Alfonso Ochoa — My Grandpa
In Mexico, it’s super rare to call someone by their actual name. I feel like everyone has nicknames and Alfonsos are referred to as Poncho. My grandfather’s name is Alfonso Ochoa, but he goes by Poncho. But get this, just like how my mom and I share the same name, my grandpa shares the name Alfonso with my uncle and my cousin.
Alfonso Ochoa, Alfonso Ochoa & PJ (Ponch Junior). So cute!
It’s only fair that my grandpa gets a spotlight on the blog too. In case you didn’t know, he was also a professional tennis player. He played at a top tennis program in the States and traveled the world with my grandma. They’ve been married for 58 years and tbh I can’t think of one person that I’d want to be with for 58 days lol. Ok, let’s go.
When and why did you start playing tennis?
My dad played tennis at a small club located in the middle of the beautiful Chapultepec Park, Mexico City. On Saturday afternoons, he would takes us, my brother and I, to that cub. When I was 9 or 10 I picked up a tennis racquet and since then, I never have let it go. I still play tennis at least once a week despite my knee and eyesight problems — I enjoy it and keeps me active.
When did you realize you were good enough to go pro?
Probably when I won the Junior National Tournament and when I started competing in and winning some tournaments in the States
How many years did you play professionally & why did you stop?
I only played the international circuit for three years. I was to start going for the fourth year, when in Mexico City I was invited to represent the Mexican National University, where I was enrolled, but never attended classes as I was playing tournaments. My university was to play a US college, Lamar. I played and beat their number one player and then their coach pull me aside and offered me a full scholarship! He convinced me that I needed an education, since there was not really good money in tennis at the time and although I was a good player, I was not good enough to become of one of the best in the world. So instead of flying to Monte Carlo, where I was invited to play, I flew to Beaumont, Texas to attend college and represent their tennis team.
Where did you play in college and what was the experience like?
As I mentioned, i attended Lamar University which was a small college, but had the best team in the country! I have to mention that in the team we had players from all over the world; Australians, South Africans, British, Brazilians, Mexicans and only one of us was from the US. You might even know one of my teammates, Cliff Drysdale.
Going to college was a great experience! Not only for the education that I received, but belonging to a varsity team and being a member of the tennis team that was very well recognized gave me a special status and recognition on campus as well as the responsibility of trying to behave well on and off of the tennis court. Going to college is a decision that I have never regretted.
What is like being married to Yola?
We are going to celebrate 58 years of being married. We have celebrated her many victories on the courts together, but most of all, she has been an exceptional wife, mother and grandma that has raised our fantastic family. So I will always be grateful and proud to be her husband.
(I’m sobbing at this point…. how cute are they!!?!?)
How did you your life change after having kids ?
It will always be a joy. We are lucky to have such fantastic and successful children and grandchildren, with strong ties even now that they are grown ups — it has been such a blessing for us.
What do you for work now?
I have a small company that constructs and repair sports surfaces; mainly tennis courts. We are fortunate enough to be in charge of the courts of the two most important international tennis tournaments played in Mexico; The Acapulco Open and The Los Cabos Open.
I do not own this picture — Express.co.uk
What was like working on the court for Roger Federer’s exhibition in Mexico?
It was ever so stressful as it was not played on a real tennis court… It was played on a bullring that we had to convert in one base to support a tennis court made of carpet. We had a short window of time to have it ready and additionally, the bullring had events so we had work to meet the specifications and guidelines for the bullfighters to perform and then go back in to meet the specifications and guidelines needed for the tennis court. Somehow we were able to finish just in time and court and the exhibition were great! The match ended past midnight at that time we had to go in and prepare the ring again for bullfights as they had another bullfight in less than 14 hours! Don’t want to go through that again but it was an amazing experience to be a part of.
Tell us about the StreetTennis Clinics.
It is something that we are very proud of. We literally gave the tennis clinics on a street in a low income neighborhood. We would go there and bring portable red (beginner) tennis balls, old racquets and used equipment that we collected from private clubs. The members of the clubs donated many items and we are so grateful for their donations.
The kids would be waiting for us to arrive in the street, so eager to take the clinic and see what we were bringing. They would like to learn what we have done in tennis and would go Google to investigate what Yola had done. They were very talented and the older ones took it upon theirselves to take racquets and balls to teach other kids at their schools. So gratifying that we were able to do it!
(I remember going with my grandparents once and as we drove up the kids were literally at the gate/fence waiting to open it for us as soon as we arrived. It was a very special moment for me as I love volunteering and giving back but doing it in Mexico, at home, just hit so differently. I’ll never forget that day.)
Why do you think playing sports is so important and what tennis has done for you?
Exercising has been proven to make you live longer and better lives, what better way to do it than practicing a sport? To me tennis is and always will be part of me. Since tennis is basically an individual sport, it teaches you to try to be successful on your own, without the need to lean on or get help from others.
What is your favorite tennis memory?
I have a few. Maybe playing on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the US Open (Forest Hills at the time) in front of so many people. This is still in my memory
Who is your favorite tennis player and why?
I have to say Roger Federer. It not only because he is arguably the best player ever, but also because of how he behaves in and out of the courts. He is a role model and he is so good for tennis.
Can you tell us about Billy Knight and what he means to you?
Billy Knight is such a great guy and friend! We and they (he and his wife) have stayed at each other’s homes and vacationed together many times. We are lucky to be in the “ Last Eight Club” of Roland Garros were they offer us VIP treatment. There, we try to go every year and meet with Billy, and his wife before she passed away a few years ago, and his kids. We also meet up with our other very dear friends Pierre Darmon and Rosie Reyes and have a traditional dinner that started first with the six of us and then grew up to include our children and now it includes our grand children as well! The families have also become friends of each other, so that is very special for us.
“I just want to add how fortunate we have been to live long lives to enjoy our children and friends that we have made.”
I’m very lucky to have and have had such close relationship with both sets of grandparents. Poncho is one of my best friends. He texts me every single morning when he wakes up to check in on me and he always knows what the weather is going to be like in whatever city I’m in. We say he’s like the family weatherman. If you have had the chance to meet him, I know you will understand how special he is to me.
Te quiero, mi Poncho. Gracias por responder mis preguntas. Seguro ya estas llorando porque ahora te pones muy sentimental :) Talk to you soon. xoxoxo
