ENGLEWOOD — Roman Borvanov’s body deserves a break.
Traveling around the country weekly while playing in 35 to 40 tennis tournaments per year is beginning to take a toll on the tennis pro.
Borvanov battled through a stiff back to win his second $25,000 Safe-way Foundation Men’s Open Tennis Tournament in two years, defeating No. 1-seeded Nicholas Monroe 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday. In between sets, Borvanov spent the entire break time with his back roller, attempting to relieve the discomfort.
“If I’m not injured, I always play (in tournaments),” said Borvanov, who lives in Portland, Ore. “I don’t have any obligations or commitments at home, so I feel like, ‘OK, where are the tournaments? What am I sitting at home doing? There’s nothing to do. Why not pick up some money and use it to travel more?’ “
Borvanov displayed spectacular defense and a killer serve on an afternoon when his competitor struggled to hit the ball over the net. Monroe, who trains with Borvanov and met him five years ago, tried his best to force Borvanov away from his comfort zone along the baseline. But drop shot after drop shot led Monroe to commit many unforced errors — with the last one costing him the match.
“When you’re playing Roman, you know you’re going to have to hit a lot of balls and you’re going to have to work hard,” Monroe said. “I tried to mix up my game and tried to take him out of his comfort zone, but he responded to everything very well, and he played a better match than me.”
Borvanov, originally from the former Soviet Union, began playing in tournaments year-round after he graduated in 2005 from the University of Portland. The lifestyle wasn’t glamorous in the beginning. Borvanov roomed with as many as three players at a time, ate unhealthy food and was fortunate to break even if he won prize money at the tournament. Now, he is living life as a rock star compared to five years ago.
With the help of tournament directors, Borvanov usually has no problems finding a host family in a different city every week. He normally leaves the tournament with more money than he came with if he wins, and Borvanov said that a portion of the $8,000 he received on Sunday will go toward a down payment on a new house.
“It’s kind of fun playing in these tournaments,” Borvanov said. “And in the end, pick up a check and go home and enjoy myself.”
Monroe can relate to the grind. The professional has experienced playing around the country, in addition to entering international tournaments.
“I spent two weeks in Nigeria last year, and it’s one of those things where I was eating spaghetti with ketchup for two weeks straight, lunch and dinner,” said Monroe, who competes in another tournament today in Lexington, Ky. “You get used to just making things work. It’s a different lifestyle for sure.”
Borvanov is undecided on what tournament to enter next. The 119th annual Pacific Northwest Open Tennis Championships in Tacoma, Wash., may pique Borvanov’s interest later this week, and he also has his eye set on the Odlum Brown Vancouver Open at the end of July.
“There’s all of these options, but I’m going to see how my body feels,” Borvanov said. “I’m on a long stretch. I haven’t had rest in weeks now.”
Shemar Woods: 303-954-1609 or swoods@denverpost.com
