The time has come. David Ferrer is retiring next month after playing his final tournament at the Mutua Madrid Open.

He will leave behind him one of the best careers in the history of Spanish tennis, replete with ATP Tour titles (27), a Grand Slam final (2013 Roland Garros) and career-high ATP Ranking of No. 3. The emotional memories he left on the court won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Ahead of his first-round match on Tuesday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Ferrer spoke with ATPTour.com about his two decades as a professional.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen an iconic image; your bandana lying on the court.
I don’t do it to look good. It all started in Auckland. I lost the match and that is my last memory of each tournament. It’s like leaving your final drops of sweat behind.

The end of your career is very close.
Yes, and I’m feeling good. I feel happy with my transition into accepting that I’m going to stop playing and that this was going to be my last year. There is always a little bit of fear at the last tournaments. You think about how you’re going to feel. But my goal is to be happy. I feel competitive, I’m playing the tournaments that have given me the most affection and that I am most excited about. Thanks to the career I’ve had, I can look back and feel proud of everything I’ve achieved.

Did you expect so much affection?
I really didn’t. It’s really surprised me. Above all, from my peers in the world of tennis. For example, in Auckland, which is a completely different country, seeing how they appreciate you. That’s why you want to leave behind good memories of all the years you’ve played tennis. That’s what will stay with me. Apart from having been what I was as a player, I’ve given something that people liked.

Is that worth as much as a title?
Of course, easily! It’s worth more! In the end, all you have left is the person, The titles stay in my trophy room, but they are no more than trophies. The experiences I’ve had, the affection I have received from the fans and my peers and friends in the world of tennis is what will stay with me.

How much have you grown as a person since you started playing?
Well, it’s what I am. One of the things I feel happiest about is my progress as a person, year by year in the world of tennis. If I look back at myself when I was 20 years old and look where I am now, I see two completely different people. There would be a lot of things about that kid who was starting to play that I wouldn’t agree with. But that’s part of life. Failing, evolving, growing every year as a person and as a tennis player.

What would you say to that kid?
To calm down, to be interested in doing other things, to listen to other people, not just to those around him at the time. I’d say so many things to him! I’d ask him above all to be more relaxed and enjoy the moment. I demand a lot from myself, but despite that you can still enjoy every moment.

Were you pressured to play by your parents?
I was very lucky with my parents. I’m not just saying that because it’s them, but I’ve always had great respect and regard for this sport. They gave me values in life for which I will be eternally grateful. My father has always set an example. He always insisted that the important thing is not to win or lose, but to do whatever you can, try your best and enjoy playing. You have to be clear that it’s only a sport. You have to understand that defeat hurts and he understood that. But my parents did a good job and I never felt pressured.

Have you thought about what you’ll do when it’s over?
I haven’t thought about it much. I’m sure it’ll be something in the world of tennis. I love and adore it. My life has been so intense and I have travelled so much that what I want is to be with my family for a while and slow down a little. Being able to travel a little slower, to discover the world in a more relaxed way and to focus more on them. Spending time with my family and my son.

I’d like to ski, to commentate, which I’ve never done, and to know how I can communicate… It’s a way of learning through teaching. I have really enjoyed teaching 10 to 16-year-olds. It’s a time for young people and teenagers and that’s where I’d like to help. Not this year, because I want to take a break, but it’s something I’m excited about for next year.

Do you really think that Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have made you a better player? You say that a lot.
Without a doubt. They were very ambitious. Rafa has been a mirror for me. Although he is younger and joined the tour later, I’ve learned from him. Winning a tournament and winning it again. Winning at Roland Garros, going to Queen’s Club and winning again… That showed me that it’s not enough when you win a tournament. You have to keep going. That helped me reach number three in the world and to have the consistency I did. If I hadn’t seen those players, I wouldn’t have been such a good player.

But wouldn’t you have won a Grand Slam in another era?
I’ll never know. If I hadn’t been such a good player, maybe I wouldn’t have won a Grand Slam. I can’t start thinking about something I don’t know. I can only say that I haven’t won a Grand Slam because I wasn’t able to. I’ve tried to give my all but I wouldn’t exchange places with players that have won one. There are players that have one a Grand Slam and have only played one or two Masters 1000 finals. I’ve played in seven, I’ve been the second or third player in the history of Spain to win X matches, the 12th in the world to win X number of matches… My tennis life has been very good. I felt good about myself for many years of my career.

