The Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) recognized Marcel Granollers on Friday as the world No. 1 in doubles achieved on May 6in an event held at the headquarters in Barcelona, with the presence of their families and a small group of guests.
The president of the RFET, Miguel Diaz Romanhas highlighted the feat achieved by the 38-year-old from Barcelona: “Standing out in any sport is complicated, but in tennis it is even more so, you have to be the best. What Marcel has achieved is of great relevance for tennis Spanish, since the last to achieve it was Emilio Sánchez Vicario, and we wanted to make clear through this recognition the enthusiasm and pride that it means for us to have a Spaniard at the top of the ranking.
Marcel Granollers has made history by reaching world No. 1 in doubles, shared with his usual partner on the circuit, the Argentine Horacio Zeballos. A condition they confirmed last weekend by winning the Rome Masters 1000.
I didn’t expect to play at this level at 38 years old.
Marcel Granollers
“When I was younger I didn’t expect to be playing tennis at this level at 38 years old. Tennis has given me much more than I expected and I think if I look back I can be happy and proud of having always given everything,” he explained giving the Thank you for the recognition of the federation.
“Tennis is a sport where you are alone and you share few things. In the individual circuit you have to do everything yourself, but in doubles you have a partner with whom to share those moments of pressure and someone to support you at all times.”
Granollers is the second Spaniard to lead the specialty after Emilio Sánchez Vicario in 1989. A year before the creation of the computerized doubles ranking, the pair formed by Manolo Orantes and Juan Gisbert also finished first in the Grand Prix in 1975, after winning the first Masters played in Stockholm.
Manolo Orantes was, precisely, one of the illustrious guests at this event, which was also attended by José Luis Arilla, doubles player for the Spanish Davis Cup team in the 1965 and 1967 finals, and Jordi Arrese.
Among the attendees were the sports vice president of the RCT Barcelona-1899, Sonia Roig; representing Marcel’s lifelong club, and Jorge Cera López, president of the Tennis Club Andres Gimeno where he started playing tennis as a child.
2024-05-25 08:34:31
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