BARCELONA/STARNBERG, April 19, 2022
Former World No. 5 Tommy Robredo played the last match of his career on Monday, losing 6-1, 6-1 to Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the first round of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
The 39-year-old Catalan from Hostalric turned professional in 1998 and was coached by José Manuel “Pepo” Clavet and then by Karim Perona. Robredo considered his forehand to be his best shot, and red clay his favorite surface. He remains the only player in Open Era history to mount three consecutive comebacks from two sets down, a feat achieved en route to the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros 2013.
Robredo captured 12 ATP Tour titles and reached seven Grand Slam quarterfinals. His last triumph took place at the Parma Challenger in Italy in June 2019.
Photo of the Day
Spain’s Tommy #Robredo salutes the crowd as he retires at age 39 in Barcelona, where he began his ATP Tour career at age 16
📸Manuel Queimadelos pic.twitter.com/wKbdAawPt0
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) April 18, 2022
“Tennis has given me everything and today is a day that I will always remember. It was a long career. I wanted to end it in Barcelona. I would want it to be a bit more competitive, but it was special to finish here,” Robredo said after his last match at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899, where he lifted the trophy in 2004.
“Now it will be time to dedicate myself to my family, especially my daughter,” Robredo told Spanish news agency EFE ahead of the ATP 500 tournament. “Until now I’ve never had anything more fulfilling than tennis, but now I’ve found it. I want to be at home with my family and my daughter. Now I know that I don’t want to miss the first time she walks or says ‘papa’.”
