David Ferrer to end tennis journey in Madrid after receiving a wild card
The 11th edition of the Mutua Madrid Open on clay courts at Caja Magica will take place between May 5-12 and besides the champion it will also be remembered as the farewell tournament for a former world no. 3 David Ferrer. The 36-year-old veteran has been struggling to find the form in the last couple of years and he decided to end his career at home in Madrid this spring, playing only a couple of tournaments before hanging his racquet on the wall after a magnificent tennis journey that has lasted for two decades. Known as one of the best and most consistent players outside the 'Big 3' in the last 15 years, winning 727 ATP matches and lifting 27 titles from 52 finals played between 2002-17!
Persistent and determined to never give up and always improve his game, Ferrer was a dangerous rival on every surface and both with or without a roof over his head, claiming 53 top-10 triumphs and no less than 331 wins at Masters 1000 and Grand Slam level, winning the most significant title in Paris in 2012. Acknowledged as one of the most successful Grand Slam players who never won a title, David advanced into the semi-final at both the Australian Open and the US Open multiple times, playing in the final match at Roland Garros 2013 when Nadal defeated him in straight sets. Between August 2005 and the end of 2017, David was a top-20 player almost all the time and he spent more than 350 weeks in the top-10 company, a true testimony of his skills and quality.
Also, he won 28 out of 33 matches in Davis Cup, helping Spain to earn some big wins and delivering five singles triumph in the final ties to write some of the brightest pages of Spanish tennis history. David decided to play a few tournaments before Madrid, retiring in the second round of Auckland (he won four titles there in the past) and heading to Buenos Aires and Acapulco where he also stood as the last man standing on four occasions. He will compete in Barcelona as well before ending a career in Madrid, playing in the Spanish capital for 15 straight years between 2003-17 before skipping it last spring. The organizers have confirmed on Friday that David has received a wild card, getting the opportunity to play his final match in front of the family, fans and his colleagues, being one of the most respected players on the Tour and a role model for the upcoming youngsters.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2S3uWTP
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