Remembering Juan Aguilera, the talented Spanish who became Top 10 | ATP Tour

Obituary

Remembering Juan Aguilera, the talented Spanish who became Top 10

The Spanish died at the age of 63 in Barcelona

March 26, 2025

The world of tennis remembers Juan Aguilera these days, who died on Tuesday at the age of 63 in Barcelona, ​​his hometown.

Aguilera, who became professional after conquering the Júnior Spanish Championship in the 1980 season, added 5 ATP Tour titles and reached No. 7 of the PIF ATP Rankings in 1984. The Spanish retired in 1991, and could fully enjoy two of its great passions: literature and rock and roll.

Aguilera took his first steps at the Tennis de la Salud Club in Barcelona. Admiring the game of two great Spanish legends, such as Manuel Orantes, Pepe Higueras and Fernando Luna, Aguilera left tennis between 15 and 16 years to focus on music. In fact, during the 80s, he played the guitar and battery with his rock band, stick.

Aguilera stood out for his ease of playing tennis, exhibiting incredible elegance inside a tennis track. Owner of a wonderful setback to one hand, soon caught the attention of the technicians, who considered him one of the largest talents of the national scene.

There were no lack of all those who saw Aguilera’s huge capabilities, who achieved the greatest victory of his career when he defeated Boris Becker, at that time No. 3 of the world in Hamburg in 1990 by 6-1, 6-0, 7-6, recently opened the category of the ATP Masters 1000.

To get to that game for the title, Aguilera left rivals as a tournament like Goran Ivanisevic, Michael Chang, Jim Couer, Magnus Gustafsson and Guy Forget. Aguilera, who did not plan to dispute the tournament because he had to play the previous phase, was benefited from the decline of two players and directly agreed to the main box, starting the best week of his life.

“I have played the best game of my life,” said Aguilera after defeating Becker in a final marked by the rain, which was interrupted for more than an hour when the Spaniard dominated 6-1, 5-0. At the return of changing rooms, Aguilera finished the victory and crowned champion in the German city against the idol of the moment.

The Spanish, who had already conquered Hamburg in 1984 (although he was not yet of ATP Masters 1000 category left out of combat rivals like Yannick Noah and Guillermo Vilas), he chose to devote himself to training once retired. And that was what he did: in a school of E Premià de Dalt he dedicated himself to teaching the children the things he had learned throughout his professional career.

In addition to all the signs of affection received by the family, Rafael Nadal, champion of 22 Grand Slam titles, wanted to remember Aguilera on Tuesday afternoon in his X account: “My most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Juan Aguilera, a great reference of our sport, which we will miss a lot. Rest in peace.”

“We are doing a lot of talent on the track and outside it. Joan was special in every way. Sensitive. Detrieved. Astuo. Impulsive. Talented. And above all a heart too big for this world,” said Tomás Carbonell, who became No. 40 of the world and coincided with Aguilera, in the same social network.

Juan Aguilera will have a special place in the memory of all fans.