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Mejia wins Challenger title in memory of late father: ‘The pain never goes away’

The 24-year-old Colombian won the San Luis Potosi Challenger on Sunday
April 04, 2024
Nicolas Mejia at age eight alongside his father Gustavo.
Familia Mejía
Nicolas Mejia at age eight alongside his father Gustavo. By Grant Thompson

Nicolas Mejia’s world was flipped upside down nearly seven years ago when his father Gustavo suffered a heart attack while playing tennis in Colombia.

Mejia, then 17 years old, was training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida before receiving the life-altering phone call that afternoon. Mejia and his mother Helena rushed to Miami International Airport in an attempt to see Gustavo before he passed. But the situation was too dire and while in the car heading to Miami, Mejia received the heartbreaking news of his father’s death.

“I felt like the world was coming down on me, because you don't know what to do,” Mejia told ATPTour.com. “It's the toughest thing a human ever has to deal with, to lose his dad, especially at such an early age. I deal with that every day, because the pain never goes away.”

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nicolas-mejia/m0aw/overview'>Nicolas Mejia</a> at age 16 with his father Gustavo.
Nicolas Mejia at age 16 with his father Gustavo. Credit: Mejia family

To this day, Mejia competes in memory of his father, who loved tennis and helped Nicolas and his older sister Gabriela start playing the sport. Throughout their childhood, Gustavo used one tagline that sticks with 'Nico'. 

“He would always be on top of my sister and I saying, 'You cannot leave the court if you don't do a basket of serves. If you want to be a tennis player, you have to have a really good serve.’ I'm still trying to look for that really good serve,” Mejia said with a laugh.

Nearly seven years on since his father’s passing (13 April 2017), Mejia celebrated a career milestone Sunday, when he won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nicolas-mejia/m0aw/overview'>Nicolas Mejia</a> wins his first Challenger title in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Nicolas Mejia wins the Challenger 75 title in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Credit: San Luis Open

Following his triumph, Mejia was enthusiastic, yet emotional, as he pointed to the sky. "Papá, papá," he said.

“Every single day that goes by, I mention him, I think about him, I dream about him in my sleep because I think about him the whole time,” Mejia said. “It's been the toughest battle for me to realise and know that he is physically gone forever. I feel that he's close to me every single day of my life. That's one thing that will keep me going forever because that strength he gave me is unconditional.

“I think when I lifted the trophy, I was also looking to the sky as a sign of relief. I had gone through so much in my tennis life that was not going my way and also because I wanted to look at my dad, obviously pointing the trophy to him.”

Mejia, No. 344 in the PIF ATP Rankings, advanced through qualifying at the San Luis Open and despite not winning an ATP Challenger Tour main-draw match since September, he enjoyed a dream run, defeating Chilean Matias Soto in the final. En route to his title, the Colombian fended off a match point in the opening round against Ernesto Escobedo.

“It took me a long time but sometimes when it takes a long time and it's hard for you, it makes it even more special,” Mejia said. “I had been in and around [the Challenger Tour] since my first final in 2021 in Salinas and Orlando. At that moment, I thought the title was really close because I had been very close to winning it.”

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An instrumental figure in Mejia’s journey to his maiden Challenger title is his coach Juan Mateus, who is married to Nico’s sister Gabriela. Having been coached by Mateus since moving to the United States at age 12, Mejia has endured highs and lows alongside his brother-in-law.

“He's literally been like a second dad to me for all these years. I'm extremely grateful for him,” Mejia said. “He's been with me throughout my whole life.”

Upon winning his semi-final match in San Luis Potosi, Mejia’s mother called, saying she wanted to make the trip from Florida to Mexico in time for the final. Helena flew that night from Fort Myers to Houston, where she stayed Saturday before finishing the trip to Mexico Sunday.

“She called saying, 'Is it okay if I come?' And I was like, 'Are you kidding me? You never [have to] ask that!'” Mejia said.

“She said, 'I don't want to disturb you, you've been doing so well without me. I don't want to put pressure on you that I'm there.' I was like, 'Mom, I love you and it's going to be a final no matter if I win or lose, I'll be getting a trophy. I want you to be there.'"

And when Mejia lifted the champion’s trophy towards the sky, one person was on his mind.

“He would be the proudest guy ever if he saw me doing well again,” Mejia said of his father. “I'm pretty sure if he was alive, he would have been there with my mom in San Luis.”

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/nicolas-mejia/m0aw/overview'>Nicolas Mejia</a> poses with coach <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/juan-mateus/m726/overview'>Juan Mateus</a> and mother Helena.
Nicolas Mejia poses with coach Juan Mateus and mother Helena. Credit: San Luis Open

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