The tennis player Feli López has announced this New Year's Eve, through a video published on his official Instagram account, that he will retire from the courts after playing some tournaments in 2023.
"Dear friends. The time has come to share with you something that most athletes think will never come. After more than twenty years competing on the circuit, I have decided to put an end to what one day began as an illusion and ended becoming the most beautiful and exciting work in the world", he explains with his voice accompanied by images that collect some of the most relevant moments of his career.
"The dream of any tennis player is to be able to say goodbye on a tennis court and for this reason I am going to play some tournaments next year to end my career. The idea is to be able to play some of the tournaments that for different reasons have meant something important during these last twenty years", he points out without specifying which ones.
"I always believed that there was life after tennis, but as the time approaches I begin to realize how much I will miss it. Tennis has given me everything in life, much more than that five-year-old boy could imagine when his father, one Christmas, put a wooden racket in his hand", he continues.
"I look back and I can only be grateful for everything I have achieved and for all the personal teachings that tennis has left me. It has been the best university possible. I take countless beautiful things with me, but one occupies a special place. The A lot of incredible people I have met and have accompanied me along the way. We still have many moments to live together off the slopes", he adds.
The tennis player also has a special memory for his family, his sponsors, the press and his fans: "I also want to thank all the people who have helped me achieve my goals and become a better person during all these years".
"There are many of you and you have all played an important role at some specific moment. You are the main reason why I have been able to extend my career so long, life is much more bearable when you surround yourself with special people," he says.
Feliciano López has so far accumulated five Davis Cup titles and seven individual titles in ATP tournaments. In addition, as a doubles player, he has achieved a fourth place in the 2012 Olympic Games, a win at Roland Garros and six final victories in ATP tournaments.
