Verdasco ends career with doubles loss alongside Djokovic in Doha

Spain’s Fernando Verdasco officially called time on his tennis career on Wednesday, February 19, as he and his doubles partner Novak Djokovic lost 7-5, 6-4 to No 2 seed pair of Henry Patten and Harri Hellovaara in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Qatar Open.

Djokovic joined Verdasco following a disappointing result against Matteo Berrettini in his singles opener in Doha. The Serbian-Spanish duo resisted the reigning Patten and Hellovaara vehemently for an hour, 22 minutes, creating three break points but the reigning Australian Open champions saved them all.

They produced disciplined tennis and broke Verdasco-Djokovic, who notably saved two match points, once in each set to secure the win. It ended with the Spaniard netting a forehand on the return, bringing down the curtains on an impressive professional career that began in 2001.

Verdasco won seven tour-level singles titles in his career and peaked at world No 7 in April 2009, reaching the Australian Open semi-finals the same year to record his best run at the Grand Slams. He also played three quarter-finals at the Majors—at the US Open in 2009-10 and at Wimbledon in 2013.

He reached the fourth round at Roland Garros on seven occasions (2007-10, 2014, 2017-18).

Verdasco and Djokovic’s 6-1, 6-1 success against Alexander Bublik and Karen Khachanov in the first round in Doha on Monday (February 17) remains the Spaniard’s final win on the ATP tour.

A win against Rafael Nadal on clay

Like many, Verdasco remained in the shadows of the Big Three—Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—but he notably did what a few could do, that is to beat Nadal on clay.

He did it at the 2012 Madrid Masters, beating the 22-time Grand Slam champion 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the Round of 16. Furthermore, he also defeated Nadal in the first round of the 2016 Australian Open (7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2). Overall, the Spaniards collided on the court 20 times and Nadal ended as the head-to-head leader with a 17-3 record.

Verdasco came face-to-face with Djokovic 15 times. He beat the Serbian (6-1, 4-6, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4) in their first-ever encounter, at the 2005 US Open (Round of 32). But the 24-time Grand Slam winner had the last laugh, winning their last match, played at the 2018 French Open (Round of 16), in straight sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-2) to close the head-to-head at 11-4 in his favour.

Notably, Verdasco could never overcome Roger Federer in their seven battles on the tennis court.

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