MADRID, 18 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spanish tennis player Tommy Robredo put an end to his brilliant sports career this Monday by falling in his debut at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell-Conde de Godó Trophy against his compatriot Bernabé Zapata for a clear and convincing double 6-1 that did not tarnish his emotional goodbye.
The man from Girona, who will turn 40 in May, was able to have the desired farewell, at home, with his family in the stands and with the Rafa Nadal track, the central one of the RCT Barcelona-1899, packed to accompany him at this moment, certified after send a ‘drive’ out.
The one from Hostalric was one of the ‘Armada’ players who shone the most at the beginning of the 21st century. He came to be in fifth position in the world ranking in 2006 and leaves the circuit with 891 games played in a 23-year career and a record of 12 titles, including a Godó in which he debuted in 1999 at the age of 16 and where he was even capable to beat the Russian Marat Safin.
In addition, he was part of the team that won the Davis Cup in 2004, 2008 and 2009, and reached the quarterfinals of a ‘Grand Slam’ seven times (US Open 2013, Roland Garros 2013, 2009, 2007, 2005 and 2003, and the Australian Open 2007).
The Catalan tennis player, who had not played a main draw in the ATP for almost three years, did not have too many options against Bernabé Zapata, 15 years younger and who was not carried away by any kind of emotion, preventing his journey in the Barcelona event from being beyond.
In just over an hour, the Valencian, classified from the previous round and with a more competitive pace, got rid of the Girona player by a double 6-1 and met in the second round with another compatriot, Pablo Carreño, eighth seed.
In addition to Zapata, Jaume Munar from the Balearic Islands also qualified for the second round, invited by the organization and who successfully beat the Italian Gian Marco Moroni, ‘lucky loser’, 6-2, 6-4 in a duel that put by taking eleven of the first fourteen games. Georgian and ninth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili will be his next opponent.
Finally, he was unable to accompany his two compatriots Nicolás Álvarez Varona, classified from the previous one and who was defeated by the American Brandon Nakashima 7-6(6), 6-3. The Spaniard had a serve and set point at 6-5 in the first set and also had a set point in the ‘sudden death’.