Happy Birthday, Marc!

Once again, the Open Court blog reminded me it’s Marc!’s birthday. Here’s Stephanie Myles’s write up:

Lopez was a fairly obscure journeyman who teamed up with buddy Rafael Nadal early in 2009 to pull off a major doubles win at Doha, shocking Canadian Daniel Nestor and partner Nenad Zimonjic in the final. Rafa even lend him some duds, or got some for him.

It wasn’t all Nadal; though. Lopez teamed up with Tommy Robredo to make the doubles quarters at the French Open, and the semis two weeks ago in Bastad, Sweden.

So it turns out, all Lopez really needed was a shot. He’s a regular fixture on the doubles circuit now, and seems to play well with everyone he teams up with (usually a fellow Spaniard).

He had started off really well in his singles career, reaching the final in Stuttgart in 2001 (when he was just 19) and beating former top Spaniard Sergi Bruguera along the way. After that, it was pretty much Challenger city.

He’s No. 25 in the world in doubles now, down one spot from his career high just before the French Open this year. And he’s up to nearly a million in prize money.

He has three titles this year: Estoril and the ATP 500 in Hamburg with David Marrero, and the big Indian Wells event with Nadal.

Victorious in Hamburg

Photo by Joern Pollex/ Staff /Getty Images

Marc! and David Marrero won the Hamburg Open doubles title this morning! They defeated Chardy/Mathieu 6-3, 2-6, 10-8. Here’s a sum-up on the ATP site.

“It was an amazing week,” reflected Lopez. “It’s our second title this year. I am very happy because it is a very important victory. It’s for both of us the first title in an ATP [World Tour] 500 tournament. And next year I’ll try to win again.”

I got up early this morning to see if, by chance, there were any streams, but it was doubles, so of course not. I curled up with my laptop to watch live scores, but…fell asleep and ended up running late for my afternoon plans. (FAIL!) So, k, sia, Ramara, Atch2 and tiemyshoe, I promise I wasn’t ignoring Marc! and his doubles goodness.