Feliciano Lopez announces sudden retirement from professional tennis

| by Balasz Virag

Feliciano Lopez, one of the most respected and experienced players in the world of professional tennis, has announced that he will be retiring from the sport before the start of the 2023 season.

The 41-year-old Spaniard has been a mainstay on the ATP Tour since 1997, and has built an impressive career over the years, with numerous titles and accomplishments to his name. In 2022, Lopez played a total of 16 singles matches, winning just one as he increasingly focused on his business projects and his role as the Madrid Open tournament director.

Despite his limited playing time, Lopez remained a popular and well-respected figure in the world of tennis, known for his sportsmanship and professionalism on and off the court.

Throughout his career, Lopez achieved a number of impressive feats, including reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon three times, a career-high ranking of No. 12 in the world, and a Davis Cup title with Spain in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.

As he prepares to hang up his racket and bid farewell to the ATP Tour, Lopez can look back on a long and successful career that has left a lasting impact on the world of tennis. He will no doubt be missed by fans and fellow players alike, but his legacy will live on through his contributions to the sport. He announced the news by sharing a video on his social media.

"Dear friends. The time has come to share with you something that most athletes think will never come. After more than twenty years competing on the circuit, I have decided to put an end to what one day began as an illusion and ended up becoming the most beautiful and exciting job in the world," Feliciano Lopez said.

“The dream of any tennis player is to be able to say goodbye on a tennis court and that is why I am going to play some tournaments next year to end my career. The idea is to be able to play some of the tournaments that for different reasons have meant something important during the last twenty years," he added.

Feliciano Lopez loses streak of 79 consecutive Grand Slam appearances
Feliciano Lopez loses streak of 79 consecutive Grand Slam appearances

“I always believed that there was life after tennis, but as the moment approaches, I begin to realize how much I will miss it. Tennis has given me everything in life, much more than that five-year-old boy could have imagined when his father, one Christmas, put a wooden racket in his hand," Feliciano Lopez stated.

"I also want to thank all the people who have helped me achieve my goals and be a better person during all these years. There are many of you and you have all played an important role at some specific moment. You are the main reason why I have been able to extend my career so long, life is much more bearable when you surround yourself with special people," he said.

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