And the French Open final against Nadal?
It’s different because I never had a chance. I’m not blaming anyone, but my motivation for that match was not the best. I went onto court a little distressed. And that’s normal because it was my first final. It’s logical. Anyway, maybe in those moments we were none the wiser. Neither myself or my team had a better idea of how to approach the match. We did what we could.

Which players impacted your career?
I’d say Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moyà, Albert Costa and Sergi Bruguera. I learned a lot from them. With Àlex Corretja too as Davis Cup captain. But first Juan Carlos, because he helped me so much. He was a mirror for me and he gave me good advice. He was the first number one and then I came along. It’s not easy because we are from the same community, but he opened his doors to me and offered advice. We were very close. It’s something I’ll be eternally grateful for. It’s similar to what I feel now with Roberto Bautista.

Juan Carlos taught me to help a young player. We got on well and he gave me the chance to be with him at a tournament we had in Valencia. I have a lot of respect and affection for him. If there’s one thing I regret, it’s not having taken the step of working with him at certain points of my career. Players like Carlos and Sergi too, they are figures that I could have learnt so much from. There were times in my career when I didn’t know how to do that.

How many true friends do you have from the tour?
I would say three or four friends. I have a lot of peers for whom I have a lot of affection. But the friendship I feel with Juan Carlos, with Feli and Marc López, I have a special affection for Rafa… Roberto Bautista too even though he’s younger. They’re special people. I don’t really like to name names though.

Who’s the toughest opponent you’ve faced?
For me, it’s Roger Federer. He would change the pace and drive me crazy. Maybe I made him sweat like many players, but I never had the chance to be able to beat him.

Has life passed you by too quickly?
It’s gone quickly because I’ve been happy. When life goes slow or you’re in a situation you don’t like everything slows down. If you do a job you don’t like, I imagine it must go very slowly. However, I love what I do, my work has gone by quickly because I’ve been happy

What made you decide to end your career at the Mutua Madrid Open?
Because it’s a Masters 1000, because Feliciano is there, because Madrid has always treated me unbelievably well. The people love tennis and I have a lot of affection for the city. I play at home, I have the chance to do so at a Masters 1000 and the best players are there. To me, having the chance to end it playing in a tournament where the best players are, that’s what I want.

What do you think about Feliciano being Tournament Director?
I really like it. I’m very biased because he’s a friend of mine. But he’s a necessary figure in the world of tennis. He’s a people person, he has an image, he knows the tour well and he understands tennis players. In that regard, he is the ideal person for the role. I don’t think there will be a better tournament director than Feliciano.

What has your relationship with Manolo Santana been like during this time?
It’s been very good. Manolo is a great person. When you talk to him and see the jokes he makes… He has a very happy life at a late age. He has a spark. He’s really helped us young players so much. I remember when he’d call when I lost and it’s unusual to see that someone is concerned for you without getting anything in return, but Manolo did that. I have so much respect for everything he’s given to tennis. He was a pioneer. It’s thanks to him that we are what we are and I am talking to you today.

What memory would you like your son to have of his father?
I would like him to remember that his father played with him. That we do things together, that I study with him and spend time with him. Obviously, I’ll never be his friend because I’m his father, but I’d like him to feel he can ask me things and to be open in that regard.

What are the top five moments of your career?
The [2013] Roland Garros semi-final where I beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The [2012] Paris-Bercy final.

Were you aware that it was your tournament?
I saw my chance when Andy Murray lost, I saw that Novak Djokovic, Rafa and Roger weren’t there… Also, at that time in 2012, I felt very close to them. It was the best time of my career. That leaves three… When I won in Valencia. The Davis Cup [tie] in Seville and the Davis Cup [tie] in Barcelona.

Will you continue to watch tennis?
Yes, of course. I already do it because I like it. I don’t do it because I miss tennis or because I’m not at Indian Wells or Australia, just to watch and discover. I like it, not for any reason in particular.

Will you miss the adrenaline of competition?
That’s what I’ll miss the most. It’s going to be impossible to find. Competing will be the thing I miss the most. I’ll have to find other things. Cycling or something to calm the beast a little.

Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman set up a second-round meeting against third seed Dominic Thiem on Monday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The 26-year-old Schwartzman overcame an up-and-down performance that included 53 unforced errors to beat Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Nishioka, who hit 16 winners to 42 unforced errors, struggled with cramps as the two-hour and 19-minute match finished. Schwartzman was playing his third match in Barcelona after having to qualify because the Argentine, No. 25 in the ATP Rankings, forgot to sign up before the tournament deadline.

He trails Thiem 2-3 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, although Schwartzman has won their past two matchups, including earlier this year 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) at the Argentina Open in February.

Home favourites went 2-2 on day one in Barcelona. Jaume Munar ran away with his first-rounder against Portuguese qualifier Pedro Sousa 2-6, 6-4, 6-0, and will next meet #NextGenATP American and 14^th seed Frances Tiafoe. Both players competed at the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

In an all-Spanish battle, 2010 champion Fernando Verdasco beat wild card Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-3. Verdasco, the only former champion in the draw besides Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori, will next meet 13^th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Chilean lucky loser Nicolas Jarry gained revenge against Spain’s Marcel Granollers 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Granollers had beaten Jarry in three sets in the final round of qualifying. The 23-year-old Jarry will next meet second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany.

Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer will face top seed and 11-time champion Rafael Nadal. Mayer outplayed Romanian Marius Copil 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5 to advance.

American Taylor Fritz will face Nishikori for the second time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series on Tuesday (Nishikori leads 1-0). Fritz ousted friend and compatriot Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4.

Matteo Berrettini of Italy provided the first surprise win of this year’s Hungarian Open on Monday. In a wild match featuring eight breaks of serve, he hung tough in Budapest to defeat seventh seed Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-4.

Berrettini will play Aljaz Bedene in the second round. The Slovenian recovered from being down a double break in the opening set to defeat Aussie Bernard Tomic 7-6(3), 6-3.

Eighth seed Radu Albot continued his fine form this season with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine. The Moldovan broke his opponent twice in each set and secured the win on his fourth match point after one hour and 41 minutes. He’ll take on qualifier Filip Krajinovic of Serbia, who squandered four match points in the second set before recovering to beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-5.

The first doubles match of the week saw third seeds Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski of Great Britain defeat Mate Valkusz of Hungary and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia 6-0, 7-6(4).

Tuesday’s schedule features fifth seed Laslo Djere of Serbia, sixth seed and 2018 finalist John Millman of Australia and Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters runner-up Dusan Lajovic of Serbia.

Rafael Nadal walked away from the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters last week without playing in the ATP Masters 1000 final for the first time since 2015. But the Spaniard, who lost to eventual champion Fabio Fognini in the semi-finals, is ready to put the upset behind him.

“My personal opinion is that I played one of the worst matches on clay. It’s a reality. There is no need to hide it. I do not see the benefit of wanting to deny it,” Nadal said on Monday after playing mini tennis with Kei Nishikori at the Palau de la Música Catalana. “What has happened has happened.”

The 32-year-old was playing in his first tournament since March’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. On 15 March, Nadal beat Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals but the Spaniard had to withdraw from his semi-final against Roger Federer.

This week, Nadal is the top seed at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and is going for his 12^th title at the ATP 500 event.

“In Monte-Carlo, I took a step forward with how I was a week before. I lost a good opportunity to start the season in a fantastic way. But now I’m going to have another one,” he said.

“This is a very special tournament that is part of the history of tennis and of my own. I have another morning to practice, and we will see how we are doing. On a physical level, I’m more or less well.”

Nadal is 58-3 at the event and won his 11^th Barcelona title – and third straight – last year. The World No. 2 even has his own court – Pista Rafa Nadal – at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899, the oldest Spanish tennis club.

“It is true that I have not won any titles, but I reached the final in Australia, semi-finals in Indian Wells and now semi-finals again in Monte-Carlo. The year is not bad and I’m third in the [ATP Race To London], but with more problems than I would have liked,” Nadal said.

“The job is to find myself. During the last 18 months, I have had too many stops and ups and downs, non-tennis related. And when that happens, it’s hard to pick up rhythm and continuity. But it is true that it has happened so many times, and that after things go well… everything that happened seems to be forgotten. I hope to be ready to play well. And if it is not here, it will be in Madrid, in Rome or at Roland Garros.”

Nadal will open against Argentine Leonardo Mayer, a 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-5 winner against Romanian Marius Copil. Nadal could earn a rematch against Fognini if both reach the Barcelona final.

