By Martyn Herman
LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - For every Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, there are hundreds of professional tennis players doing the hard yards on the lower tours, scratching out a living before calling it a day.
Tunisia's Moez Echargui fits into that category. This time last year he was ranked just inside the top 500 and earned $2,160 for winning an ITF tournament in Monastir.
Now Echargui stands on the cusp of a career breakthrough -- at an age when many journeymen are thinking about
what to do once they have hung up their rackets.
A stunning run on the ATP Challenger Tour last year has lifted him to 134th in the world and into the Australian Open qualifying tournament next week, his first taste of life at a Grand Slam.
There remains the task of winning three matches in Melbourne to reach the main draw, but for Echargui, just being in qualifying is a reward for persevering when others might have stopped chasing the dream.
"When I arrived at Melbourne Park to get my accreditation, I was like, 'Gosh, I've made it here,'" Echargui, the highest‑ranked African player in the world, told Reuters by telephone. "Seeing all the signs with AO everywhere, it was an exciting moment. I felt like a little kid."
The difference from the stages on which he usually plies his trade was striking, said the Milan‑based player, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nevada.
"Everything's made easy for the players. The food is free, the laundry, the transport. There are staff available to help. It actually feels easy to be here."
It certainly was not an easy journey to get there.
INJURY PROBLEMS
Echargui was close to a top-100 junior, but a combination of injuries and limited funding led him to focus on his studies before deciding to try his luck on the pro ranks in 2017.
He moved to Milan in 2019 to train at the MXP Academy under coach Paolo Moretti, but a serious wrist injury along with knee and hamstring problems left his career in jeopardy.
His career highlight seemed to arrive in 2024 when he qualified for the Paris Olympics via an International Tennis Federation (ITF) place after winning the African Games, earning a first‑round appearance at Roland Garros, where he lost to Britain's Dan Evans.
What looked like a retirement story instead became a turning point. Like a fine wine, Echargui has improved with age and now, in his 30s, has a chance to establish himself on the ATP Tour.
"At 29 years old, I made the decision to go to Milan. I think a lot of people at that age would say, ‘Maybe I’m at the end of my career,’” he said. “Why go to another country, leave my parents and family?
“But I think I’ve made a good decision. Tough moments, but good moments too.”
During a 17-match winning run last summer Echargui won successive ATP Challenger titles in Porto and Hersonissos last before another title run in St Tropez.
He made his ATP Tour main‑draw debut in Metz in November, losing to American eventual champion Learner Tien.
Whether or not he qualifies in Australia, Echargui looks set to taste tennis's bigger stages this year on the ATP Tour and will target the top 100.
"It's been a bumpy journey and the dream could have faded away, but when I look back, I think I passed through the storm,” he said. “I deserve to be here. No one gave it to me.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
