MURCIA, April 8, 2019
This week’s Murcia Open ATP Challenger event will be the last tournament for Nicolas Almagro as a professional tennis player. This was announced by the former World No. 9 in a press conference on Monday morning.
“I was part of a historical era of this sport. There have been many victories and many defeats. Many told me that I could have achieved more, but I have given everything to tennis and tennis to me,” Almagro said. “I will stop competing professional tennis here in my home town, in front of my family and friends at this wonderful tournament.”
Nico Almagro: “Lo dejo. Dejo el #tenis. Y quiero hacerlo aquí, en mi club, el Murcia Club de Tenis, con mi familia, mis amigos, n mi ciudad y en este maravilloso torneo, el Murcia Challenger Open”#GraciasNico pic.twitter.com/CnCJXQKC1u
— Murcia Club de Tenis (@MurciaClubTenis) 8. April 2019
Almagro played his last tournament at the Szczecin Open in September last year. The 33-year-old Spaniard struggled with a left knee injury lately. Currently unranked Almagro has won 13 ATP Tour titles from 23 finals, all on clay, and he has played just 10 ATP Challenger events after 2006, winning five titles at this level but none since Genova in 2015. The Murcia native will open his home campaign against fellow Spaniard Mario Vilella Martínez on Tuesday.
The first edition of the Murcia Open will offer a total prize money of €46,600. The winner will earn 80 ATP-Ranking points. Top seed is Pedro Sousa from Portugal, currently ranked World No. 103.
