Feliciano López introduced early this season that will probably be his final on the ATP Tour. David Ferrer was eager to do one thing particular as a parting reward. He shocked Lopez at his dwelling in Madrid with an invite to the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
The director of the ATP 500 occasion, which takes place on clay from 17-23 April, made the journey to the participant’s home to inform him the information in individual. “He was the final individual I used to be anticipating to see,” admitted López when he opened the door. “I wasn’t anticipating this go to.
Ferrer defined: “It is a wild card so that you can come and play on centre courtroom.”
The information implies that the occasion has now publicly introduced its first invitation, which has gone to a participant who performed his first skilled match in Barcelona on the age of 16. Now 41, López will say his goodbyes having competed there 22 occasions with a 21-21 file, and reached the quarter-finals in 2011 and 2012.
“I’m very grateful to everybody that kinds a part of the event organisation and, after all, to David Ferrer for giving me this chance as soon as once more,” Lopez mentioned. “David is a really particular individual on the earth of tennis, there are few gamers who’re extra liked and revered than he’s.
“In Barcelona they are often very completely happy that they made the fitting selection, there couldn’t be a greater ambassador for the event. I’m particularly excited that he’s working Barcelona and I’m doing Madrid at this level in our lives. We’re on parallel paths.”
Lopez, who can be the Mutua Madrid Open Event Director acknowledged that, “Barcelona is the place I began my profession and this metropolis will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart. Having the ability to have a send-off at this event is the top to my profession that I all the time dreamed of. I left dwelling very younger, at 13, and I’ve many nice reminiscences from the town.”
Lopez, No. 551 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 1998, obtained an invite to play in Barcelona qualifying, and he actually made probably the most of his alternative. In his first skilled match on the courts of the RCTB-1899, he beat Jan Weinzierl 6-3, 6-3. In his subsequent encounter he made historical past, qualifying for the principle draw by defeating Marcos Górriz 6-2, 6-4.
In his first match in the principle draw, he clashed with Jiri Novak, his first High 100 opponent (No. 90), but it surely was the top of the highway for him, he misplaced the encounter 6-0, 6-2.
Nonetheless, within the doubles competitors his identify seems on the roll of honour after his 2018 victory alongside Marc López. “It was a type of nice moments in my profession. Earlier than then I’d come so near the title with Rafa [they lost in the final] and it was a event that I felt like I ought to win. I performed with Marc, who was additionally very excited to win it as a result of it was his membership and it’s every week I’ll bear in mind for the remainder of my life.
Did You Know?López holds the file for appearances on the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell with the 22 he’ll attain this season. He performed yearly from 2001 to 2012, was absent in 2013, however returned in 2014 and has since performed there each season. Rafael Nadal, who will attain 17 this 12 months, is second on the checklist.
