Verdasco Shows He Has Plenty Of Tennis Remaining

The narrative was all set for Fernando Verdasco to fall earlier this season.

The former World No. 7 was supposed to let the young up-and-comer, Frenchman Lucas Pouille, continue his ascent up the Emirates ATP Rankings and win his first ATP World Tour title in Bucharest.

Verdasco, though, had different plans. The 32 year old swept past Pouille 6-3, 6-2 to win the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy, his first title in two years. At the same time, the Spaniard reminded the tour that he plans to compete for titles for many years to come.

This week, in his debut at the BB&T Atlanta Open, Verdasco will try to continue his upstart 2016.

“It was great to win a tournament again,” he told ATPWorldTour.com in Atlanta. “I’m trying and working hard not only to win titles – of course winning titles is the best feeling at the end – but also to be competitive every week and to win matches. To try to be at the level that I used to be, meaning that if I play good I can beat almost every player in the world.”

He experienced that level earlier this season. In Australia, the left-hander knocked out countryman and fifth seed Rafael Nadal, coming back from two sets to one to win 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.

The Madrid native maintained his form by reaching the BNP Paribas Open third round before Nadal gained revenge. Verdasco found his most consistent play, though, on the Bucharest clay in April. He overcame compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Pouille to win the seventh ATP World Tour title of his career.

Two months later, the left-hander celebrated his second Top 5 win of the season by defeating Stan Wawrinka at The Queen’s Club 6-2, 7-6(3). His season improved even more last month when he reached his 21^st ATP World Tour final at the SkiStar Swedish Open (l. to Ramos-Vinolas).

Verdasco’s record so far this season is 22-15. His 2015 overall record: 24-26.

His ability to stay healthy has been crucial. For much of 2012 and 2013, he said he suffered from tendonitis in his knees and in his wrist. “It was very difficult. Very difficult years for me,” he said.

He also endured a couple of seasons on the ATP World Tour where not everything went his way. At the end of 2013, Verdasco was ranked No. 30 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Two years later, he had fallen to No. 49.

“You have a few injuries here, a few injuries there. You lose a few matches that maybe could change the ranking with a tight score. At the end, things don’t go your way and it’s not easy,” he said. “But you need to keep trying and fighting and working every day to try to come back. That’s what I’ve been doing the last few years… At 32 [years old], I think I’m having a very good year.”

The numbers say so as well. He’s No. 49 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, but No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Race To London. Verdasco will likely only climb both charts because he has few points to defend the remainder of the season.

“[I’m] looking forward to having a good second part of the season and hopefully to finish as high as possible,” he said.

This week, he’s one of 11 guys playing at the BB&T Atlanta Open for the first time. Verdasco, the fifth seed, opens on Tuesday against Serbian Dusan Lajovic, who won their lone FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting on clay last year in Sao Paulo.

“I’m just trying to do things I have to do as best as possible … I love tennis and I love this world and what I do I’ve been trying to do it all my life,” he said. “I didn’t change much I just have more experience, try to take care of my body more. At the end, just trying to be lucky, also.”