“Representing Aruba in the Davis Cup is definitely one of the most outstanding moments. There are many other memorable experiences as well, but the best part for me is that I was able to experience many of them with my closest friends and family”

Inspired by Marat Safin, Gian developed an aggressive baseline playing style and learned the importance of working hard during moments of pressure. "I tried to serve hard and score points with my forehand. That's more how I wanted to play, but eventually you also realize that during moments of pressure when you're a little nervous and can forget how to hit the ball, the most important thing is simply to play hard and put the ball back into play."

As a tennis player, Gian left Aruba and his family at 15 to attend a tennis academy in the United States, when he received a scholarship to continue his studies, thanks to his contributions to the sport of tennis. "Honestly, I don't consider these things as sacrifices really. I liked practicing and when I went to the tennis academy, I went to a place where I was surrounded by people just like me and could play tennis all day!

Gian managed to study at the University of Wisconsin, which was a significant achievement for him. “I was extremely happy and relieved. It was a lot of work for me and my family to contact all the different schools and ask if they were interested in having me be part of their program. Many said no, but luckily some said yes. The simple fact of being able to play tennis and study at the University of Wisconsin was a fantastic experience. I met friends there who I will forever stay in touch with. To get a program to give you a scholarship is very similar to applying for a job. You have to send your application to different programs, but in the end, if you're good enough, a coach will want you on their team.