Most players dream of playing in one Grand Slam. Feliciano Lopez has played in 71 of them—consecutively.
The 37-year-old Spaniard holds the record for most consecutive Grand Slam appearances, not missing a major since the 2002 French Open. He’s doing far more than just taking up space in draws, though. Lopez won his 95th Grand Slam match on Monday by defeating No. 26 seed Taylor Fritz of the United States in four sets, setting up a second-round clash with Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.
“I never expected to be playing this long,” he told ATPTour.com. “I know that it’s not normal. I’m very happy to keep going, play another US Open and add some more Grand Slams to my record.”
Much of his longevity has to do with his all-court prowess. Lopez has won ATP Tour titles on every surface and reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals, including the 2015 US Open.
But just two months ago, it seemed like Lopez’s streak would come to a halt. He fell outside the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time in 17 years and began working as the new tournament director for the Mutua Madrid Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event held in May. If his fans were wondering whether the end was near, even the Spaniard wouldn’t blame them for it.
“I’ve been thinking it might be my last year for four or five years now,” he joked.
During the grass-court swing in June, Lopez came alive again. He made full use of a pair of wild cards at London's Queen’s Club to take the singles and doubles (with Andy Murray) titles, marking his first clean sweep at an ATP Tour event. It also pushed his ATP ranking back inside the Top 60 and convinced the All England Club to grant him a wild card for Wimbledon, ensuring his streak would stay alive.
With nearly $17 million in career earnings, a cushy tournament director gig and his recent engagement to Spanish model Sandra Gago, few would blame Lopez for wanting to enjoy the fruits of his labor. But while he freely admits that being on the road for half the year has become less appealing, he knows the thrill of playing in stadiums and having crowds cheer for him is something he can’t replicate elsewhere.
His outstanding grass-court season also means he’s guaranteed to remain in the Top 100 until at least June 2020, ensuring another three Grand Slams will be added to his record if he wants them. Although Lopez hasn’t made any definitive decisions about next season, he’s heavily leaning towards adding a 23rd year to his illustrious career.
“The most important thing is that I love what I do and love to compete,” he said. “I don’t think it would be fair to stop now. I think I deserve another year.”
