ITF player pathway graduate and grant recipient Buse makes Peru proud

Peru’s Ignacio Buse will take to the clay of Roland Garros later today and compete in the men’s doubles alongside Mac Kiger of the United States as they take on Ray Ho of Chinese Taipei and Germany’s Hendrik Jebens.

Buse became the first Peruvian player since 1983 to win an ATP singles title on European clay at the weekend following his victory at the Hamburg Open, surging to a career-high No. 31 in the world rankings as a result.

The 22-year-old, whose uncle is renowned chef Gaston Acurio, emerged from the ITF player pathway. He is a former world No. 9 who proceeded to win three ITF World Tennis Tour titles before tasting success at ATP Challenger Tour level and beyond.

Buse is another player to have received financial support through the ITF-operated Grand Slam Player Development Programme in the form of Grand Slam Player Grants. He is one of 19 players currently in the ATP Top 100 to have done so. 

He has also represented the Touring Team which, like Grand Slam Player Grants, is funded by the four Grand Slams but operated by the ITF. The programme enables opportunities that may otherwise not exist for players from underrepresented tennis nations.