Murciego Blog: Something went wrong with you, 2022

ROGER FEDERER

Honestly, many of us started the season with the fear that this news could break. There were already several years of problems, operations, absences and incomplete returns. Roger Federer was suffering when he saw that his physique no longer allowed him to compete and that is why the healthiest thing for the mind was to give up, accept that the end had come. At 41 years old and forcing his body to compete in the Laver Cup alongside Nadal, the Basel legend said goodbye to a lifetime in stadiums, more than two decades making us happy with his magic. His figure will be irreplaceable, both in the dressing room and in history.

SERENA WILLIAMS

The same case as Federer, but on the women’s circuit. We are talking about what for many she is the best player in the history of professional tennis and part of the amateur. A legend that has remained in force longer than any other, always showing that competitive character, although in recent seasons luck and physique were not on her side. In the end we were left with the desire to see that long-awaited # 24 Grand Slam, but her legacy is so immense that in time no one will remember this lack. Of course, be careful with Serena who continues to say in an interview that she is not retired yet, let’s not take her story for granted.

ASHLEIGH BARTY

One of those news that left all tennis fans breathless. She is number 1 in the world, multiple Grand Slam champion, living the sweetest moment of her career and at only 25 years old, old enough to demonstrate unapproachable superiority to others. All these ingredients were not enough to prevent Barty from getting tired of the competition and hanging up the racket abruptly, without anesthesia, leaving the WTA orphan of her leader. Being the second time that she has done it, many think that it is a matter of time before she will be attracted to the competition again, although she has always denied it outright. Luckily Iga Swiatek didn’t take two weeks to take the witness from her.

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

Another especially painful case, possibly the modern tennis player who has suffered the most from injuries. We always talk about how Nadal has missed many Grand Slams due to the pain he has suffered throughout his career, but Juan Martín has missed entire seasons. First it was the wrists, then the knees and, finally, mental fatigue ended up taking the last drop of hope from the Argentine. At least he was able to say goodbye on the track and in front of his people, promising that he would continue looking for solutions to his problems and leaving the door open to the distant future. In our memory the image of his body stretched from him in the Arthur Ashe will always remain after winning the 2009 US Open, the most important achievement of a work that will always be incomplete.

TOMMY ROBREDO

Some of the younger fans of the place did not understand why there was so much fuss with Robredo’s withdrawal, completely unaware that they were facing a player who was world top 5 and Masters 1000 champion, among many other things. A lifelong warrior, passionate about clay and with a class in his shots to make a gallery. That talent was lagging behind with the arrival of new materials and the power that governs most sports today, although what really put out his flame was the pandemic and the arrival of his first daughter. After having demonstrated everything on the track, Tommy allowed himself the luxury of closing the curtain on his favorite tournament, the Conde de Godó, where from now on he will attend as a spectator and we will see if he is encouraged with another position in the coming years.

SONGA + SIMON

Wow two! Two names that have been with us for the last fifteen years, two musketeers who brought good cheer to French tennis in the past decade, although neither was able to win a Grand Slam. But hey, like so many others who had to coincide with the Big3 dictatorship and were left without tasting the best delicacies on the table. It is curious that they have nothing to do with each other, but we both loved them for their charisma on the pitch. On the one hand, the energy and presence of Tsonga; on the other, Simon’s cunning and survival instinct. Crossing our fingers that Gasquet and Monfils hold out for a couple more years, French tennis will have a difficult time giving continuity to an unrepeatable generation.

PETKOVIC + KOHLSCHREIBER

We now go to the neighboring country of Tsonga and Simon to find another couple of artists who also said goodbye to professional tennis this summer. Philipp Kohlschreiber left us with his hypnotic one-handed backhand and a few weeks later Andrea Petkovic joined him and that smile that occupied the entire stage when he played. Two great competitors, always fighting from the second line, although lacking in drive and conditions for some time now. Germany, which has also momentarily lost Kerber after his first pregnancy, needs a partner as soon as possible so that Alexander Zverev is not alone in the trenches defending the German flag at the highest.

THE REST OF THE LIST

We have highlighted the most commented withdrawals of this 2022, but there are still many more. Examples of veterans who, after going around a lot and avoiding the official announcement, ended up accepting their end: Kim Clijsters and Jelena Jankovic. Other more classic examples of players who no longer saw themselves competing for important things or unable to recover their best version: Sam Querrey, Andreas Seppi, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Lara Arruabarrena, Aljaz Bedene or Kevin Anderson. Sad cases like that of Monica Puig, weighed down by injuries, and other less famous ones belonging to the doubles circuit, such as Kirsten Flipkens, Bruno Soares, Sania Mirza, Horia Tecau or Samantha Stosur. I leave the Venus Williams chapter on the air, since she has not ruled on this matter, although the feeling is that her name would perfectly fit in this summary.