Lopez: Getting married has helped me play better

Lopez (left) and Ferrer (second right) entertaining children at the Qaseh paediatric ward on KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital. - IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Getting married is the best thing to have happened to Feliciano Lopez.

The Spaniard happily admits that he’s been playing his best tennis since tying the knot with his girlfriend of two years – Spanish model Alba Carrillo – in July.

And Lopez, who is ranked 16th in the world after reaching a career high No. 12 in March, is eager to bring that form to the Malaysian Open, which began Monday at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

“I think getting married has helped me. It’s something that we’ve always wanted to do since we first met,” said the 34-year-old Lopez.

“I’m happy that we finally made it happen this summer and I’ve been playing great tennis since.

“I had a good run at the US Open, reaching the quarter-finals ... I’m feeling good as well, hopefully I can extend that run in Malaysia.

“I’m not that young anymore but age is just a number to me ... I’ve been playing my best tennis in the last four to five years and I’m injury-free.

“Right now I can still compete with the top players in the world and it’s not an excuse to feel old.”

The second-seeded Lopez is among a group of over 30-year-olds competing in the Malaysian Open.

The others are Spanish top seed David Ferrer, 33; Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic, 36; Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek, 37; Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, 34; and Germany’s Benjamin Becker, 34.

Lopez, who visited the paediatric ward at the KPJ Damansara Hospital with his 2012 London Olympics doubles partner Ferrer, is also hoping to have another go at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next year.

“I definitely hope to play doubles in Rio next year ... maybe with Ferrer again,” said Lopez.

“We had a tough loss in London (to France’s Michael Llodra-Jo Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals) and also in the bronze medal match. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to do better next year.”