“I feel the time has come to start saying goodbye, to enjoy every tournament in a different way and to end this phase of my life with gratitude for my beloved tennis.”
Roberto Bautista Agut Retires From Tennis
Roberto Bautista Agut will hang up his racket at the end of the season after a 17-year-long career, including 12 singles titles, 11 runners-up, and 27 weeks in the Top 10. At the age of 38, he accepts that the time to move on is now and appreciates all the support he has received over the years.
“I want to feel and appreciate the support of the people, to compete one more time in the tournaments that have been part of my life, and to say farewell on court, which is where I’ve always been happiest.”
Steady Progressions
The Spaniard was somewhat of a late bloomer, making his tour debut at 21 in Valencia and his Grand Slam debut at 23 in the Australian Open. That year, he broke the major milestone of a place in the Top 100 and continued to plow away on the Challenger Tour and lower range ATP Tour events.
2014 proved to be his breakthrough year. At the same place where he made his Grand Slam debut, Bautista-Agut shocked the tennis world with a 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5 win over Juan Martin Del Potro.
Just a couple of months later, he would make the semifinal at the Mutua Madrid Open, beating Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco. Unfortunately, he ran into Rafael Nadal; a tricky task at the best of times. Later that year, the Spaniard #9 won his first title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, beating Benjamin Becker in a three-set classic.
Eleven more champion honors would come his way in a career built on reliability and consistency.
Reliability Is The Key Word
He lacked a major weapon, but his ability to counterpunch and place the ball on both wings meant that he was never far from popping up with a run to an ATP 250 title. Even into his mid-thirties, he remained a factor.
A great grass court player on his day, he owns a 67.1% win rate and might be looking to recreate some magic this summer. It was on this surface that Bautista-Agut will be remembered for his fairy tale run to the 2019 Wimbledon semifinal.
There, he breezed into the quarterfinals without losing a set to face Argentinian Guido Pella. After losing his first set of the fortnight, he reset to win three straight sets and booked a place with eventual winner Novak Djokovic. The Serb was a step too far, and then needed four sets to secure an all-time classic victory against Roger Federer.
Andy Murray Thrillers
Moreover, he will also be known for his symbolic part in Andy Murray’s career. On January 14, 2019, Murray walked out to a packed John Cain Arena in what many expected to be his last ever tennis match. The place where he finished runner-up five times was treated to a five-set blockbuster between the Scot and Bautista Agut.
Except, obviously, it wasn’t his last match. Four years later, the pair met again, with Murray physically drained after two five-set matches in the previous round. Somehow, he took the tie to four sets but Bautista-Agut’s know-how shone through again.
In many ways, it was symbolic of Bautista Agut. He wasn’t flashy, nor was he worried about being a crowd pleaser. Yet, he made a fantastic living out of hard work, grit and determination. He may not be the poster boy of Spanish tennis in an era that has seen Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and David Ferrer graced the courts, but he is an example to every young player out there of what it takes to be a professional and how to conduct yourself.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
