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| 10 Nov 2009 | |
| Santoro brings illustrious career to an end |
The ‘will he, won’t he’ question of when Frenchman Fabrice Santoro will finally retire from professional tennis seems to have been answered.
Santoro, whose long and illustrious career has spanned 20 years, lost to James Blake at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris on Sunday – it is expected to be his last tournament.
"Thank you for supporting me all these years, forcing me to push myself. That way I could get the most of my passion,” Santoro told the French crowd. "In principle, at the age of nearly 37, I should not be on the centre court at Bercy. So I am happy to pass the mantle on to youth."
The element of doubt, however, is still there. Santoro, now aged 36, has also hinted in the past that he is harbouring hopes of playing at the Australian Open in January. Should this be the case, he will have competed at Grand Slam events across four decades – his first appearance came at Roland Garros in 1989.
Davis Cup stalwart
In Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, Santoro appeared in 17 ties and compiled a win-loss record of 15-11. In 2001, he played a crucial role in France winning the title, the team’s last victory in the competition.
Having played in the opening three rounds - in which France defeated Belgium, Switzerland and Netherlands - Santoro teamed up with Cedric Pioline to win the crucial doubles rubber against Australia in the Final, being held in Melbourne.
John Fitzgerald, the Australian captain at the time, gambled by naming Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter, who had both played singles on the opening day, for Saturday’s doubles match. However, Santoro and Pioline were equal to the challenge and came from behind to win in four sets, providing the platform for Nicolas Escude to clinch a 3-2 victory in the deciding rubber.
Santoro also appeared in two other Finals - against Australia in 1999 and Russia in 2002 - with France finishing runner-up on both occasions. He made his debut in 1991 and played his final rubber against Spain in 2004.
’The Magician’ is born
Throughout his career, Santoro has been a crowd favourite all over the world. His unique style of playing the game, unorthodoxly mixing topspin and slice with a vast array of shot making, prompted Pete Sampras to call him ‘The Magician’, a nickname that has stuck.
Since turning professional in 1989, Santoro has won six singles titles, most recently at last year’s event in Newport. He reached a career high world ranking of No. 6 in 1999 and has played over 1,500 tour-level matches.
However, it is on the doubles court that Santoro has enjoyed the majority of his success. Aside from his Davis Cup record, he has won 24 titles including the Australian Open in 2003 and 2004, both with fellow countryman Michael Llodra.
Santoro’s absence from the game will be missed by many. His fantastic playing ability and charismatic personality has endeared him to tennis fans worldwide. Enjoy your retirement Fabrice… you’ve earned it!
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