Diego Maradona was one of the most revered figures in soccer history. While he immortalized his name due to his exploits in the 1986 World Cup, he had Jorge Burruchaga to thank for it. Maradona saw his country through to the finals, and Burruchaga scored the winning goal, helping Argentina lift the trophy. 38 years later, Jorge’s son, Roman Andres Burruchaga, is carrying his legacy forward, albeit in a different sport.
Roman comes from a family of gifted athletes. His father etched his name in soccer history, and his older brother, Mauro Burruchaga, has followed in his footsteps. Mauro plays as a midfielder for Chievo in Italy. The youngest Burruchaga also loves soccer, although it does not hold a candle to tennis.
Roman has been steadily climbing up the ranks. He broke into the world’s top 200 players by making it to the finals of a Challenger tournament last year. The 22-year-old Argentine made his ATP debut at the Cordoba Open this week. He enjoyed the local support, and he did them proud as he defeated his compatriot, Diego Schwartzman.
A night he’ll never forget 🙌
🇦🇷 Roman Andres Burruchaga defeats Schwartzman 6-1 4-6 6-4 in his ATP Tour debut!#CordobaOpen pic.twitter.com/Csfglzvmxy
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 7, 2024
Roman has already impressed in his first ATP event. He took on the namesake of Maradona and handed him a crushing defeat. This victory is more special, considering that he played in the shadow of the Estadio Maro Kempes, where his father lit up the soccer stadium with his exploits for the Argentinian national team.
The rising star still has a long way to go, but this is a start for Burruchaga. As his ascent continues, it begs the question: How did Jorge’s son pick up a tennis racket?
Roman Andres Burruchaga opens up about his love for tennis
Burruchaga grew up playing soccer alongside his brother, but he found his calling in tennis. Roman confessed that his father supported him, even when he chose to play a different sport.
“I prefer to play tennis. I used to play soccer, but my father said to me that I should choose what I want – he likes tennis too,” said Burruchaga (via The Sun).
Roman’s father also loves to play tennis, despite being a soccer legend. Jorge traveled to England to watch his son play at the Wimbledon Juniors in 2019. Roman Andres Burruchaga was in the presence of illustrious company, like Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.
Burruchaga lost to eventual champion Shintaro Mochizuki that year. Jorge, however, could not be more proud of his youngest son. The soccer legend also loved tennis, and he confessed his French teacher got him into it, and he learned how to play.
Jorge has always supported Roman
Roman displayed nerves of steel against Schwartzman. He handled the pressure well when the match went into the deciding set. It helps that he learned from the best—his father.
The young Burruchaga has previously spoken about how his father’s being a professional player has helped. Jorge is well-versed in the problems that come with being an athlete.
Roman has taken a leaf out of his page on how to deal with pressure and the problems of playing a sport. “He’s given me a lot of advice. He understands the problems too – the emotions, good moments, bad moments,” he said.
Roman Andres Burruchaga has a long journey ahead of him, as he is still in his early days on the tour. While his run might have ended at the Cordoba Open, he has won a lot of hearts.