Tennis players are always at the center of the ATP World Tour’s world. But this week at the Ecuador Open in Quito, the country’s capital, the competitors paid a visit to the actual center of the Earth at the equator.
Gael Monfils, his doubles partner Dorian Descloix, No. 1 Chilean Nicolas Jarry and home favourite Roberto Quiroz — the No. 1 player from Ecuador — played mini tennis on the equator during a visit to the Mitad del Mundo on Monday, where government officials presented the quartet with sombreros de paja toquilla — Ecuadorian hats.
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All of the players attempted to do something that cannot be done except on the equator: balancing an egg on a nail. Only Jarry was successful with his effort, but all of the stars had a blast trying. They also learned how cacao is turned into chocolate and performed ‘Limpia’, a spiritual ritual led by a Shaman that is meant to release bad energies.
They will hope that pay dividends this week in Quito, with the first ATP World Tour clay-court title of the season on the line.
