Juan Sebastian Cabal & Robert Farah: Sitting on top of tennis world

A remarkable pair of Colombians are now residing at the top of the tennis world. Over the course of their stellar 2019 campaign, they won the two biggest tournaments in the sport, achieved the No. 1 ATP Ranking in doubles, and demonstrated in their early thirties that they are the most masterful partnership in their craft. Juan Sebastian Cabal, 33, and Robert Farah, 32, have never had it so good in life. Speaking with both men over the telephone this past weekend, it was apparent to me that they fully appreciate their exalted status in reaching the top of the ladder, and are determined to maintain their winning ways. They have already locked the year-end No. 1 ranking with 8210 points amassed in the Race to London, almost 4000 more than the No. 2 team of Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

Asked to put his rise to the highly coveted No. 1 spot in perspective, Cabal says, “It’s amazing and unreal for us, for Colombia and for tennis history in our country. We are really happy for what we achieved this year. It has been a crazy and happy journey. We have known each other for a long time and trust each other one hundred percent. We believed we could be at the top and we finished No. 2 as a team last year. We have worked hard. We have been at another level and are doing things right.”

Farah is in complete accord, adding, “It was pretty surreal to win two Slams in a row but we are grateful. Once we started advancing at Wimbledon, No. 1 started becoming a reality. They let us know in an interview when we won our quarterfinal that if he won the tournament we would be No. 1, but for us the priority was to focus on the semis and then the final of Wimby. So getting No. 1 came as a bonus. That was pretty cool. We are very thankful for it.”

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Not only did this accomplished duo collect consecutive Grand Slam titles in 2019, but they took the two most prestigious crowns of them all in that process on the lawns of the All England Club and the hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. That  towering achievement is rare. Jack Sock and Mike Bryan claimed those prestigious crowns in 2018 but the last time a team captured both titles in the same year previously was when Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge realized the feat in 2003.

As Cabal explains, “Wimbledon was really special for us. It is on grass, which is supposedly our worst surface and we had tough matches all the way. In the fourth round we won a three set, three hour match. The quarterfinals was four hours, and the final five sets and five hours. Every day was a battle to recover and be ready to go the next day. It was amazing to win our first Slam so everything was like a fairytale for us as we went to No. 1 in the world. Winning Wimbledon and reaching No. 1 was one whole package. At the US Open we lost only one set in the tournament but had to keep fighting and digging. We knew we could handle everything. Winning two Grand Slam tournaments in a row was unreal actually.”

At Wimbledon, they played best of five and at the Open the format was best of three sets. But Cabal and Farah have needed to adjust in recent years with all of the others on the ATP Tour in doubles to a match tiebreak determining the outcome rather than playing the third set out. Farah says,  “For me, it is a tough format leaving no room for mistakes and very little time for reaction. Obviously you get used to it but it is completely different from the Grand Slams. With experience in the super breakers you gain extra value of staying calm and not getting nervous. You do get used to the situation.”

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Cabal is in accord, saying, “We are used to it but it is a crazy format. One point can decide a whole match in the Super Breakers—a shot off the frame or something like that. I don’t want to say it is unfair but I would prefer a best of three sets with No-Ad, or two sets with ads and a Super Breaker at the end. But you learn with the Super Breakers you have to be 110 percent and can’t give anything away. You have to be aware of everything and play from the first point until the last with the same intensity.”

These two determined individuals have set consistently high standards both at the majors and on the ATP Tour, winning five titles altogether including the Masters 1000 crown in Rome. They have played 20 tournaments thus far in 2019, winning 48 of 63 matches. Success of that kind requires the right blend of skills and superior teamwork, both technically and temperamentally.

Cabal says, “I play in the deuce court and Rob plays in the ad. We can play aggressive with both at the net or both at the back.  We play a lot of ways. It depends on the surface but we normally try to serve-and-volley the whole time but sometimes we stay back and come in later in the point. Rob is way more emotional than me on the court so knowing that I sometimes make a big scream. We understand each other well.”

That point of view is shared by Farah. He says, “Doubles has become more hybrid. You don’t have to serve-and-volley every time. Surfaces have gotten slower and players faster. You just try to keep raising the bar and that is humankind. Juan Sebastian has the touch and likes to play with the angles and he reads the game really well. He has good hands at the net. I have more of a power game. The more we play together, the more I start gaining some of his attributes and the more he gains some of mine. We just keep improving that way. Since he is more calm and I am more energetic, I sometimes have to pick him up and he needs to calm me down. We have a good dynamic.”

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With their complimentary skills and personalities, it is no wonder that this tandem is thriving in their early thirties. They also owe a debt of gratitude to their coach Jeff Coetzee, who has quietly played a primary role in their triumphs. Moreover, another reason they are such extraordinary doubles competitors is because they ended their singles careers six years ago. As Cabal says, “Rob was once ranked about 160 in the world and I was 180. We played good singles but took the position to concentrate only on doubles.”

Both players would like to stretch their careers as long and as far as they can, hopefully into their forties. Do the brothers Bryan inspire the Colombian duo with their longevity?

As Farah replies, “The Bryans have always been my example to follow since I was in college from 2006 to 2010 at USC. I have been watching them play and the way they have elevated all of the doubles records is outstanding. It is a very big example from them with their work ethic, competitiveness and all aspects of tennis. They are such good role models. I love to practice with them and we don’t do it that often, but when we do they have so much energy and that makes it fun.”

Cabal shares that point of view but expands on it. He says, “The Bryans have an amazing career. The secret is simple: they just stick together and work always to improve and share the same goals. I would love to be playing at the same age as they are and still be competitive but everybody is different. If my body can do it, I will try. I am working with my physio and eating the right food and trying as hard as I can. The Bryans were controlling the tour when we started and winning everything. We know them well and have been at the same tournaments for a couple of years. They are really good guys. We don’t have dinner together but we practice and chat. We would like it if we are still playing in our forties like the Bryans.”

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Unlike the renowned Bryans, if Cabal and Farah walked into many tournament sites with their player credentials in different parts of the world, they would hardly be recognized by the vast majority of spectators. But the fact remains that they are immensely popular and well known in their own country. They have put the game front and center in Colombia with their exploits, especially over the last years. And they are very proud of representing their nation on all of the prominent stages, as well as next month at the Davis Cup Finals in Spain when Colombia will appear in the World Group for the first time.

As Farah says, “Tennis has become a big sport in Colombia now. The whole country was basically watching our final at Wimbledon and they lived it like it was a World Cup Final in soccer. Literally we have gone from being normal people in Colombia to being like stars. It is very exciting to play that role for the kids and to really help the sport and make people understand it better. Davis Cup is clearly the dream of every kid so it is very exciting for us to be in the World Group now after so many years. It is very rewarding and hopefully we can do some good stuff and have some very good teams in the future. The country of Colombia really watches and enjoys the Davis Cup competition.”

Cabal is every bit as effusive about his heritage and playing for his country as his partner is, conveying his feelings with sincerity and passion.

“Colombia gives us a lot of love and support,” he says, “We are making history in Colombia and we are showing the next generation that it is possible to fight and to win these big tournaments. When I grew up I never saw Colombians playing and never had someone to show me the way. So we are trying to help the next generation. There will be someone with Rob and me to show them the way. And with Davis Cup, it is just amazing for us to be in the World Group and we are really excited about that. Every time Rob and I played this year in other countries all of the Colombian fans went crazy. We always have Colombians cheering for us. It is going to be crazy at Davis Cup in Madrid and I am really looking forward to it. This can be one of the nicest moments of my career and Rob’s too.”