Rob Horgan
DOUBLES star Feliciano Lopez insists Spain must get used to the demise of its male singles tennis stars.
For the first time since 1999 no Spaniards played in this month’s ATP World Tour Finals singles in London.
With Rafael Nadal losing out due to ongoing injury issues and David Ferrer turning 34, Spain’s golden era could be drawing to a close, 35-year-old Lopez fears.
“It’s something that we have to accept, our tennis is not going to be successful forever,” he said.
“Of course we were a bit spoiled. People in our country think we are going to be there forever and we will win everything.
“It was the same with soccer and basketball, we were winning in nearly every sport. But that’s not normal.
“People should realise how difficult it is to stay there and achieve all we achieved.
Lopez and his partner Marc Lopez bowed out of after their final group match.
