When Fernando Gonzalez first found out about the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit his native Chile, it took him an hour to finally reach his family. And when he talked to them, he found out the earthquake was as violent as reported.
Fernando Gonzalez celebrates after clinching Chile's first-round Davis Cup victory against Israel on Monday in Santiago. Gonzalez is skipping this week's Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, Calf., to help in his home country following the major earthquake on Feb. 27.
"They were really scared," the 29-year-old Gonzalez said in a telephone interview. "Some people thought it was going to be the end of the world."
The Feb. 27 earthquake killed about 500 people and reduced some cities outside Santiago to rubble.
Rather than play this week at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Gonzalez decided to stay in Chile to visit the ravaged areas and work on trying to raise funds for relief efforts.
In announcing Gonzalez's withdrawal from Indian Wells, the tour said there would be no sanctions for missing the event.
On March 22 in Key Biscayne, Fla., Gonzalez will hold a silent auction, featuring items from top players, at a party hosted by SOBeFit magazine. SOBeFit will also host a private party, where only 10 tickets will be available for $1,000 apiece.
Donations can be made online at www.hogardecristo.cl.
But Gonzalez said there is much more that is needed.
"We are a small country, we are prepared for this kind of thing, but the earthquake was too strong. It was too strong," said Gonzalez, the 10th-ranked player in the world. "In the States, they are sensitive with the rest of the world. My country needs help. It needs help. They have to rebuild the country again. We need the whole world's support."
The earthquake struck on Feb. 27 and Gonzalez had just lost a semifinal match to David Ferrer in Acapulco. Afterward, Gonzalez's girlfriend got a text just as the earthquake hit at 1 a.m. It took an hour before Gonzalez could reach his family, who are all fine.
Two weeks earlier, Gonzalez was playing a tournament in Santiago, reaching the semifinals.
It took Gonzalez three days to return home, taking three flights, a taxi and a van ride. Once there, Gonzalez witnessed the aftermath first hand.
"Santiago, it was OK. We are prepared for the earthquake, but not this kind," Gonzalez said. "Most of the city, it looks OK. If you go to the south part, maybe 200 miles, that's the main area. I'm going there (Wednesday) and I will see some small towns, where maybe a thousand people live. Many of (those cities), they're all gone, they disappear."
Soon after touring some of the devastation, Gonzalez filmed a video that is posted on the ATP Tour's website in a plea for help.
"I talked to people who lost everything -- not family, but they lost house and cars. They have nothing, nothing," Gonzalez said. " I felt I could do things in many places in Chile where the most damage is."
Gonzalez has been one of the top players on the ATP for years, reaching the 2007 Australian Open final and winning three Olympic medals.
Last week, Gonzalez was called upon again to play in the Davis Cup against Israel. The tie was delayed a day because of the traveling problems. Gonzalez was again the hero for Chile, winning both his matches.
But it was hard to focus on tennis.
"It was a tough situation," Gonzalez said. "Other people in Chile were having a tough time and we were trying to focus to try to win. I was doing things around Chile the day before the match. It was tough, it was tough. Of course, you turn on the TV, they put all the images from the earthquake and people need help.
"It's tough because you want to do something and when you play, you can't do too much. Now is the time to do it."
SOURCE: The Desert Sun
Leighton Ginn
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