WATCH: Pablo Andujar tears up after his last Barcelona Open appearance
Pablo Andujar may have played his last professional tennis match on Monday, April 17, at the 2023 Barcelona Open. After the contest, he struggled to hold back his tears while addressing the crowd.
The Spaniard, who turned pro in 2003, took to social media last December to announce that the 2023 season would be his last on the tour since he wanted to dedicate more time to his family.
Playing on the Rafa Nadal Court, Andujar lost 6-2, 7-5 to Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round of the 2023 Barcelona Open. The 323rd-ranked Andujar enjoyed every single second of the match. His joy was visible, especially after he produced a special no-look shot and absorbed the applause that the spectators showered him with.
During his on-court interview, the 37-year-old struggled to speak as emotions ran high and the fans cheered him on.
“I’ve been coming here since I was little with my tennis club to see the only professional tournament we had near us,” Pablo Andujar said. “To me, it’s a dream that the same tournament is paying tribute to me today. I’ve played here 11 times. To me that’s incredible. I can only say thank you, a thousand thank yous, for having invited me and given me this opportunity.”
Andujar doesn't know whether he will receive wildcard entries in the future. But even if he doesn't, the Spaniard is happy to accept that he has played the final match of his 20-year-long career.
“I don’t have a high ranking on the tour, any invitations would be welcome, I’ll keep training, but I now have different priorities. If this is my last match, I’d happily accept it. If they were to give me an invite, it’ll be in places where I’ve had memorable experiences, and Barcelona is one of those places," he added.
Pablo Andujar calls his win over Roger Federer in 2021 a "huge moment"
In his lone meeting with Roger Federer at the 2021 Geneva Open, Pablo Andujar beat the 20-time Grand Slam champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
After the Spaniard's match at the 2023 Barcelona Open on Monday, he was asked to pick the favorite match of his career.
“Choosing one match is very difficult, but the one with Federer is undoubtedly a huge moment in my career. Above all, because it was towards the end and I’d never played against him. If playing against him was a dream, then beating him was a double dream,” Andujar replied.
Andujar is a four-time ATP titlist and reached a career-high ranking of No. 32 in 2015. He has so far played 405 matches in his career, winning 163 and losing 242.