Madrid (AFP)
Former Spanish tennis player Andres Gimeno, the oldest Roland-Garros winner in the professional era, died Wednesday in Barcelona at the age of 82 following a long illness, the Spanish Football Federation announced. tennis (RFET).
His best achievement, Gimeno realized at the age of 34 years and 10 months by winning in 1972 the tournament of Roland Garros at the expense of the French Patrick Proisy in the final.
He also reached the final of the Australian Open in 1969 and the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 1970.
Gimeno was "undoubtedly one of the pioneers of tennis in Spain and a great athlete," said Rafael Nadal, who holds the record of victories at Roland Garros with 12 titles.
Gimeno represented Spain in the Davis Cup from 1958 to 1960 and from 1972 to 1973.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of International Tennis in 2009.
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