Fernando Verdasco

Verdasco: An extraordinary lefty with a spectacular career

Nothing lasts forever. Fernando Verdasco’s career came to an end on Wednesday in Doha, when the Spaniard and Novak Djokovic lost their doubles quarter-final to second seeds Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.

Verdasco, who had not competed since September 2023 prior to the ATP 500 event in Doha, officially retired after teaming up with the Serbian 24-time major winner, pulling the curtain on an incredible tennis career that started when he was four years of age.

“The emotions are very big, after being for a year and a half out of competition,” Verdasco said in a press conference in Doha this week. “I was not even thinking of making an official announcement or playing for one last time until I spoke with him [Djokovic]. Now I'm so happy to make it possible here in Doha. I've been living here for 10 years now, so this feels like my house, like my home, and there is no better way to retire in my home, with all my family, with my friends, and with someone like Novak Djokovic who, obviously, in the matter of numbers, is the best player in history of tennis and one of the best athletes in history as well.”

A professional since 2001, the 41-year-old Verdasco has brought to a close a successful career that was replete with iconic memories. With seven ATP Tour singles titles to his name, including that of the historic Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Verdasco peaked at No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings and amassed over 500 tour-level wins (559) in an impressive display of longevity. The Spaniard also helped his country to three Davis Cup titles (2008, 2009 and 2011) and played a leading role in the first of those crowns.

On 23 November 2008, the Madrid native won the decisive point to earn his country its third Davis Cup crown. Spain was facing Argentina in Mar del Plata when Verdasco defeated José Acasuso in an epic five-set battle that ended 6-3, 6-7(3), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to seal the away win and become one of the heroes of the tie.

“The biggest [memory] is the Davis Cup for my country, which I won three times,” Verdasco said. “Of these three, the most special one is the one in Argentina, when I won the fourth point of the finals against Acasuso, and I gave my country the victory.”

After finishing 2008 in style, brimming with confidence and playing his best tennis, Verdasco produced another of the most memorable moments of his career early in 2009, at the Australian Open. The Spaniard reached the semi-finals, leaving in his wake opponents of the calibre of Radek Stepanek, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. With a place in the final at stake, Verdasco squared off against his countryman Rafael Nadal. Their encounter was perhaps one of the greatest matches in modern tennis.

For five hours and 14 minutes, the two left-handers put on a spectacle, with numerous jaw-dropping shots, unstoppable winners, superhuman returns, and trick shots that had the fans on their feet time and time again on an unforgettable night. Verdasco would eventually lose to Nadal, but he had stamped his authority on the Tour and catapulted himself into the rest of his career.

“I knew Verdasco was talented, but not that talented,” said the legendary Rod Laver after witnessing the all-Spanish clash first hand.

The Madrid native’s talent, so admired by the Australian great that summer night in Melbourne, continued to shine throughout a stunning 2009. In that year, he ended as the No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, his career high, and qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in London. One year on, in 2010, Verdasco crossed paths with Nadal again, this time in the final in Monte Carlo (having seen off Djokovic in the semi-finals), and he came agonisingly close to an ATP Masters 1000 title. However, one week later, the Spaniard claimed one of the biggest trophies of his career at the Conde de Godó de Barcelona, one of the most prestigious events on the calendar.

Verdasco continued to rack up the victories until the end of his career, with titles in Houston in 2014 and Bucharest in 2016. In the Grand Slams, Verdasco's best finishes were the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2009, the quarters at Wimbledon in 2013 and the US Open in 2009-10, and the fourth round at Roland Garros on six occasions.

The lefty will be remembered for his powerful groundstrokes, a big serve and a forehand that was enough to frighten any opponent. Verdasco claimed his 500th career win in 2018, in Madrid, joining the elite club of players to have enjoyed enough longevity and success to reach the mark.

Verdasco also excelled in doubles, the discipline in which he brought his career to an end, alongside Djokovic in Doha. The Spaniard claimed 8 doubles titles, including the 2013 Nitto ATP Finals alongside David Marrero, and climbed as high as No. 8 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings.