Feliciano López established a career as a versatile left-handed tennis professional from Toledo, Spain, known for his traditional serve-and-volley style. His professional trajectory involved competing across every major surface, securing ATP titles on clay, grass, and hard courts while consistently maintaining a presence in the upper echelons of global rankings for over two decades.
Early Career and Development
Born in 1981, López launched his professional circuit debut in September 1997 at an event in Mallorca. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, he transitioned from the Futures and Challenger circuits to regular ATP competition. His 2001 season marked significant progress with his first ATP match win and his debut at the French Open. By 2002, he finished the year inside the top 100 for the first time, bolstered by significant wins against top-20 and top-5 opponents, including a victory over Marat Safin in Tokyo.
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López became a fixture at Grand Slam tournaments, distinguishing himself with exceptional longevity. In 2005, he reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, a feat he matched in 2008 and 2011. He holds the record for 21 consecutive appearances at the French Open. His endurance reached a peak at the 2022 Australian Open, where his record of 81 consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearances tied him with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for the most in history.
Technical Style and ATP Achievements
Distinct from many of his contemporaries in Spain who favor clay courts, López excelled on grass, utilizing a single-handed backhand and a traditional serve-and-volley approach. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 12 in 2015 and a doubles ranking of world No. 9 in 2016. In 2016, he claimed his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in men's doubles alongside Marc López. His career also included over 500 match wins and surpassing 10,000 career aces.
Fast facts
- Born: 1981, Toledo, Spain
- Career-high singles ranking: No. 12 (March 2015)
- Career-high doubles ranking: No. 9 (November 2016)
- Grand Slam doubles title: 2016 French Open
- Record: 81 consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearances
- Record: 10,000 career aces reached July 2021
- Record: 490 ATP Tour losses
- Occupations: Tennis player, model
Questions readers ask
What is the playing style of Feliciano López?
He is a left-handed player who utilizes a single-handed backhand, a powerful serve, and a serve-and-volley game more commonly associated with traditional grass-court specialists.
Did Feliciano López hold any major appearance records?
Yes, as of the 2022 Wimbledon, he shared the record for the most Grand Slam appearances at 81, alongside Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Achievements
- Worked as tennis player and model
