Wayne Ferreira has played 55 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, more than anyone in the Open era, yet still enjoys anonymity walking around his home neighbourhood.
The 32-year-old South African celebrated his record with a 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-2 first-round win over Ivan Ljubicic at Wimbledon on Tuesday, allowing him to overhaul Stefan Edberg’s mark of 54 consecutive majors.
Ferreira had been scheduled to play on the opening day, but had to wait overnight because of rain delays on Monday.
It didn’t bother him, he said, because he’s familiar with the fickle Wimbledon weather after 15 trips to the All England Club.
Ferreira upset Yannick Noah in the first round at Wimbledon in 1990 in his Grand Slam debut and, after missing the US Open later that year, has played in every major since the 1990 Australian Open.
His best performances were semifinals at the 1992 and 2003 Australian Opens and he reached a career-high number six in May 1995.
Ferreira said the Grand Slam endurance record was probably the highlight of his career.
”I do have regrets that I didn’t win or get to a final — I felt there were some years that I had a really good chance, and deserved to,” he said. ”I really can’t complain, though. I’ve loved what I’ve been doing… it’s sad it has to end some time.”
Ferreira plans to retire after the US Open, admitting that tennis had ”been a bit of a grind” recently, and he’ll likely finish with 57 Grand Slam tournament appearances.
Currently he’s number four on the list of most majors contested, with 56. Jimmy Connors leads with 58 appearances, followed by Michael Chang and Ivan Lendl on 57 each.
Ferreira said he’d thought seriously of retiring three times earlier but was glad he’d stuck around for the record.
”It’s not something that I started out at the beginning of my career and said, ‘Well, this is what I’m going to end off doing’,” Ferreira said. ”Then I felt, ‘Wow, actually it’s not a bad thing’.
The last maybe two or three Grand Slams, a lot of the players have been congratulating me and saying that they think it’s a great thing.”
The closest he came to ending the streak was Wimbledon last year, when he struggled to overcome an injury. He recovered in time but lost in the first round, blaming a lack of match condition.
Despite being a regular face at the Slams, Ferreira said he’s rarely recognised in Berkeley, California in the United States, where he lives with his wife Liesl and son Marcus.
”The people that are part of tennis know who I am, but other than that, nobody else,” he said. ”I hide away pretty well… I think it’s nice for me.” — Sapa