Feliciano López, a 41-year-old professional tennis player, will retire after 25 years in the sport. He will play his final tournaments in Barcelona, Mallorca, and possibly Queen’s. López has been invited by the organizers of the Reial Club Tenis Barcelona (RCTB), where he started playing tennis at 13 years old and played his first tournament at 16 years old. López won the doubles title at the same tournament with his friend Marc López five years ago. He considers the Barcelona tournament to be special to him and one of the four or five tournaments he will play before retiring.
López has won seven ATP individual tournaments and five doubles tournaments in his career, in addition to three Davis Cups. He holds records such as being the only player to play at least 20 times in each of the four Grand Slam tournaments and the player who has played the most consecutive Grand Slams (79). His style of play is different from the typical Spanish prototype, as he focuses on a quick and low-impact style of tennis that utilizes his height and skill at the net. López has won seven individual titles, with two on hard courts, four on grass, and one on clay.
López sees himself as a different type of player, and he is proud of his legacy as a pioneer in Spanish tennis, breaking the stereotype that Spanish players can only succeed on clay courts. He was inspired by Carlos Moyà’s victory over Pete Sampras in the 1997 Australian Open final and the Spanish Davis Cup team’s success on hard courts. López’s final opponent at the Barcelona tournament will be David Goffin, ranked 85th in the world. López’s goal is to prepare well, play competitively, and enjoy his final moments on the court. He may play his final tournament on the grass in Mallorca or at Queen’s if he receives an invitation.