Grand Slam long-running Feliciano Lopez is in series with 75 majors
He is Mr. Konstanz when it comes to participating in the most important tennis tournaments in the world: Feliciano Lopez . At the Australian Open 2021, the 39-year-old moved into the second round on Tuesday.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit:
Feb 09, 2021, 03:27 pm
When Feliciano Lopez became a father for the first time on January 4, 2021, he had "not really" believed that he would be competing at the Australian Open this year. But on Tuesday noon, 36 days after the birth of son Dario, Lopez was once again undaunted on the court, he hit 21 aces, produced 54 winning strokes and in the end won his first round match against the Australian Li Tu with 6: 7, 6: 4, 7: 6 and 6: 4.
It was not just any match on Court 7 of the National Tennis Center, at this extraordinary event in Corona times, it was a historic tennis moment: With Lopez's start, with his participation, there was a special Grand Slam anniversary to be noted . The 39-year-old from Toledo has now played 75 major tournaments in series, a lonely, eternal record in tennis history. “I'm just happy to be there again. And to have won, "said Lopez, whose marathon across the Grand Slam venues began at the 2002 French Open in Paris," my wife ultimately encouraged me to go to Australia. "
Curious but true: Spain's highly regarded young star Carlos Alvarez, who was already hyped in the headlines as the “new Nadal”, was currently 17 years old when Lopez started his remarkable series. The Spaniard, always traded a little under the category of handsome and snob, actually turned out to be a tough major permanent guest in the traveling circus. “It is an unbelievable achievement that someone competes in every Grand Slam for nineteen years and is never seriously injured,” says Rafael Nadal, who was repeatedly plagued by minor and major ailments.
Feliciano Lopez: One of the Federer generation
Lopez grew up with Roger Federer in the tennis business, the Swiss was a regular customer at the Grand Slams before he was slowed down by injuries in the late career phase after 65 majors in a row. For Lopez he has "only the greatest respect," says Federer. The Swiss, however, is - in addition to a thousand other best scores - also the record holder for most Grand Slam participations: He leads here with 79 starts ahead of Lopez (76). In seventh place on this hit list: Philipp Kohlschreiber with 64 participations, the Bavarian is not represented at the Australian Open this year.
The indestructible Lopez also stands for a very special tournament performance: At the grass competition in Queens in 2019, he won a total of five games in singles and doubles on the weekend of the finals - on Saturday his semifinals as a soloist and two doubles matches with Andy Murray. Followed by the two victorious finals in singles and doubles on Sunday.