How Tirante's passion for reading fuels Challenger Tour progress

Thiago Agustin Tirante’s dedication to improvement goes even beyond his development on the ATP Challenger Tour. In addition to countless training hours, the Argentine closes each day by reading, usually indulging in a book on enhancing his leadership skills.

“I try to read every day, 20 to 30 minutes before I go to bed. I like to read books that give me something, make me a better person, a better tennis player or give me a better mentality,” Tirante told ATPTour.com at the Mexico City Open. “Now I’m reading a book from Argentina that my girlfriend gave to me. It’s about leadership.”

The 22-year-old, who last month made his Top 100 debut in the PIF ATP Rankings, has found valuable life lessons from his favourite book, Open by Andre Agassi. Tirante has read the autobiography about the eight-time major champion several times.

“I liked the learning that [Agassi] put into words,” Tirante said. “I really liked the way he played and the mentality he had. When the days aren’t going well, he’s saying, ‘Okay tomorrow I will do it better.’ [He focussed on] the one per cent better every day.”

Tirante will be looking for that ‘one per cent better’ this week at the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Mexico City, where he is the top seed, aiming to improve upon last year’s finalist finish. The three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, fresh off his career-best season, is poised for even more of a breakthrough in 2024.

“I spoke with my team and [we said] if I finish the year around 70, it’s a good ranking for this year,” the World No. 108 said. “I will continue playing at a high level to keep pushing. I will try to improve my game day by day and then the ranking comes.”

A former junior No. 1, Tirante has been building for this moment ever since he could walk. Even before his first birthday, Tirante was already spending time at La Cumbre, a tennis club owned by his grandfather in La Plata. “I remember photos of me at nine months old with a racquet going to the courts,” Tirante said.

Coached by his aunt, Vanesa, until age 18, Tirante has come a long way since his first tournament, a 10-and-under event that he competed in at age six. In the second match of his life, Tirante faced Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who is two years his senior and now the No. 30 player in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“He was eight years old and I lost 6-0, 6-0,” Tirante recalled. “Tommy and I have a very good relationship. When we stay in La Plata, we practise a lot.”

Though it may have been a tough defeat for the young Tirante, it is now a funny memory that he and fellow La Plata-native Etcheverry can laugh about as they represent their home country at the highest levels of the sport.