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Nicolas Jarry (Santiago, October 11, 1995) is ending the most difficult year of his life after being sanctioned with an 11-month suspension for the avowed violation of an anti-doping rule. He tested positive for the presence of stanozolol and ligandrol in his body, the origin of which, he alleged, was due to the consumption of contaminated supplements. This midnight, the Chilean tennis player will be able to return to the circuit. From Sarasota, where his new base of operations is, Jaime Fillol’s grandson prepares himself at the hands of the famous Argentine coach Dante Bottini and reviews his feelings, hours after his punishment ends. Meanwhile, in his spare time, he is accompanied by readings on psychology and series such as Queen’s Gambit, Peaky Blinders and Lucifer. “I don’t have that much time, but when I’m very tired I watch Netflix for an hour,” he says.
How do you live these hours before being enabled?
The truth is that I am happy to be closing this stage that marked me deeply in my life, but calm at the same time because it is not yet known when I will compete again. It is difficult to find tournaments because of how the coronavirus situation is, but I am happy for everything I did; everything I grew up during this time and eager to return and see how I am on the court in an official match.
Have you imagined that day when you step on a court again for points?
No not yet. For now, I’m still focused on working, training, and looking for a place where I can return.
Do you think that the difficulty in obtaining the invitations has been due to the pandemic or do you feel some degree of prejudice from the organizers because of what happened to you?
No. Zero percent. I have had contact with the organizers, they have tried to help me as much as possible and that they give it to me. I am very close to the two tournament directors I have spoken with. They have tried to help me, but the truth is that they have a greater strength from the federations behind them, which weighs more and makes the wild cards end up going to the premises. But that is totally normal, since countries like us, who are not so popular, at least in tennis, make the tournaments for their own nationals and it is difficult to give them to an international.
Does starting from scratch motivate you more than the previous time, when you went down due to injury?
I feel more motivated than ever. I am very happy with all the changes I have made. I feel like a child with everything I have learned, I am another person and of course that motivates me to see how I get to the game on the field. Obviously there is going to be a lot to adjust and a lot to improve. I am very motivated with all the things that I learned.
After what you’ve been through, do you think a lot about adverse situations or are you one of those who turn the page quickly?
The fact that I am a hard worker has always been something positive and, whatever comes my way, I try to get by working. I tried to think about the reason for the past so as not to repeat, but not to inquire so much, but rather to start working for the future; to try to be motivated and get the best of me; to grow and try to make this situation positive.
Was afraid?
No … I mean, at first, clearly, when I didn’t know what was coming my way. At first, when I heard the news, I was afraid, because you don’t know anything; why or how, and I had no idea what the contaminated substance was and what it meant to have doping and all that, but I had a very good team. A very good support from my girlfriend at the time, from my family, and I was able to move forward. And that yes or yes helped to pass that little moment of fear and transform it into looking to the future and learning.
Did you ultimately take any legal action against the laboratory?
All this is in process. It is slow, but we are trying to see what to do.
Did you talk to tennis players who went through a situation similar to yours?
No, I did not speak to any player who went through the same thing. I did speak with players who had someone close to them who went through the same thing. And that did help.
Do you consider yourself happier than before?
Yes, totally. I learned to appreciate things, the family … To live more day by day, not to think so much about winning and improving, not to think so much about the future.
Do you feel stronger?
Yes, being in the present helps everything. You are happier, things turn out much better and you make better decisions.
You were married in civil law recently (with Laura Urriticoechea). How is married life going?
At the end of the year we have the marriage and we are very happy living this process.
And your wife is with you in Sarasota?
We are not together here.
His family is of young marriages, although in recent years the general trend has made people marry older …
When you are lucky enough to find someone special, who understands you and you understand; that you share the same values and that it supports you in what you want to do, the truth is that there is no way to think twice. And it has helped me a lot, especially at this time and in how we have faced this problem that I had, which is a very big problem in life, and we have faced it in a very good way together.
What does your wife mean to you?
A lot. I’m not going to share so much of that publicly …
Can you imagine having children in the short term?
That is personal too …
What have you learned from this pandemic?
We all had different problems, many were left without work, many losses of loved ones and the truth is that it makes you rethink everything one did, what one took for granted, everything everyday that one did not focus on and what one always thought of more, more and more. I believe that everyone can use this time for the better, to rethink things, to be more with those you want, to do what you really want because you realized that you were not happy with what you were doing and had lucky to use this to start the course of a new path for you to do better.
What has the support of your coach meant to you personally and professionally?
Very much. I was only with him two months before all this started and after two months he believed in me, that I am innocent and that I am a good person. It means a lot that he has supported me in this course and I am very happy with him, I think he is very happy with me. We have worked very well during this process and we are both surely looking forward to getting back on the pitch to try to get back to where I was and better yet, because he wants to make the most of his potential and I think he can do it too.
Where is the technician’s hand visible?
The truth is that in everything. I am a person who adapts and imitates a lot. I always try to grasp the positive things of others and Dante knows a lot on the court and knows how to enjoy off it. And I think that will help me a lot to be on the field; compete, fight and then accept when things do not go well and then also enjoy the day to day, which is the longest time in life. On the court one is a couple of hours and outside it is much more.
Have you spoken with Nicolás Massú?
I’m in a lot of contact with Nico, Fernando and Chino, especially now that we live close by. And the truth is that we have been close for many years and there is no reason not to keep talking and keep in touch. We will surely stay in contact for many years and I have a lot to learn from them.
And what does your new neighbor advise you?
We talk about everything, about life, about matches, about situations. It’s having fun, it’s learning, seeing how tennis looks and trying to incorporate those little things to see if something makes sense to me.
How have you seen Garin?
He had a tremendous start to the year and when he came back it was not as incredible, but he had good games, where he had good wins. That’s what tennis is all about, having great weeks and staying at that level. Staying 25 of the world is difficult.
Were you surprised that he changed coaches?
Yes, I was personally surprised.
You announced that you will give talks after your experience with doping. How’s that going?
Everything is walking, trying to adjust things to have a couple of talks. I would very much like to be able to help other athletes, especially the younger ones, who surely don’t know about the whole world of WADA and doping, which is a vastly different world; complicated and that I think nobody can imagine how it is, how delicate it is and how it can touch your life. I want to share my story so that it doesn’t happen to anyone.
