A smile appeared across the face of #NextGenATP Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas in New York, where the 19-year-old recalled the memorable time he has spent with World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.
The Lithuanian has practised with the Spaniard on various occasions in the past year and after time, mustered up the confidence to ask the four-time major winner for advice.
Speaking to ATPTour.com as part of our Next Gen Influences Series, Gaubas discusses his conversations with the former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Alcaraz and opens up on his biggest idols in tennis, including countryman Ricardas Berankis, who reached a career-high No. 50 in 2016.
[ATP APP]Which former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion do you identify with?
I like Carlos Alcaraz. I practised this year with him a few times, and seeing him doing so well and getting a chance to practice with him was cool. He is so humble. So that's the way it will be for me
Did you get to have any conversations with him? Where were you when you practised with him?
We practised in Spain at the start of the season. I think it was January and we had a few practice sessions and it was really high intensity, and was really, really fun.
Did you ask him any questions?
I was a little bit too shy, but he was really humble. He asked me a few questions, so we had a few conversations that was really fun. He asked me, ‘What's my next tournament?, How am I doing', and all those kinds of things. He was, at that time, World No. 1. It was amazing and to be able to speak with him like a normal conversation meant a lot.
Who were your first tennis idols when growing up?
My idols since I was young were Dominic Thiem and Casper Ruud. It was their style, how they play, especially the intensity on the forehand. They have really big shots and that's what amazed me. When I saw Dominic, when he entered the Top 10, he was doing really well. I saw his matches and every practise, I tried to copy what he did. I remember the US Open final where there were no people watching as it was during Covid and the match was incredible, five sets, and the intensity of the match was incredible.
How much influence did Ricardas Berankis have on you?
He has a really big influence on all the younger kids in Lithuania who play tennis. I think he really motivated us. We had a photo when I was seven years old. I was a ball boy for him in a Davis Cup match. And it was one year ago that I showed him a photo and it was really funny, because now we're on the same team, playing, so that's really, really nice.
What was it about him that inspired you when you were a kid?
How serious he is on court and off court as well. He is still really focused on the things that he's doing. So that's an inspiration.
Who are your other biggest influences?
I would say my mother. She's a really strong person. She fights for everything and she really works hard. That is a big inspiration too. Our family was always involved in sport. Especially my father, he was really sporty and I think that is where I got it from.
Ahead of this year's Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, ATPTour.com is running an Influences series with the #NextGenATP stars in contention to qualify for the 20-and-under event in Jeddah. Look out for next week's feature with Chengdu champion Shang Juncheng...
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