Prado during the Roland Garros Junior. Photo: Roland Garros.
Sports 360 / La Paz
Getting among the 250 in the ATP ranking and playing the qualy (classification) of the Australian Open 2025, that is the goal of the young national tennis player Juan Carlos Prado, who is currently ranked 286.
Prado has had a huge rise since turning professional this season.
At 19 years old, he already entered the top 300 in the world after advancing 376 places in the ranking of the Association of Professional Tennis Players.
This performance surprised everyone and everyone, and that is why the new goal is to be able to compete in the first Grand Slam of 2025.
“This year was a fairly rapid upward race: he started as 650 in the world and had the goal of finishing the year at 400. It has been very good and now he has set a goal that is difficult, but hopefully it will be possible in both tournaments. that he will play,” his father, Juan Carlos, told Sports 360.
The competitions he plans to play are the Sao Paulo Challenger, in Brazil (from November 18 to 24) and the Temucon Challenger, in Chile (from November 25 to December 1).
“Hopefully I can finish at 250 or 240 in the world to play the Australian Open qualifying in January (from the 6th to the 26th).”
He added that “if he achieves it, very good, it will be a reward for his effort; (but) if he does not achieve it, with his feet on the ground, he must continue working. You don’t have to go crazy either, you will have time to compete in the Grand Slams.”
To arrive in shape next year, he will begin his preseason in December in Santa Cruz, and then go to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“After the last two tournaments of the year, he will have 10 days of rest, then the preseason begins in December, he wants to start early, with everything. The project continues to be serious, on the rise, doing things well, with the multidisciplinary team that Juan Carlos has. We expect the support of private companies and the State; It is a very serious career that has been going on since I was 13 years old, it is achieving its fruits, but don’t give up.”
If he qualifies for the Australian Open, in January he will play two previous tournaments in that country; Otherwise, he will compete in the South American Challengers.
What inspired Juan Carlos’ passion for tennis at a young age, and who were the key figures that influenced his early development in the sport?
1. Can you tell us more about Juan Carlos’ early years in tennis and what sparked his initial interest in the sport?
2. How did Juan Carlos manage to rise so rapidly in the ATP ranking this season? What was his training regimen like leading up to this breakthrough?
3. What were some of the key challenges Juan Carlos faced during his journey to the top 300 in the world, and how did he overcome them?
4. What motivates Juan Carlos to continue pursuing his goals in tennis, especially with such ambitious targets like playing in the Australian Open qualifying and breaking into the top 250 rankings?
5. Who are some of Juan Carlos’ main role models or inspirations within the tennis community?
6. With his eyes set on the Australian Open qualifying, what specific improvements is Juan Carlos focusing on making to his game?
7. How does Juan Carlos plan to maintain his mental and physical well-being throughout the rigorous tennis season, including managing the pressure and expectations that come with his newfound success?
8. How does Juan Carlos’ family and support system contribute to his tennis career, and how do they plan to support him financially as he progresses?
9. With his current momentum, what are Juan Carlos’ long-term goals for his tennis career, both individually and for Bolivia as a whole?
10. what message would Juan Carlos like to share with aspiring young athletes who are working towards their dreams in tennis or any other sport?
