Given my location, I just had to go for Juan Carlos Ferrero. His tennis school Equelite is about an hour from where I live. I remember going up there one day just out of interest and had a look around. The great man was there just washing his car.
Was delighted when I went to ATP 500 in Barcelona in 2017 when he made a comeback in doubles partnering my other favourite Spaniard, Mr Carreņo Busta, having not played on the circuit for many years.
Robin Soderling was the 1st player to defeat Nadal in Paris in 2009. He reached the final losing to Federer and lost to Nadal in the 2010 final. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with mononucleosis in 2011 which was the final year he played on the ATP tour.
Mal Anderson was a player whose finals spanned a long period . As an amateur he won the 1957 US Championships, was runner up in 1958 and was also runner up in the 1958 Australian Championships. All these finals were against Ashley Cooper. They were the leading Australian players after Rosewall and Hoad turned pro. Anderson turned pro at the end of 1958. When tennis went Open in 1968, he was still playing and at the age of 36 he lost to 37 year old Ken Rosewall in the 1972 Australian Open.
