Hugo Calderano has a peculiar practice at the WTT Star Contender in Goa: he changes his jersey to an identical yellow and green one after each set. He claims it shields the rubber on his bat and keeps his arms dry. Even if its effectiveness has been questioned, Calderano, looking dapper in his unusual gear, lived up to his top-seed status.
On Sunday, he defeated six-time Olympic medalist Dmitrij Ovtcharov in the men’s singles semifinal but lost a hard-fought six-set match against Felix Lebrun, an up-and-coming star.
The 27-year-old table tennis sensation Hugo Calderano is not your ordinary athlete; he is a native of carnivorous Brazil. This committed vegetarian, who recently secured his best score of the year in Goa, chose garlic naan and dal makhani over a celebratory barbecue.
Calderano skill set
Beyond the table, his seven-language polyglot abilities and his lightning-fast nine-second Rubik’s cube solve are what impress. Calderano is an exceptional player in the world of sports because of his distinctive combination of skill, diet, and abilities.
Calderano said; “It started after I watched a documentary and started researching the health and performance benefits of becoming vegetarian. It was a bit unusual when I started, but it’s fine now,. ” an article from sportstar mentioned.
Hugo Calderano, a Brazilian who is ranked seventh in the world in men’s singles table tennis, can be attributed to his performance in the 2020 Olympics, having advanced to the quarterfinals. Among the best players to come out of the Americas, Calderano’s career is remarkable, particularly considering he didn’t grow up playing the sport.
Even though Brazil has only sometimes competed at the international level—Hugho Hoyama’s 1996 Olympic campaign aside—Calderano’s career highlights his unquestionable talent and commitment, demonstrating that greatness can come from unlikely places.
Table tennis may not rank in the top 10 in the world of sports, but it’s a gripping passion for him. He was drawn to the sport because of its dynamic nature, which required both muscle and imagination. Even though he still loved volleyball, when he was twelve or thirteen, he had to choose, and table tennis won out. It’s a game that combines mental and physical skills, so it’s always been fun for him.
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Cover Photo: IG