Robredo ends career in front of home fans in Barcelona

Former world No 5 Tommy Robredo, of Spainhas , the final match of his long and glittering career in front of his home fans at the Barcelona Open, bowing out in the first round to countryman Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

The 39-year-old Robredo, currently ranked No 362 in the world, had decided that Barcelona would be the final act of his career, which began way back in 1998.

Playing just his second event of the year, Robredo went down in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 to 25-year-old Zapata Miralles, who is ranked No 119 in the world, in just over an hour.

Robredo won 12 ATP titles and was a seven-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist in singles

During his career, Robredo won 12 ATP singles titles, 11 of which came on his favourite surface, clay, including the Barcelona Open in 2004. He also won over $13.4 million in career prize money during that time.

The biggest title of his career came in 2006, when he won the ATP Hamburg Masters. He also won 5 ATP doubles titles, including two with compatriot Rafael Nadal, one of those coming at the 2008 Monte-Carlo Masters.

Robredo’s best perfomance at a Grand Slam was reaching the quarter-final round on seven occasions, five of those coming at Roland-Garros. He was also a three-time semifinalist at the US Open in men’s doubles and reached the mixed doubles semis at the Australian Open.

A big supporter of team competitions, Robredo was part of Spain’s Davis Cup winning team in 2004, 2008 and 2009 and their Hopman Cup winning squad in 2002 and 2010.

Among his many achievements include him being the only player in Open Era history to make three consecutive comebacks from two-sets-to-love down, which he achieved en route to reaching the quarter-finals of the 2013 French Open.

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