During the US Open, former World No. 25 Fernando Meligeni wrote a philosophical Instagram put up in regards to the relationship between Carlos Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. The first line learn “No nos rendimos”, a Portgueuse phrase meaning “Never hand over”.
One one that took discover was his nephew, Felipe Meligeni Alves, who’s a member of Team Brazil on the United Cup. The 24-year-old, who earned his first ATP Tour win on Saturday towards Norwegian Viktor Durasovic, took the message to coronary heart. He bought the message tattooed on his left arm.
“I similar to to inspire myself,” Meligeni Alves instructed ATPTour.com. “I simply wished to do it.”
That is way from the one tattoo the Brazilian has. He has one other Portuguese message on his proper arm meaning, “You can’t have huge goals for those who don’t chase them”.
That is what the No. 166 participant within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is doing. The Brazilian is attempting to comply with in his uncle’s footsteps and go away his mark on the ATP Tour. By the top of 2023, he want to crack the Top 100.
Some may comply with Meligeni Alves’ profession by means of the lens of his uncle’s success — Meligeni reached the 1996 Olympic semi-finals. But the winner of 1 ATP Challenger Tour title is just not involved about that.
“When I began I used to be actually younger and me and my sister, folks had been saying, ‘He must play extra like his uncle, he must do the identical issues that he did.’ I used to be like, ‘Okay, it’s my very own path, I’ll do my very own approach.’ I simply use this in one of the best ways doable,” Meligeni Alves mentioned. “Any time that I want him, he helps me, he talks to me.”
Photo Credit; Tennis Australia
The Brazilian added: “He’s simply actually good to me. He’s like an instance for me, [for] all of the gamers from Brazil. I simply wish to take the optimistic issues, not the damaging, like stress.”
Meligeni Alves is a deep thinker who enjoys his uncle’s frequent social media posts. That led to the aforementioned tattoo, which is considered one of many.
The first tattoo he bought, towards his mom’s needs, was two intersecting arrows on his left arm with the initials of his relations. Now his whole left arm is roofed in tattoos. They embody the next:
– A compass: “I did this one pointing in the proper course”
– A wolf: “Courage to do every little thing”
– A lion, which to him represents household
– A rose, which to him represents confidence
Meligeni Alves additionally has an homage to his grandfather on his ribs, one other to his canine (who handed away) on his again and a sailboat. The latter has no specific that means, he simply felt it match the realm of his decrease left bicep.
But the Brazilian is greater than his tattoos, and he confirmed as a lot on Pat Rafter Arena with a powerful show of shotmaking. He additionally represented his nation nicely in his opening match towards two-time ATP Tour titlist Lorenzo Musetti, falling in a good two-setter.
Meligeni Alves is having fun with the expertise in Brisbane, particularly with sister Carolina Alves on the workforce, too.
“It’s good to have my sister on the identical workforce. To play on the identical workforce as Bea [Beatriz Haddad Maia], she’s having a tremendous expertise, she did superb in 2022, so it’s good to share experiences with these people who find themselves taking part in the tour greater than me, the massive occasions,” Meligeni Alves mentioned. “I’m taking part in the Grand Slams solely and if I can, ATPs. It’s totally different to play on an enormous court docket like this.
“I performed towards Musetti and I did a very good match, I had my probabilities. I couldn’t take them however to play in entrance of so many individuals in an enormous stadium like that is particular and sharing this with some mates of mine… It’s only a good expertise and [I] hope to maintain serving to Brazil.”