Emotional video: Feliciano Lopez announces farewell in 2023
Evergreen Feliciano Lopez will end his professional career this year. The Spaniard announced this in an emotional video on social media.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jan 02, 2023, 12:10 pm
Feliciano Lopez is certainly one of those names that have had a significant impact on tennis over the past two decades. Even if not with the really big title wins, but with an impressive consistency and persistence. The best example: In a whopping 81 Grand Slam tournaments in a row, the Spaniard was in the main draw until Wimbledon this year. An incredible streak that came to an end at the US Open 2022.
And so it is now, slowly but surely, the entire professional career of the 41-year-old. The Spaniard took to social media on New Year's Day with a touching video to educate his fans about something "most athletes think will never come." After more than 20 years as a professional tennis player, the veteran will retire in 2023.
Feliciano Lopez announces farewell tour
But not without a worthy farewell. Feliciano Lopez plans to end his career at some tournaments that have meant a lot to him in his career. "The dream of every tennis player is to be able to say goodbye on the tennis court and that's why next year I will play some tournaments to end my career," said the Spaniard.
In any case, it will be a farewell with great melancholy, as Lopez already emphasized: "I always thought that there was life after tennis, but now - as the moment approaches - I'm starting to realize how much I miss it will," Lopez said. "Tennis has given me everything in life, much more than the five-year-old boy could have dreamed of when his father put a wooden racquet in his hands one Christmas."
Nevertheless, the Spaniard is now also filled with gratitude - especially towards all those companions who have accompanied the 41-year-old for more than two decades of top-class tennis. "It was the best university there is. I take countless beautiful things with me," said the Spaniard. During his career, Feliciano Lopez has won five Davis Cup and seven ATP titles. The Spaniard climbed to twelfth place in the world rankings.