Ferrer just weeks away from retiring in Madrid

In two weeks, David Ferrer is hanging up his racquet after a 19-year stint on the ATP Tour. He made the announcement in August following his US Open first-round retirement with a left calf injury, against compatriot Rafael Nadal.

On Thursday, he played Nadal in the Barcelona round of 16, in what was his final showing at the Real Club de Tenis. Nadal edged past him 6-3, 6-3, increasing his lead in their head-to head record, 26-6. The last time Ferrer beat Nadal was in the 2014 Monte Carlo quarterfinals.

Their 32 career meetings put Nadal and Ferrer at No. 10 on the all-time ATP meetings list.

Before entering the US Open last year (which would end up being his last Grand Slam), the 37-year-old was riding a four-match losing streak, and because of his injury-marred season, he posted only nine wins in 2018, a contrast to his 24 victories in 2017.

This year, the No. 155-ranked Spaniard has played a handful of matches, winning at least one match in each event. In Miami, he upset world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, clawing his way back from a 6-2 first-set deficit in the second round.

At the peak of his illustrious career in 2013, the Spaniard reached as high as No. 3. That year, he made quarterfinals of Wimbledon, the semifinals of the Australian Open and appeared in his first, and only, Grand Slam final at the French Open. He has amassed 27 career ATP titles, including the 2012 Paris ATP Masters 1000 trophy. He helped Spain win the Davis Cup three times, in 2008, 2009, and 2011.

After spending almost two decades on the road, Ferrer is content with his impending retirement.

"I’m feeling good," he told ATP.com. "I feel happy with my transition into accepting that I’m going to stop playing and that this was going to be my last year."