“I don’t think there is a better way to end a career,” Tommy Robredo retires at the Barcelona Open after 23 years on tour amidst friends and family
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Tommy Robredo
Tommy Robredo had a career that lasted over two decades and during this time whenever he took the court, tennis enthusiasts would often flock to stadiums or sit in front of their television sets to not miss a moment of the crafty Spaniard. A lot of people from the previous generation claimed Robredo to be one of the most stylish and aesthetic gameplay.
However the 39-year-old bid his final goodbye after going down 6-1, 6-1 against compatriot Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the first round at the Barcelona Open. The same event where he won his first career game at the age of 16 back in 1999. Robredo was a handful for some of the top tennis stars for two generations. Starting from the likes of David Nalbandian and Juan Martin Del Potro to even Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Robredo has tasted success at least once against all of them. He was a major thorn for Argentinian tennis stars on tour as they would struggle a lot against the former World No.5.
However, Robredo never managed to win against compatriot and 21-time Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal and it is something that he does not regret any more as he has accepted Nadal to be that good a player.
“I grew up here,” Tommy Robredo reminisces his early struggles as he called his retirement at the Barcelona Open
The 39-year-old who has featured in seven Grand Slam quarterfinals out of which five have been French Open was at peace to end his career at the Barcelona Open. He shared how he belongs to this place and it was only right to finish it all here where it actually started for him.
“I grew up here. When I was 14, I started to be a member of the team competition. It was my first tournament as a professional when I was 16,” Robredo told TENNIS.com in press afterwards. “This is where I have most of my friends, and my family lives one hour from here.
“I think there is no better way to end a career than doing it in your tennis club, with your friends, with your family and with all the people that [have] followed you.”
Several familiar faces were present at Robredo’s presentation as he called it day. Players like Roberto Bautista Agut, Marc Lopez along with tournament president David Ferrer and former World No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and Davis Cup champion teammate Feliciano Lopez were players. While there were video messages from several top players such as Andy Murray, Feliciano Lopez, David Nalbandian and Carlos Moya among many others.
“To have them on the video, to have them next to me, it’s a special moment. I always will remember this because it’s like a family,” reflected Robredo. “It’s a great honor to see great athletes, great people, great friends that spend a little bit of time just to say a few words to myself. We have been travelling together, playing together, having battles together. Winning, losing, but enjoying this world for many, many years.
“I’m leaving this small group, but I’m not going to leave them. When we see each other, we go for dinner, we have a drink and we enjoy remembering things.”
Speaking of future possibilities Robredo feels that he will celebrate this long journey for some time now and later think of other things like taking up coaching or commentary. For now, he just wants to spend time with his family. “After that many years, I think that I have to celebrate also what I achieved and take a little bit of time. Then we’ll see what’s going to be the next chapter,” he concluded with a final kiss of goodbye to the crowd present in the stands in Barcelona.
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Atrayo Bhattacharya
(193 Articles Published)