The European clay-court swing continues this week in Barcelona and Budapest, with top players, including Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic, respectively, leading the fields. Here are 20 things to watch from the ATP 500 and ATP 250 events:

10 Things To Watch In Barcelona

1) Best in Barcelona: 11-time champion Rafael Nadal leads a star-studded field at the 2019 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Also competing at the ATP Tour 500 event are former champions Kei Nishikori and Fernando Verdasco, Top 10 players Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, and last week’s ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo champion Fabio Fognini.

2) Pista Rafa Nadal: The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell named a court after World No. 2 Nadal in 2017. It becomes crystal clear why that decision was made after reviewing his 58-3 record at Barcelona and the fact that the top seed won the trophy for the 11th time at the event last year – a feat he had also accomplished the week prior at Monte-Carlo, and then repeated at Roland Garros.

3) Special Kei: No. 4 seed Nishikori is the most recent dominant player at Barcelona other than Nadal, as the Japanese star picked up the two trophies between Nadal’s three-year title streaks of 2011-13 and 2016-18. Nishikori reeled off 14 straight wins at the event from 2014 to 2016, and nearly pulled off the hat-trick before his run was stopped in the 2016 final by Nadal.

4) Fog Rolling In: Before last week, Fognini had a 4-8 win-loss record in 2019, including going 0-for-4 on clay. That suddenly changed when he clinched his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Monte-Carlo, defeating 11-time champion Nadal in the semi-finals before a final victory over Dusan Lajovic. Fognini, the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title, is at a new career-high ranking of No. 12.

5) From A to Z: No. 2 seed Zverev is no stranger to ATP Masters 1000 titles, as the 22-year-old is the only active player other than Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray to have claimed at least three titles at that level. Nevertheless, the World No. 3 comes into Barcelona still looking for his first title of 2019, and has advanced to a quarter-final-or-better just once this year.

6) Greece is the Word: Tsitsipas burst onto the scene at Barcelona last year. The #NextGenATP Greek star was ranked just No. 63 when he entered the event, but he won five matches in straight sets, including a win over the previous year’s finalist Thiem, to reach his first ATP Tour singles final. One year later, the 20-year-old has won two titles, and is currently ranked at a career-high No. 8.

7) Feet of Clay: No. 3 seed Thiem has won eight of his 12 titles and reached 14 of his 19 finals on clay courts. The Austrian, who made his first Grand Slam final on the clay of Roland Garros last year, defeated then-World No. 1 Murray in the 2017 Barcelona semi-finals before falling to Nadal.

8) Wild Ones: Former World No. 3 David Ferrer received a wild card into the event; the four-time Barcelona finalist plans to retire next month after the Mutua Madrid Open. Along with Ferrer and Zverev, the wild cards are Grigor Dimitrov, Feliciano Lopez, and 19-year-old Nicola Kuhn.

9) Spanish Success: Verdasco is the only player in the draw to have claimed the title other than Nadal and Nishikori. The 2010 champion has a 15-10 record at Barcelona, having also made the 2012 semi-finals and the 2009 quarter-finals. He will face Lopez for the 11th time in their rivalry.

10) Doubles Duty: Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez won the Barcelona doubles title last year. They return to the event, but with different partners: Feliciano is paired with Pablo Carreno Busta, and Marc teams up with Marcel Granollers. The No. 1 seeds are Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

10 Things To Watch In Budapest

1) Third Time’s the Charm: The ATP Tour returns to Budapest for the third straight season with the Hungarian Open. Former finalists John Millman and Aljaz Bedene join Top 15 Croats Marin Cilic and Borna Coric in the field.

2) Wild One: Top seed Cilic got a wild card into Budapest, and the World No. 11 comes into the event with a 4-5 record on the year, still seeking his first 2019 quarter-final. As the reigning Australian Open runner-up, Cilic rallied from two sets down and saved match points to oust Fernando Verdasco in the third round of Melbourne, but lost in the fourth round to Roberto Bautista Agut.

3) Borna Again: No. 2 seed Coric starts the Hungarian Open coming off back-to-back quarter-final showings at ATP Masters 1000 events at Miami and Monte-Carlo. Coric, whose first ATP Tour singles title came on clay at Marrakech in 2017, is returning to Budapest for a second showing, following a first-round loss to Jiri Vesely in his only prior appearance in 2017.

