The talk of the Swedes past glories and the longevity of Feliciano Lopez got me thinking to the Spanish Story during the Open Era.
I know the US in on a "plateau" at the moment as far as ATP tennis, but its amazing how consistently Spain has been spitting out top 100 players for the last 30 years.
All those years there has been a constant sprinkling of Spanish players making the Qtrs, Sf and Finals of Majors, there always seems to be a presence. We've already mentioned Feliciano making 3 Wimbledon QTRS in his career (and 1 USO qtr) but also take someone like Alex Corretja, who many considered a quintessential dirtballer , he made the USO QTF in 1996 and won in the 2000 Indian Wells Masters. The " journeyman" Tommy Robredo, who along with making 5 FO Qtrs, had a USO Qtr and an AO Qtr as well as a whole slew of 4th rounds (12) in both the USO & AO, Nicolas Amagro QTRS at 2013 AO, just recently Carreno Busta making 2 USO SF's.. Many considered Paris Indoors the "fastest" HC and David Ferrer won it one year and made the finals the next year.
What's more I don't think since 1993 there has been a drought of more than 2 years when a Spaniard hasn't made it to the SF's or finals of a Major, granted most of those recently have been Nadal , but still , you have Carlos Moya making the finals of the AO on HC back in 1997, Juan Carlos Ferrero making the Finals of the USO in 2003, David Ferrer making the SF at the USO 2010, 12, AO Sf's 2011,13 and making at least the QTRs twice in all the Majors, Fernando Verdasco's SF at the AO in 2009, the afore mentioned Carreno Busta, etc, etc.
Overall in the Open Era, only the US has won more Majors or produced more individual Major singles champions than Spain. And of course they have the most DC titles in the last 30 years.
Lets see if promising juniors like Carlos Alcaraz can continue the streak.
I know the US in on a "plateau" at the moment as far as ATP tennis, but its amazing how consistently Spain has been spitting out top 100 players for the last 30 years.
All those years there has been a constant sprinkling of Spanish players making the Qtrs, Sf and Finals of Majors, there always seems to be a presence. We've already mentioned Feliciano making 3 Wimbledon QTRS in his career (and 1 USO qtr) but also take someone like Alex Corretja, who many considered a quintessential dirtballer , he made the USO QTF in 1996 and won in the 2000 Indian Wells Masters. The " journeyman" Tommy Robredo, who along with making 5 FO Qtrs, had a USO Qtr and an AO Qtr as well as a whole slew of 4th rounds (12) in both the USO & AO, Nicolas Amagro QTRS at 2013 AO, just recently Carreno Busta making 2 USO SF's.. Many considered Paris Indoors the "fastest" HC and David Ferrer won it one year and made the finals the next year.
What's more I don't think since 1993 there has been a drought of more than 2 years when a Spaniard hasn't made it to the SF's or finals of a Major, granted most of those recently have been Nadal , but still , you have Carlos Moya making the finals of the AO on HC back in 1997, Juan Carlos Ferrero making the Finals of the USO in 2003, David Ferrer making the SF at the USO 2010, 12, AO Sf's 2011,13 and making at least the QTRs twice in all the Majors, Fernando Verdasco's SF at the AO in 2009, the afore mentioned Carreno Busta, etc, etc.
Overall in the Open Era, only the US has won more Majors or produced more individual Major singles champions than Spain. And of course they have the most DC titles in the last 30 years.
Lets see if promising juniors like Carlos Alcaraz can continue the streak.
