The flowing F-Lo backhand on display on Grandstand at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Status: Member of Spain’s Davis Cup winning team in 2008 and 2009. Highest rank was #20 in January 2005.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 187
DOB: September 20, 1981 in Toledo, Spain.
Tennis Inspiration: “Stefan Edberg. Because of him, I like the way he played, behaved but I like the way he was very quiet and very gentleman on court. I also like the way he played.”
Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “I like cinema. I love soccer. I love to watch the games when we are at home in Madrid. When I come back to Spain, I don’t have like so much time after practice and everything during the day. So the only thing I do is go to cinema, go to soccer games or go to dinner with friends.”
Favorite Movie: “Braveheart I like a lot. This is the only one I think.”
Musical Tastes: “I like Julio Iglesias. Laura Boccini – Italian singer. And I like many music styles like disco, dance, everything.”
Early Tennis Memory: “When my father (Feliciano) went with me on the court when I was five years old, me and my brother (Victor). I don’t remember any special moment, it was just my father, brother and me. My father bought me a tennis racquet when I was five at Christmas. That’s why I play tennis now, because of him.”
Favorite Meal: “Pasta, tomato.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Haagen Dazs.”
First Job: “I don’t have.”
First Car: “2003 Porsche (black).”
Funny Tennis Memory: “I remember one — my father threw a racquet over my head when I missed a forehand from the other side of the net [laughs].”
Pre-Match Feeling: “Like a little nervous when you have to go on the court, especially in the stomach.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Greatest moment…to win the Davis Cup (2008, 2009). And to be in the quarterfinals in Wimbledon (d. Safin, Ancic in 2005).”
Most Painful Moment: “When I had a wrist injury in 2000 I think, or 1999, I don’t remember.”
Favorite Tournament: “Madrid.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “Nadal, [Fernando] Verdasco — I know him for many years. My father was his coach.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Verdasco is very funny. [Alex] Corretja. [Marat] Safin is funny [smiles]. I think he’s funny on the court. He’s such a good player and such a good personality on the court and I think the people love him.”
Toughest Competitors: “Federer, Agassi, Nadal — I think those three.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “To play Davis Cup for the first time I think I was really nervous. (How did you do?) I played doubles (lost with Corretja), it was in the final against Australia. (Spain lost 3-1 in Melbourne in 2003).”
People Qualities Most Admired: “To be generous I think. Honest.”
Topics: Ancic, Backhand, Brother Victor, Dinner With Friends, Disco Dance, Feliciano Lopez, Forehand, Greatest Sports, Haagen Dazs, Italian Singer, Musical Tastes, Painful Moment, S Davis, Soccer Games, Special Moment, Sports Moment, Stefan Edberg, Tennis Racquet, Toledo Spain, Wrist Injury
The flowing F-Lo backhand on display on Grandstand at the 2008 U.S. Open. | 