Out of all the names to emerge on top of the line in Rome, Nicolas Jarry created a special place, both in the event as well as in the hearts of the fans. Besides beating top-ranked competitors like Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Chilean ATP star managed to take down Tommy Paul to secure a place in the finals against Alexander Zverev. Among all the aspects that helped him hold a firm grip in the red dirt, the support from his coach Juan Ignacio Chela remains at the top. But who is the man known as El Flaco?

According to the official ATP website, Juan Ignacio Chela is currently in charge of mentoring Nicolas Jarry. Born on 30th August 1979 in Argentina, Chela was a master of clay as he retired in 2012 with 6 ATP titles on the surface. The Argentine made it to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells back in 2004, where he faced a hard-fought defeat against none other than Roger Federer. Along with that, he also made it to the top eight at the Roland Garros same year where Tim Henman stunned him in a highly intense three-setter showdown.

Fighting for his positions against many other notable players, Nicolas Jarry’s coach secured a career-high ranking of no.15, adding another medal to his career as a player. Known as ‘The Skinny One’ (El Flaco), Chela reached the QFs of three Grand Slams — the French Open in 2004 and 2011, and the U.S. Open in 2007. However, his days of glory didn’t just end with his career as a player.

Before taking on Nicolas Jarry, Liliano coached fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzman for seven years before splitting up. Under his guidance, Schwartzman reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP ranking of 8, and now Chela is proving to be a great mentor for the Chilean ATP star.

On his journey backed by the Argentine, Nicolas Jarry won two singles titles, including the ones in Santiago and Geneva in 2023. Along with that, he also added another achievement by making it to his first-ever Masters 1000 final in Rome this year and now competes in the Italian Open final against Alexander Zverev.

As for Chela, his sporting interests lie beyond tennis as well.

Nicolas Jarry’s coach flaunting his football fanship

Besides being closely connected with the world of tennis from his early days, Nicolas Jarry’s coach Juan Ignacio Chela is also known to possess a deep love for soccer. Being an Argentine himself, the coach finds himself lost in the mesmerizing dribbling and legendary legacy of none other than Lionel Messi.

Back when Argentina’s football team lifted the FIFA World Cup 2022, Chela found it hard to contain his emotions. Where on one side Lionel Messi guided his team to secure a massive win over France in Qatar, Jarry’s coach jumped in excitement, expressing his thoughts on Instagram. “Eternal Glory. Thank you boys 🇦🇷❤️,” he wrote as a caption, embracing glory for his nation.

As the duo continues to extend their run for more titles all across the globe, it still remains to be seen how far they will be able to travel on this journey together.