Â Status: Â ATP no. 87. Career high ranking was 39 in 2013. Reached the Sarasota Open quarterfinals with today’s 61 76 win vs Stefan Kozlov.

Ht: 6-2 Â Wt: 183

DOB: Â April 27, 1985 Â In: Mar de Plata, Argentina

First Tennis Memory: Â “I remember my father (Horacio)’s club. He has a tennis club. I grew up there and I start to play there. And my friends are from there. So that’s my first memory.”

Tennis Inspirations: Â “My father was one of them. Also there’s a lot of good Argentine players like (David) Nalbandian, (Guillermo) Coria and (Gaston) Gaudio. I remember watching all their matches.”

Last Book Read: Â “Games of Thrones.”

Current Car: Â “Volkswagen (black).”

First Famous Player You Met Or Encountered: Â “Vilas. Guillermo Vilas in Mar de Plata. I was eight years old. He did a clinic with the kids.”

Greatest Moment Of Career: Â “When I beat Nadal in Vina Del Mar finals (2013).”

Most Painful Moment: Â “Sometime when I have to go and have to leave my family at home. And I have to travel like one month, two months. It’s very tough.”

Favorite Tournaments: Â “Houston is one of them. And also I like to play in Buenos Aires because I play at home.”

Why Do You Love Playing Tennis: Â “It’s a really nice sport. I’m not sitting in an office. I have the chance to be traveling around the world. Meet new places, new countries. It’s beautiful.”

Funniest Players Encountered: “One of the funniest players is (Gael) Monfils.”

Strangest Match: Â “I remember one match I was leading 3-2 in the first set. We just started. And my opponent said something bad to the umpire and he got disqualified so I won [smiles]. It was at a Challenger.”

Funny Tennis Memory: Â “We do a lot of jokes when we are in Davis Cup. Whenever we are playing Davis Cup we are like every day we do different jokes. For example, I put like sticky thing on the captain’s grip. And then he couldn’t get his hand off the racquet [smiles]. (Who was the victim? Daniel Orsanic, the current captain?) The former captain Martin Jaite.”

Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: Â “Chess.”

Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: “Messi. And I love when Gaudio played tennis.”

Which Match Were You At Your Absolute Very Best: Â “Against Rafa Nadal in 2013.”

People Qualities Most Admired: Â “I like every time that I see somebody working very hard. I like that.”

FROM Scoop Malinowski