Tabilo relishes mixing it with the best

pa href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/alejandro-tabilo/te30/overview'Alejandro Tabilo/a features in the draw at this weekrsquo;s a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/almaty/9410/overview'Almaty Open/a but it isnrsquo;t the first time the Chilean has found himself in Kazakhstan./p

pTabilo distinctly remembers competing in back-to-back third-tier indoor tournaments in Aktobe in February 2019, just after he held no ranking due to a change in the ranking structure at those levels./p

pHe reached the final of the first one mdash; barely missing out on a clash with a teenaged a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jannik-sinner/s0ag/overview'Jannik Sinner/a mdash; and won the second after starting with a victory against a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/tomas-machac/m0fh/overview'Tomas Machac/a./p

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pldquo;Those tournaments gave me my ATP Ranking back and just opened up the doors again to go up,rdquo; said Tabilo, who subsequently achieved semi-finals and quarter-finals of ATP Challenger Tour events on clay in Kazakhstan later in 2019./p

pTabilo enjoyed his time to such an extent that he made an early decision this year to compete in Kazakhstanrsquo;s most populated city./p

pldquo;I told my team from the beginning that I wanted to play here, since all the years I played here, itrsquo;s been so nice,rdquo; he said. ldquo;This tournament has been incredible. Everything is very well organized. The people are so helpful. Very happy to be back.rdquo;/p

pThe world No. 23 is indeed back and as the second seed behind a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/laver-cup/9210/overview'Laver Cup/a teammate a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/frances-tiafoe/td51/overview'Frances Tiafoe/a.

The left-hander earned an opening bye before defeating Germanyrsquo;s a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/maximilian-marterer/mn13/overview'Maximilian Marterer/a 6-2 6-4 on Wednesday without facing a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats./p

pTabilo isnrsquo;t fazed by playing in Almatyrsquo;s higher altitude, given he trains in similar conditions in Santiago.

But wins have been hard to come by of late for the 27-year-old, following three tour-level finals and a spot in the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome all before a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview'Wimbledon/a in July.

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pTabilo entered Almaty having lost nine of 10 matches, including the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/laver-cup/9210/overview'Laver Cup/a. The last one at the Shanghai Masters particularly stung./p

pHe led 2023 a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview'Australian Open/a semifinalist a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/tommy-paul/pl56/overview'Tommy Paul/a by a set and 5-1 and held five match points.

ldquo;At the beginning, it was very tough to swallow but considering how I played, I think we were able to kind of take the best parts and try and learn from that,rdquo; said Tabilo. ldquo;I feel like itrsquo;s out of my system. Just happy with how I played, knowing that I can be at that level. It makes me much more motivated and makes me want to stay at this level more.rdquo;/p

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pTabilo admitted to feeling a ldquo;lot looserrdquo; at the start of 2024, when he was the No. 85 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

ldquo;Now, itrsquo;s constant playing with all the Top 20s, which is a lot tougher and they show that level,rdquo; said Tabilo.

ldquo;Once you let up a bit, they come at you with everything. Irsquo;ve been trying to learn and adapt to that situation, but I feel like every match, every opportunity I get to play with them, Irsquo;m dealing with it better.

ldquo;Just trying to finish strong and prepare for next year.rdquo;/p

pTabilo was born and raised in Toronto but being four years older than Fridayrsquo;s opponent a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/gabriel-diallo/d0f6/overview'Gabriel Diallo/a, he never hit with the 6ft 8in Montrealer, who is making his maiden appearance in an ATP quarter-final.

ldquo;First time playing with him and being on court with him actually,rdquo; said Tabilo./p

p[NEWSLETTER FORM]/p