in the German’s favour after four sets. But that version of Giron is no more. He is plenty improved.
“I just try to be better than I was yesterday, honestly. Can I be the best version of myself every day? It's kind of cliche, but it's really hard. And you've got to be honest with yourself,” Giron said. “There's always room to improve. Do I think I can be seeded at Slams? Absolutely. I don't know what my ranking can be. But I know I can beat Top 10 players in the world. I know I can beat most players in the world. The challenge is doing it on a very consistent basis.
“I would love to be playing in the second week of Slams, to be playing for titles. I've made finals of a couple ATP events. I believe my game has the ability to do a lot of damage.”
Giron believes in viewing a glass as half full, not half empty. Through the ups and downs he always maintained belief. And now, nearly a decade on from hip surgeries that could have prevented him from pushing for his dreams, the American is among the very best players in the world.
“You've just got to give me a chance really,” Giron said. “I always feel like you've got to keep pushing. You've got to be relentless. I feel like I show that.”
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