Burned match balls in the last ATP match – Aftonbladet

Jarkko Nieminen will never forget their last match on the ATP tour.

The Finn burned two match points and fell 6-3, 6-7, 4-6 against Nicolas Almagro.

Afterwards, 34-year-old steel themselves to implement farewell speech.

– This is the world’s best competition. That was why I wanted to finish my career here.

During Tuesday night sat there probably more Finns than Swedes in the stands at the Royal Tennis Hall, and something else was not to be expected . National hero Jarkko Nieminen has been 34 years, and ended his career where it took off.

He made his debut on the ATP tour in 2000 and made a name in the Stockholm Open the following year, when he 103rd-ranked broke finals after including defeating the home hopes Thomas Johansson and Thomas Enqvist.

– I had left school six months earlier, went there to work out, was tired already before qualifying but qualified and almost won the race. It was an incredible week, remember Jarkko Nieminen.

The Finn has reached the final twice but lost all title matches: 2001 to Sjeng Schalken, 2006 against James Blake and 2011 against Gael Monfils.

16th start in the Stockholm Open

Now, the left-handed fighter in place for the 16th and last time. Nieminen, who is the only Finn to have won ATP titllar in singles (Auckland in 2006 and Sydney 2012), would have met Daniel Munoz-De La Navas in the first round, but because the Spaniard is damaged got his countryman Nicolas Almagro jump in as lucky loser .

Almagro had won four of their five previous meetings and would win again, but this time put the victory very, very deep.

The Finn, who has slumped to 145: th place in the rankings, won the first set 6-3 and had two match points in the second tiebreak sets.

He burned However, both lost the set and dropped serve at 3-4 in skiljeset. Almagro, who will meet the winner of the match between Grigor Dimitrov and Filip Krajinovic, exploited the upper hand and serviced home game when the score 5-4.

Hailed – and celebrated

Jarkko Nieminen was honored with standing ovation, which was too much for him. He sat a long time on the bench with a towel over your head.

– I have never cried after a

loss, but became very emotional of all aid. It felt very empty. Single Her career is over, says Nieminen.

When he collected himself, he took the microphone and spoke directly to the audience. Through the years, the Finn, who played Elitserien tennis KLTK, also received many Swedish fans.

– I do not know what to say. It was my last single here. Many thanks to all. It has been incredible. I could not imagine that I would get such support in Sweden. Thank you, all Swedes. I have always said that it feels like playing at home. Hopefully we had done the same if it had been the other way around, a Swedish played in Finland.

Jarkko Nieminen, from Masku north of Turku, is so big in Finland that he was honored with a private farewell performance in Helsinki on November 9 . On the track he is joined by Roger Federer, Peter Forsberg and Teemu Selanne.