The latest successes and emotions of former top ten players Francesca Schiavone, Tommy Robredo and Lleyon Hewitt show: Tennis knows no age or ranking limits – and that’s wonderful.
There is a lot of talk about the “Next Gen”, partly – see Rudi Molleker – even about the “Next Next Gen”.
In the last few days, however, some of the “Old Gen” have drawn attention to themselves. And more than that: They have set a sign why tennis is so great. Because there is no age limit for professionals either – or a provision for former top players to hang up their clubs after a crash in the ranking.
The Spaniard, twelve tournament victories, three-time quarter-finalist in Paris and now 36 years old, is celebrating his umpteenth comeback. Knee problems, elbow surgery – Robredo was out of action several times. He missed the 2016 season almost completely, since then he has been stuck somewhere between 150th and 250th in the world rankings, as the former fifth in the world rankings. At the weekend Robredo won the Challenger in Lisbon – and let his emotions run free. In Roland Garros Robredo retired in qualifying round one – but he seems a long way from ending his career.
In 2010 she surprisingly won in Roland Garros, in 2011 she reached the final again. In recent years, the Italian has slipped down, has made it through smaller tournaments or has had to qualify – as she did in Paris this year. “It’s fantastic. Now I can go home and have some wine. I am very very happy,” she rejoiced the current world number 265 about her victory in qualifying round one. Schiavone, who recently also had to struggle with aches and pains, also accepts the accompanying circumstances without grumbling. “It feels weird. I have to walk now, I don’t have a car. This is different from 20 years ago, but it’s okay.” She doesn’t want to know about what may be her last performance in Paris. “Maybe,” she joked, “but don’t tell anyone, or they’ll give me another trophy to say goodbye to – and I’ll come back in the end.” Schiavone will play Jamie Loeb from the USA in qualifying round two this afternoon.
The former world number one has played the last years of his career under far away – and yet every match as if it were his first or last. The famous “C’moooons” were at least as loud as when Hewitt won two major titles in the early 2000s. After ending his individual career last year, he is now coaching his young compatriot Alex de Minaur, with whom he made a small double comeback in Estoril and won a match. And: It goes on for Hewitt – to the delight of his fans: at the grass court tournament in Queen’s at the latest.
Tennis is old, and how disrespectful is it for some fans to tell some players to stop if they are no longer ranked? Only one determines the end of the career: the player himself. No matter what ranking he’s in – and no matter how old he is. “We stop when we want to,” twittered double specialist Bruno Soares these days – and he is absolutely right.
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