Brazilian young talent “Double Badge” chooses to represent Uruguay in tennis

become”Double“Not only are border residents very familiar with this phrase, but many people living along the border also know it. It originated in the 1960s as a requirement for vehicles in the region to have both Brazilian and Uruguayan license plates. Over time, it was adopted as an identity and even as a way to refer to oneself. In a broad sense, it has Dual citizenship. But it is also a world of cultural hybridity, of eliminated limits, of its own dynamics, of diluted differences, and of new identities.

in the case of Joao Pedro Silveira yes Antonio BolivarThe Santana Livramento residents, aged 12 and 14 respectively, are opening up a new and promising path for them in the sport as double board players, but on the Uruguayan side.

João Pedro started playing tennis at the age of 6 and began attending the school of his current coach, Bruno Savi, at the age of 8. He obtained Uruguayan citizenship through his maternal grandmother.

Photo: Francisco Flores

Antonio, who also attends Savvy’s school, has a Brazilian father and a Uruguayan mother. He started playing at the age of 4, but his priority was football. However, during the pandemic, tennis was a sport that he was able to continue practicing despite the restrictions. Over the years, his interest in racket sports has grown, and now he dreams of becoming a professional player.

Both could have played for Brazil if they wanted, but in 2023 they decided to play for Uruguay. According to the agency, this is something they must define before they are 14 years old. South American Tennis Confederation (COSAT).

After the decision was made, they started to participate in the tournament Uruguayan Tennis Association (AUT) And, thanks to their good performances, they are currently leaders in their respective categories – in a sport that is essentially defined by age range. They then represented the country at the last South American Championships: Antonio in Bolivia in May and João Pedro in Paraguay in June. The experience left a deep impression on both men and their families and made it clear that they have the potential to continue growing.

“It’s incredible to be able to see the level in South America, I don’t have much idea because we haven’t gone out and played yet, so seeing what they are doing and how they are training, it’s very good for me to be able to improve. You also see what other coaches say to their players and you listen to them and pay attention,” Antonio said Domingowho learned perfect Spanish during the two years he studied at Rivera.

“It’s a sport that requires you to be with yourself. You have to know how to solve problems that happen and, in my opinion, that’s the difference,” he added on the AUT field in Parque Rodó, where he came to Montevideo for two days of training, where he had the opportunity to continue communicating with the other players.

“It’s great for them to see the reality, to see the level of others and know that they are not that far behind and that if they keep working hard, they can improve themselves,” he said. Bruno SaviHe played professionally in the United States for 10 years and founded his own tennis school in the United States after returning to China. Santana do LivramentoThere he received and trained boys and girls from both sides of the border.

Photo: Francisco Flores

“When we took Antonio to start playing, our intention was to help him train. Since he was an only child, we hoped that he would be committed to sharing, frustrations and limitations. Over time, he became passionate about it and we tried to encourage him,” adds his mother, Mariana Villar. Moreover, he says that the love of sports is shared in the family. Tennis became a channel for them to connect during adolescence, a period that can be hectic for many.

“We play like a family, we enjoy it so much and it brings us closer. There are about 80 kids at Bruno’s school, boys and girls, so it’s a healthy, safe and very familiar environment. They know they come from the border and have a very big dream, some to represent Uruguay, others to represent Brazil,” he added.

For João Pedro, representing Uruguay in the South American Championships is a motivation. So much so that today, when the young man from Santa Ana is asked about his relationship with sports, he says: “I feel like tennis is my life at the moment. “I feel really good on the court,” he replies in Portuguese. Domingo.

“At only 12 years old, it was his dream to travel with a team and leave the country. After this trip, he is more focused than ever, he has matured a lot, he is very responsible and all this comes from tennis. It means a lot for his education because the postures he develops in the game will be with him throughout his life. “We are very happy because we see him discovering himself in this sport. “

Photo: Courtesy

Rivera has only one tennis court and three more are currently being built. For Savi, this situation marks a progressive moment for the sport in the country. “The idea is to create a regional center and work with Brazilian tennis players so that we can train more players. At the moment we have a very good relationship with the Auckland University of Technology, they opened their doors to us and are doing very important work. They visited the whole interior, see what we do and bring the kids to Montevideo. Before only people from here and the most classic clubs had a chance; now it is great to have people from the interior,” he believes.

Unlike soccer, where Uruguayans rank among the best players in the world, tennis has few names and the problems come from the basics. For example, there are few courts in public squares across the country. It is a sport that remains expensive and difficult to play. Therefore, the fact that Pedro and Antonio, two boys from the north, have managed to represent Uruguay abroad is a symptom of the decentralization of a sport that has also historically been concentrated in the capital and a few provinces.

“Tennis has always been strong in Montevideo, Maldonado, Soriano, Salto and Paysandú. In other parts of the country, it has not been possible to develop for different reasons, but mainly due to the lack of venues, or because there are no coaches or administrators,” he said. Federico López, Director of AUT.

Lopez stressed that based on this reality, many talents go unnoticed in the interior because, although boys and girls train and stand out, there is no incentive that discourages families in a competition that requires time and money. “That is why we are looking for a way to be closer to all of Uruguay,” he asserted.

It is the result of these changes that has allowed youngsters like Joao Pedro and Antonio to realize their dreams and represent Uruguay. For their part, they do it in a very special way: with a sense of belonging to two countries, a strong Portuguese language and a sense of pride in being people of the border.