4) Serbian Surprise: Dusan Lajovic lurks as an unseeded player despite being a newly minted Top 25 player. The Serb is now at a career-high ranking of World No. 24 after his run to a first-ever ATP Tour singles final at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters last week. Lajovic, who notched his first Top 5 win over Dominic Thiem in Monte-Carlo, smashed his prior career-high ranking of No. 42.

5) Great Georgian: No. 4 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili made his second quarter-final of 2018 in his debut showing at Budapest last year. The Georgian would go on to break through in a big way last season, winning two titles, at Hamburg and Beijing, and finishing the year in the Top 25.

6) First Wins Club: No. 5 seed Laslo Djere and No. 8 seed Radu Albot are two of the eight first-time singles champions on the ATP Tour this season. Djere picked up his first trophy at Rio de Janeiro, while Albot triumphed at Delray Beach, becoming the first singles champion to represent Moldova.

7) Close Calls: Last year’s runner-up John Millman is back as the No. 6 seed; the Australian made his sole final to date in Budapest last year. Millman edged 2017 runner-up Aljaz Bedene in last year’s semi-finals; Bedene has also returned to Budapest, as he too still seeks a first title.

8) #NextGenATP On The Rise: Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic had only one ATP Tour win heading into March’s BNP Paribas Open. But the 19-year-old qualified and made his first ATP quarter-final in Indian Wells before falling to Canadian Milos Raonic. Kecmanovic, now at No. 87 in the ATP Rankings, qualified and will face Millman in his Budapest opener.

9) Going Wild: Hungarians Attila Balazs and Mate Valkusz join Cilic as wild cards. 20-year-old Valkusz, who lost to eventual champion Marco Cecchinato in the first round of qualifying last year, will be making his ATP Tour main-draw debut this week. The 30-year-old’s best tour-level result was a semi-final run as a qualifier at Bucharest in 2012.

10) Doubling Up: Rohan Bopanna and Dominic Inglot head the Hungarian Open doubles draw as the top seeds. Inglot is going for his second straight title at Budapest: he won the event last year partnering Franko Skugor.

No. 12 (Career High) Fabio Fognini, +6
The 31-year-old became the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters after beating Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match. Fognini stunned 11-time champion Rafael Nadal and World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in straight sets en route to the trophy, which is his ninth ATP Tour crown. Fognini jumps six places to a career-high No. 12 in the ATP Rankings following his run to the title in the Principality. Read More. 

No. 24 (Career High) Dusan Lajovic, +24
The Serbian recorded five consecutive tour-level victories for the first time in his career to reach his maiden ATP Tour final at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. Lajovic did not drop a set en route to the final, overcoming Malek Jaziri, David Goffin, Dominic Thiem, Lorenzo Sonego and Daniil Medvedev before his straight-sets loss to Fognini. The 28-year-old soars 24 spots to career-high No. 24 in the ATP Rankings.

No. 28 (Career High) Guido Pella, +7
After a successful ‘Golden Swing’ which included a title run at the Brasil Open (d. Garin) and a runner-up finish at the inaugural Cordoba Open (l. to Londero), Pella continued his impressive start to the season by reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. Pella defeated Rio Open presented by Claro champion Laslo Djere, seventh seed Marin Cilic and Roland Garros semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato to reach the last eight in the Principality, where he fell to 11-time Monte-Carlo titlist Nadal. Pella rises seven positions to a career-high No. 28 in the ATP Rankings.

Other Notable Movers

No. 38 Richard Gasquet, -8
No. 43 Grigor Dimitrov, -15
No. 45 (Career High) Cameron Norrie, +11
No. 51 Jan-Lennard Struff, -7
No. 57 (Career High) Jaume Munar, +4
No. 58 Taylor Fritz, +7
No. 62 Andreas Seppi, -16
No. 66 Lorenzo Sonego, +30
No. 73 Pablo Cuevas, +8
No. 75 Prajnesh Gunneswaran, +5
No. 87 (Career High) Miomir Kecmanovic, +4
No. 90 (Career High) Lloyd Harris, +4
No. 92 Hugo Dellien, -17
No. 96 Mischa Zverev, -19
No. 97 Guido Andreozzi, -13

A LOOK BACK
Kunming Open (Anning, China): Jay Clarke did not waste any time in finding that winning feeling. Two months ago, the Brit fell victim to a right foot injury in Pau, France, and in just his second tournament back, he would streak to the title. Clarke scored impressive win after impressive win to lift the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour stop in Anning, China, on Sunday.

