L’Equipe chose David Nalbandian as the best tennis player without a Grand Slam

The prestigious French sports newspaper L’Equipe has chosen the Argentine David Nalbandian as the best tennis player in history without having won a Grand Slam.

The vote, which saw Cordovan as the winner, took place in the office of the newspaper, which placed the Spaniard David Ferrer in second place, while completing the podium with the French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Meanwhile, the fourth place was the Slovak Miroslav Mecirwhile the Czech Thomas Berdych and Argentine Guillermo Coria were tied for fifth place in the standings.

At the same time, a vote was also organized in which the readers of the newspaper participated. With over 46,000 opinions, the most chosen was Ferrer, with 26.6 percent of the vote, while Nalbandian took 16.5 percent and Chilean Marcelo Ríos, 12.65 percent.

Despite not being crowned champion of any of the four majors on the ATP circuit, Nalbandian built a formidable career between 2000 and 2013, which soon ended due to multiple injuries that made it impossible for him to continue playing professionally.

Without going further, reached third place in the world rankingswas in the top 10 for five consecutive seasons, won the 2005 Masters Tournament after beating Roger Federer in the final, and also won the 2007 Paris and Madrid Masters, leaving Rafael Nadal and Federer on the road, both competing.

In addition, he reached the semifinals of all the Grand Slams and was the only Argentine male tennis player to reach a singles final at Wimbledon in 2002. His compatriot Gabriela Sabatini did the same in 1991, although she could not lift the trophy on the English also ground. .

He was also one step away from lifting the much-coveted Davis Cup, which ultimately went to Argentina in 2016. It is that he reached three finals in that competition and all of them have been defeated: against Russia in 2006 and twice against Spain, in 2008 and 2011.

Nalbandian and his return to tennis: coach of the Serbian Kecmanovic

After lowering the curtain on his playing career in late 2013, David Nalbandian has focused his energies on his other great passion, motorsports, and has become an outstanding driver in Rally Argentina. At the beginning of 2021, however, he returned to the professional tennis circuit, albeit this time as a coach.

The 40-year-old former world number three has joined the Serbian team Myomir Kecmanovic22 years old and 31st in the standings.

“The truth is that I am very happy to be able to get back into tennis somehow. It has been a pleasure to contact Miomir and his entire team and try to contribute and help him in whatever he needs. I hope to be able to do it and that it will evolve “, commented the Cordovan.

For his part, Kecmanovic wrote on Instagram: “Look who has decided to go back on tour! It is an honor to have you as part of the team”.

With information from EFE

DB