Former UA Tennis Player Redirects His Passion for the Game

Wednesday, 01 February 2012 14:05

Former University of Arizona tennis player, Borja Jesus Malo Casado, said living in Arizona has not only allowed him to enjoy sun and warm weather year-round, but also has enabled him to improve his athletic and professional skills.

The 24-year-old was born in Spain and moved to Chile as a child.  Malo then came to the United States to play tennis and attend the University of Georgia in spring 2009.

“I was born in Barcelona, Spain and I was raised in this city until I was 10 years old,” he said.  “My family and I moved to Santiago, Chile because of my dad’s work and I stayed there until I was 14, when I decided to move back to Spain to continue with my tennis training.  At 17-years-old, I went back to Chile and I stayed there until I left for the U.S.”

Despite his love for both Chile and Spain, Malo took advantage of an athletic scholarship after participating in three recruiting trips in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.  In fall 2008, he decided to advance his career as a Division I tennis player and accept an offer.

“I loved the college atmosphere,” he said.  “I choose Georgia [because there were] national champions in tennis and because the school provided me everything that I was searching [for] in my college experience.”

After one year, Malo relocated to the Southwest and continued an athletic and educational career with the Arizona Wildcats.  

“I think the training in college in general, in Georgia and Arizona, brought me a lot of new skills.  Especially because [back home] we normally play in clay courts and it’s a very slow surface.  Here everything is in hard courts.  I think it taught me more how to be an aggressive player, and a better doubles player also, because all the tennis games in the U.S. [are] faster than back home,” he said.

Malo admitted being a college athlete is unlike anything he would’ve ever experienced outside the U.S.  He said he is thankful because even though he no longer is a team member – he graduated from the UA in December – he is still able to use all the athletic facilities.    

“I always emphasize how this experience is unique because no [other] country has it in the world. Being able to compete for a school and getting to really feel the colors of your school is priceless,” he explained.  “Traveling to play in the conference and getting to compete against different schools has been awesome for me. Also, I have met many people, and of course I feel I have met friends that will stay forever in my life, even though if one day I decide to move back home.”

Before he decided to move to the U.S., Malo gathered the support of his friends and family.  

“My life has always been in constant movement and the hardest part has been to being away from my family and my close friends,” he said.  “My family, that is the most important for me, has always been supportive of my decisions, even though sometimes that means we are separated for a long period of time. On the other [hand], my friends understand my life and they always tell me that they would do the same if they were in my situation.”  

Despite missing his loved ones, Malo said he adapted easily to the U.S. lifestyle.  As he looks like all other UA athletes, decked in Nike apparel from head to toe, it would take more than passing glance to make anyone think he’s from another country.  Rather, it’s his permeating and bombastic love for soccer may cause others to think otherwise.   

While he is most known for his tennis abilities, Malo said he also played soccer growing up.  

“I did play soccer, but I was much better at tennis,” he said with a laugh.  

Malo explained that his passion for “fútbol” has never changed.  Instead, he said it will always provide him with a connection to his homeland, regardless of where he resides.  

“A tradition for me is to watch FC Barcelona.  I watch every single game no matter where I am.  It’s more than a tradition, [but] a way of life. Soccer is very big for the Spanish culture,” he said.  

Because this sport enables him to feel close at home, he has no urgent need to return.  He is currently studying for his Graduate Management Admission Test and applying to graduate programs for sports management and marketing.

Although Malo accomplished many things as a collegiate athlete, he said he is done playing tennis competitively.  But, he will use his passion for athletics as he seeks a job in the professional world. 

“Right now I just really want to focus on my future, which involves sports, but outside the tennis court,” he said.

Did you know?

- Malo speaks four languages: English, Spanish, Catalan and French
-  He teaches tennis lesson to make extra money
- His favorite genre of music to listen to before a match is house music
- Malo graduated from the UA with a bachelors in history and a minor in sports management

Written by Shannon Maule, Video by Lauren Sokol You are reading Former UA Tennis Player Redirects His Passion for the Game articles