In a rematch of the 2018 Binghamton final, Clarke earned yet another victory over Jordan Thompson in the second round, before ousting James Duckworth in the quarter-finals and second seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-2 for the championship. He is the sixth #NextGenATP winner of the year, notching his first career clay-court crown. The Derby native is up to 11th in the ATP Race To Milan, rising five spots.

2019 #NextGenATP Winners

Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open (Sarasota, Florida, USA): Tommy Paul produced one of the more clutch performances on the ATP Challenger Tour, saving all 15 break points faced to the take the Sarasota title. He defeated Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday’s championship.

Like Clarke, Paul was competing in just his second tournament in his return from an injury absence. Following two months on the sidelines with a quad tendon injury, the 21-year-old American lifted his second Challenger trophy and first on clay.

San Luis Open (San Luis Potosi, Mexico): Marc-Andrea Huesler became the 14th first-time winner this year, producing an impressive display to take the title in San Luis Potosi. The Swiss reeled off six wins in six days, capped by a 7-5, 7-6(3) win over second seed Adrian Menendez-Maceiras on Sunday.

Competing in just his ninth Challenger main draw and having never previously reached a semi-final, Huesler made the most of his time on the Mexican clay. The 22-year-old from Zurich rises 70 spots to a career-high No. 281 in the ATP Rankings.

The San Luis Open is the second-longest running Challenger, celebrating its 34th edition. Only Tampere, Finland, has been on the circuit longer.

Tunis Open (Tunis, Tunisia): The lone Challenger on the African continent, the Tunis Open welcomed players and fans for the 11th time. World No. 81 Pablo Cuevas took the title on Sunday, defeating Joao Domingues 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 31 minutes. The top Uruguayan did not drop a set all week, improving to 12-4 in Challenger finals and securing his 18th title in total, including ATP Tour victories.

Your champion in Tunis is @PabloCuevas22!

The ?? does not drop a set all week to capture his first ? since 2017 pic.twitter.com/h4ZeAEUmti

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 21, 2019

A LOOK AHEAD
There are four tournaments on three continents this week. In Tallahasee, Florida, the second stop on the U.S. clay-court swing welcomes Paolo Lorenzi as its top seed and Sarasota finalists Sandgren and Paul. The tournament is celebrating its 20th edition on the ATP Challenger Tour. Fifth seed Noah Rubin is the defending champion.

In Leon, Mexico, Alexander Bublik is hoping a return to hard courts will restore his winning ways. In his two previous hard-court Challengers, he lifted the trophy, prevailing in Pau, France in March and Monterrey, Mexico, just two weeks ago. He is joined by reigning champion and third seed Christopher Eubanks and recent Sophia Antipolis titlist Dustin Brown.

Meanwhile, in Francavilla al Mare, Italy, second seed Gianluigi Quinzi is the defending champion. Maximilian Marterer leads the pack, with fellow Germans Oscar Otte, Rudolf Molleker and Dominik Koepfer also seeded. And on the hard courts of Nanchang, China, Jordan Thompson is the top seed, while 12th seed Clarke looks to go back-to-back on Chinese soil.

Nerves of steel and unwavering perseverance. Tommy Paul demonstrated both of those traits and then some on Sunday at the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open.

Paul was as clutch as they come in the final of the ATP Challenger Tour event, saving all 15 break points faced to upset second seed Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 40 minutes. The 21-year-old American dug in his heels on the green clay, turning aside two break points in the first set and a whopping 13 more in the second.

The victory is extra special for Paul, who was competing in just his second tournament in his return from a quad tendon issue. Last year, he struggled with a knee ailment for a majority of the season, but capped his campaign with a maiden title on the indoor hard courts of Charlottesville. And on Sunday he once again made a triumphant comeback from an injury.

Paul ascends 46 spots to No. 158 in the ATP Rankings with the victory. After struggling for years to make his Challenger breakthrough, the American is finally putting it all together. In addition to his victory over Sandgren, he earned quality wins over Daniel Elahi Galan, a semi-finalist at last week’s ATP Tour stop in Houston, and fifth seed Paolo Lorenzi.

