At Happy Slam in 2009, Fernando Verdasco made headlines worldwide when he outwitted Rafael Nadal in an epic five-setter that lasted five hours – his breakthrough match marking his presence on the grand stage after never making it past fourth round at any Grand Slam before this. Now as Verdasco decides to retire after an extraordinary tennis career of nearly 15 years has concluded. Novak Djokovic of Serbia honored Verdasco by offering heartfelt remarks when their rivalry ended for good in 2010.
At 41 years of age, Fernando Verdasco made a welcome comeback to ATP Tour competition through a wildcard entry at Qatar Open with Novak Djokovic as partner. Their pairing brought back memories and showcased Verdasco’s unyielding determination and skill; quickly defeating Alexander Bublik and Karen Khachanov before falling short against Henry Patten/Harri Heliovaara in quarterfinals; after which Djokovic took to social media to pay his respects as they celebrated shared moments as well as Verdasco’s career achievements together.
Djokovic’s tribute included several stories on Instagram. The first featured a comparative image of both players spanning 20 years, eliciting a sense of nostalgia and timelessness. His caption conveyed gratitude and admiration for Verdasco’s dedication to tennis. In another post, Djokovic highlighted their final singles match against each other and their reunion as doubles partners, emphasizing the significance of sharing Verdasco’s last professional match together.
Fernando Verdasco’s career is one of resilience and achievement. Since turning professional in 2001, he reached the ATP Top 10 in April 2009 and won numerous singles and doubles titles including his most significant win at Barcelona Open (2010) – helping Spain secure Davis Cup victories alongside Djokovic as Spain won them! At retirement time in 2016, Verdasco made one last appearance alongside Djokovic to round out an exceptional career.
Djokovic suffered an unexpected setback at Doha tournament with an early exit, emphasizing his ongoing difficulty adapting his game to professional tennis’ ever-evolving dynamics. Yet Djokovic remains confident about future performances; looking ahead to Indian Wells where he hopes to capture 100 career trophies at ATP Masters 1000 event.