Over the years, several fans and players have called for the authorities to make changes to the rules of tennis.
Tennis is a simple game, but that’s not to say the rules are completely set in stone.
Back in 2023, tennis legend Martina Navratilova called for ‘lets’ to be removed from the game.
Seven years earlier, Spanish ATP star Feliciano Lopez said the exact same thing…
Feliciano Lopez wanted lets removed from tennis
Back in December 2016, Lopez was playing in the ‘International Premier Tennis League’ exhibition event.
Held in Asia, the event was played under a unique ruleset, which didn’t include lets.
During an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Lopez gave his verdict on the rules.
“The format is a lot of fun. There are many rules that make it interesting,” he said.
“I’d like to see the ‘let’ rule disappear from the ATP Tour.
“It doesn’t make sense that when you serve you play with a ‘let’ and when the point is in play, that ‘let’ doesn’t exist.
“That could be tested on the tour, for example.”
Lopez enjoyed the rules and the tournament, as his side, the ‘Indian Aces’, finished first in the standings, qualifying for the final.
2016 International Premier Tennis League standings
| Standings | Team | W-L record | Points |
| 1 | Indian Aces | 5-3 | 18 |
| 2 | Singapore Slammers | 4-4 | 14 |
| 3 | Japan Warriors | 4-4 | 14 |
| 4 | UAE Royals | 3-5 | 12 |
“I’m very happy. I had never played here before, although I had heard great things about the IPTL, and it was all true…” he said.
“Plus, you’re not just playing for yourself, you have a team behind you.”
Unfortunately for Lopez, he and his teammates: Ivan Dodig, Rohan Bopanna, Mark Philippoussis, Thomas Enqvist, Sania Mirza, and Kirsten Flipkens came up short in their bid to win the title, losing to the Singapore Slammers, 30-14.
The event was discontinued in 2017 for financial reasons, as Lopez played the final-ever season of the International Premier Tennis League.
Did Feliciano Lopez ever come close to winning a Grand Slam?
Lopez may have had some strong thoughts on the rules of tennis, but how well did he perform at the sport’s biggest tournaments?
Avoid saying the same tennis player as me quiz
The Spaniard made his major debut at the 2001 French Open and continued playing Grand Slam tennis until Wimbledon in 2022.
Throughout his career, Lopez reached four Grand Slam quarterfinals, three of which came at SW19, as he enjoyed the majority of his success on the grass.
Feliciano Lopez’s Grand Slam record
| Grand Slam | Best performance | Win-Loss record | Win % |
| Australian Open | 4R – 2012, 2015 | 24-20 | 55% |
| French Open | 4R – 2004 | 12-21 | 36% |
| Wimbledon | QF – 2005, 2008, 2011 | 34-20 | 63% |
| US Open | QF – 2015 | 28-20 | 58% |
Lopez may never have qualified for a Grand Slam semifinal, but he still picked up seven titles on tour.
Feliciano Lopez’s ATP titles
- 2004 Vienna Open
- 2010 SA Tennis Open
- 2013 Eastbourne International
- 2014 Eastbourne International
- 2016 Swiss Open
- 2017 Queen’s Club Championships
- 2019 Queen’s Club Championships
He was also an integral member in four Davis Cup wins, helping Spain bring home the title in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019.
Lopez will no doubt hope to see his country win their first title since 2019 this year, and they look well-placed to do so.
The last 10 Davis Cup champions
Defeating Czechia in the quarterfinals, Spain advanced to the semis, where they will play Germany.
Spain will play Germany in the 2025 Davis Cup semifinals on Saturday, November 22.
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