DUBAI: After 20 years in the sport, Tunisian Malek Jaziri called time on his trailblazing career on Monday night after losing in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The 39-year-old Pan Arab Games gold medalist lost to Alejandro Fokina of Spain 6-2, 6-0 on center court before saying goodbye to an appreciative crowd.
Jaziri had been granted a wildcard to play in the tournament, an event in which he appeared 10 times and become a firm fan favorite after reaching the semifinals in 2018.
On Monday, he started well, holding serve twice and leading 40-15 in his third service game. But his opponent, ranked No. 31 in the world, fought back to break. Jaziri did not win another game as Fokina closed out the set before delivering the Tunisian a bagel for the match.
“He played a good game and was much better physically for sure,” Jaziri said. “I’m not in my best shape, so he tried to make me move a little bit.”
The Tunisian said he was was determined to play his last professional game in front of his fans at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and thanked Tournament Director Salah Tahlak for making it happen.
A finalist in the Istanbul Open later the same year, his run to the semis in Dubai in 2018 saw him beat Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas before losing to eventual winner Roberto Bautista Agut. He also faced Roger Federer in Dubai in 2013, Novak Djokovic in 2016 and Andy Murray in 2017.
“Dubai is a special place for me and a place where I have a lot of good memories,” Jaziri said. “That’s why I wanted to finish here in Dubai. I played most of the world No. 1s here, most of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds. All these flashbacks came to me today.”
Reflecting on an illustrious career in which he flew the flag for the Arab world, became the first Tunisian to reach an ATP Tour final and was once ranked No. 42 in the world, Jaziri said he had no regrets.
“I wanted to be in the top 100,” he said. “I never had anyone before me to say I want to be top 20, top 10 or No. 1. I dreamt only to be top 100 and I made top 50. So I made it. I did everything by myself.”