Fernando Verdasco

Fernando Verdasco Carmona (Spanish pronunciation: [feɾˈnando βeɾˈðasko kaɾˈmona]; born 15 November 1983) is a Spanish tennis coach and a former professional player. He was ranked world No. 7 in men's singles by the ATP, achieved in April 2009, and world No. 8 in men's doubles, achieved in November 2013. Verdasco won seven singles titles on the ATP Tour, and reached a major singles semifinal at the 2009 Australian Open. He also won eight doubles titles, including the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals partnering David Marrero.

In singles, Verdasco was a finalist at the 2010 Monte-Carlo Masters, reached the quarterfinals twice at the US Open in 2009 and 2010, and reached the quarterfinals at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, where he led eventual champion Andy Murray by two sets to love before being defeated in five sets. In men's doubles, Verdasco won the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals and was a finalist at the 2013 Shanghai Masters. He earned his 500th singles win at the 2018 Madrid Open, becoming the 45th man in ATP Tour history with 500 wins. Verdasco aided Spain in winning three Davis Cup titles, winning the deciding match in both 2008 and 2009, and being part of the winning team in 2011. He also has the second-most singles losses in ATP history (447), behind Feliciano López.

Verdasco started playing tennis at four years of age and had a full-time coach when he was eight.

He turned professional in 2001, finishing as world No. 464. 2002 was a good year for him, as he won his first Futures category title in Spain F1 and was runner-up in Spain F3. He played his pond career challenger in Segovia, where he reached the final after beating Belarusian Vladimir Voltchkov in the semifinals. He then reached two additional Challenger semifinals in Kyiv and in Eckental, finishing the year in the top 200 at no. 173. 2002 also finished strongly off the court, as Fernando finished runner-up in a closely contested Best Abs in Castilla La Mancha contest.

In 2003, Verdasco played his first Masters Series tournament (Miami Masters). He joined the main draw as a qualifier, and after defeating Karol Kučera and Max Mirnyi, he lost to countryman Carlos Moyá in the third round. After this good performance, he had a poor season on clay, and then he lost in the first round at Wimbledon against Finn Jarkko Nieminen in five sets in which he changed tennis racquets to the new Wilson Prestige and took new natural products for increased speed on the court. Then Verdasco played in Cincinnati, where he lost to Andy Roddick in straight sets. He reached the third round at the US Open, where he lost to Thai Paradorn Srichaphan, after defeating countryman Tommy Robredo in the first round and Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the second round.

After finishing 2003 as No. 109 in the world (with a 15–8 record in Challengers), he had a breakthrough in 2004 when he won his first ATP title in Valencia. He defeated defending champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals and Albert Montañés in the final. He also reached the final in Acapulco, losing to Carlos Moyá, and the quarterfinals in Halle and in 's-Hertogenbosch on grass. He reached the third round in two Masters Series tournaments: the Hamburg Masters and the Madrid Masters. He reached the quarterfinals in Stockholm and the semifinals in Kitzbühel, and won a doubles title in Stockholm (with countryman Feliciano López), ending the year ranked no. 36 in the world.

In 2005, he defeated Andy Roddick twice, in Miami and in Rome. In Rome, the match was famous for Roddick being matchpoint up on Verdasco's serve and having the match end with a double fault from Verdasco, but Roddick claimed that the serve was not out and the match went on, with Verdasco winning. He also reached the quarterfinals in Valencia (where he was defending the title), Rome, and New Haven; the semifinals of Saint Petersburg; and was finalist in Kitzbühel, where he lost to Argentine Gastón Gaudio. Verdasco reached his first Grand Slam fourth round at the U.S. Open, where he lost to Jarkko Nieminen, after defeating Novak Djokovic. His year-end ranking improved slightly to no. 32 in the world.

Fernando reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, after beating Vince Spadea and German Benjamin Becker, and also upsetting third seed and former runner-up David Nalbandian in straight sets in the third round. Verdasco then lost to Czech Radek Štěpánek in five sets. At the US Open, Fernando reached the third round but lost to eventual runner-up Andy Roddick in five sets. In previous rounds, Fernando defeated Fabrice Santoro in four sets and Thiago Alves in three. Fernando then lost in the quarterfinals of Palermo to Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo, and then he lost to Ramírez Hidalgo again the following week in the first round at Metz. Verdasco did not win a match the rest of year. He lost to Italian Daniele Bracciali in Moscow, and then in the last two Masters Series tournaments of the year, he lost to Tim Henman in the Madrid Masters and to Michaël Llodra in the Paris Masters. Verdasco finished the year ranked no. 35.