Nicolas Moreno de Alboran, a 26-year-old American tennis player, is set to make his Roland Garros debut this month. However, his journey to the prestigious tournament has been marked by a harrowing health battle that nearly derailed his career.
Last summer, after competing in the US Open, Moreno de Alboran contracted the dengue virus from a mosquito bite while visiting the Dominican Republic. Initially mistaking it for COVID-19 or the flu, his symptoms rapidly worsened. He lost 20 pounds in two weeks, experienced severe muscle aches, and his white blood cell count plummeted to dangerously low levels.
Hospitalized in the Dominican Republic, Moreno de Alboran faced the possibility of a medically-induced coma if his white blood cell count continued to drop. “A single mosquito bite put everything in perspective,” he said. “All the tennis, training, tournaments, my goals for the season, were put on the back burner.”
After 10 days in the hospital, Moreno de Alboran was discharged but continued to experience lingering symptoms for several months. Despite the setbacks, he remained determined to regain his fitness. This year, he achieved his first ATP main-draw victory in Delray Beach, qualified for his first Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, and reached his first ATP quarterfinal on clay in Marrakech.
His impressive performances earned him enough points to secure the USTA’s merit-based challenge, which will grant him a wild card into the Roland Garros main draw. “It’s been a tricky start, but I’m slowly getting back to my winning ways,” Moreno de Alboran said. “But looking back, I can only be grateful for the incredible care by the Dominican nurses, and the valuable lessons learned along the way.”
Moreno de Alboran’s story is a testament to the resilience and determination of athletes who overcome adversity. His journey to Roland Garros is a reminder that even the smallest of setbacks can have a profound impact on one’s life and career.