Paul spoke to broadcaster Mike Cation following Sunday’s triumph in Sarasota…

The big takeaway is 15 break points faced and 15 break points saved. How did you do it today?
The big points really went well for me today. It’s funny because the last time we played in Savannah, it went to 7-6 in the third. We had a battle of a match. I was saving a ton of break points then too and I did better returning on the ad side. And today I think I saved only one of those break points on the deuce side. I was more comfortable returning on the ad side, but I wouldn’t say I was too comfortable with all 15 break points [laughs].

Compare this title to your first in Charlottesville last year. I know that was such a relief for you, but what does this one feel like, considering you’re coming back from injury?
This one feels good, I’m not going to lie. This one feels really good. Especially having the injury last year and coming back to win Charlottesville in October, but then getting injured again this year. I took a few months off again after Australia. It was really frustrating. But to come back again and win the title in my second tournament back is amazing.

I think I played at a pretty high level from the start. The first day I came out, I played Gastao Elias and had a great level the whole match. I wouldn’t say it was too easy of a draw. I had Lorenzi next. It was just a great tournament and I had a lot of fun out there. This week means a lot to me.

What does this clay-court stretch mean to you? You had such a successful run a few years ago and missed it last year. And now you have this opportunity to really grow in the ATP Rankings.
It’s funny because before Houston last week, my last clay-court match was in 2017. And I didn’t play for nearly two years on the dirt. It’s great to be back out here. I think it’s all about how I prepare for each surface. It takes me more time to get comfortable on hard. I grew up on green clay and have been playing on clay my whole life.

You are in the lead for the USTA’s French Open Wild Card Challenge. How much is that in your mind?
It’s definitely in my mind, but I don’t want to think about it too much. I’m going to Tallahassee to try to do well and keep the lead. I’m just taking it one match and one point at a time. We’ll see.

#NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime is taking the ATP Tour by storm. Trips to the Rio de Janeiro final and Miami semi-finals have helped the 18-year-old climb from outside the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings in February into the Top 35.

Many teenagers would be wondering what they could do with the more than $650,000 Felix has earned so far this year. But his father Sam Aliassime, who began playing tennis with him at five, has something else in mind for his son, who is the 16th seed at this week’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

“My dad messaged me the other day and said ‘I have three pieces of advice: Keep working hard, stay the same person and find a school’,” Auger-Aliassime said. “He wants me to go back to school, so I have to find an online school now. Having these kinds of people around you helps you stay the same person.

“I’m lucky to have great people around me. They’re always saying the right things and helping me do the right work.”

Expectations have followed Auger-Aliassime since he became the youngest player to win an ATP Challenger Tour match at 14. The top players in the sport — including Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev, the man who beat him in the second round at Monte-Carlo — have been touting his abilities. But the only person who has avoided the hype is Felix himself.

“I never expected that I was going to be here this early. That was always my dream and I’m still following it,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Even just a few months ago, I was trying to break into the Top 100 and maybe thinking about Top 50 at the end of the year. [It’s great] being in the Top 30, but there was also a lot of work put behind it. I’m just enjoying myself now.”

Felix will try to make his mark at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, an ATP 500 tournament in Spain. He will face German Philipp Kohlschreiber or Tunisian Malek Jaziri in his opening match, and could potentially play fourth seed and two-time champion Kei Nishikori in the third round.

“The draw is so strong that it’s a bit like an [ATP] Masters 1000 event. I would love to get through the first rounds here,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Being seeded for the first time is a bit different and a nice feeling, but I can’t focus too much on results because I don’t have my marks here. It’s a new tournament for me, so I just want to keep competing well and play my game.”

The 6’4” right-hander will take confidence from his recent consistency, winning at least two matches in each of his past four tournaments. Auger-Aliassime claimed his first win against a Top 10 opponent at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he defeated reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“It helped that I knew him from the juniors. For me to win that first match [against Tsitsipas on the ATP Tour] is important because it was a bit of a statement that we can also win and compete with these top guys,” Auger-Aliassime said. “It gave me confidence, but I’ve played him before, so it wasn’t a big surprise.”

Felix is not looking any further than the match in front of him. But with only 45 points to defend through Roland Garros, Auger-Aliassime has an opportunity to make even more noise.