Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut (37 years old, 89th place ATP) is playing for the second year in a row at the Tiriac Open, he told GSP that it was easy for him to make the decision. Back from a tough injury, the former ATP number 9 is feeling better and focusing on his tennis.
Just like in 2025, when he came to the Bucharest tournament for the first time, Roberto Bautista Agut he is also present this year at the Țiriac Open. One of the most experienced players on the professional circuit at the moment, the Iberian begins his 2026 European clay season with a drastic change of climate, going from the Florida heat to the 10 degrees and rain in the Capital.
A former world number 9, the position reached in November 2019, the best year of his career, he returned to competitions at the beginning of this season, after a five-month break caused by a bad right knee injury. So far, he has a negative record in 2026, three wins and six losses (2-5 in ATP tournaments), but he is feeling better and hopes to forget the pain, as he told GSP.
In 2025, he defeated the Chinese in the 1st round at the Țiriac Open Yunchaokete Buin a hard-fought match, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, then lost in three sets to the Argentine Francisco Comesana4-6, 6-3, 3-6.
What he expects from the tournament, how he makes the transition from hard to clay in such a short time, how the recovery went and how he feels when he doesn't have his family with him at the tournaments, he explained to GSP. Married to Ana Bodi as of 2019, the two have two boys, Roberto (5 years) and Lucas (1 year).
Roberto Bautista Agut: “I decided to come back”
– Roberto, welcome to Bucharest, for the second time in a row! Was it easy for you to decide to come here again and not choose another tournament for the start of the clay season?
– Yes, last year I played two good matches here in Bucharest, and I think that a week at the beginning of the clay circuit is beneficial for me and for my tennis, that's why I decided to come back.
– Is it difficult to come from another continent, with a different time zone, and adapt quickly here in Europe?
– Yes, tennis has these aspects, it is a more complex and complicated sport than people think, and now we come after a month with a lot of heat in Indian Wells and Miami, in different conditions. It looks like this week will be quite cold, quite wet, and hopefully not too much rain, so that we can play in normal conditions.
– How is it for you to go from hard to clay, so quickly?
– It is a complicated transition, which is never easy, but with the years of experience I have in the circuit, I try to manage it as best as possible, and with work and dedication it is easier.
12Roberto Bautista Agut has ATP titles on his record, most recently at Antwerp 2024
Roberto Bautista Agut: “The worst injury of his career”
– Last year you had to stop a little earlier than usual because of the injury you suffered. How was the recovery and how are you feeling now?
– It was a complicated injury, maybe the worst I've had in my career. I tore my meniscus in New York last year and from August it was a difficult recovery, after which I was able to play in January, but with a lot of discomfort and pain. In the last month I have already felt better and I hope to forget about it and be able to focus on tennis.
Roberto Bautista Agut performing with knee pads at Rotterdam 2026 Photo: Imago Images
19the Spaniard has victories over Top 10 players in his career, including 4 against the current world leader (3 with Novak Djokovic, one with Daniil Medvedev)
– Sometimes your family travels with you, I don't know if that's the case now.
– No, not this time.
– How do you keep in touch with them when they are not with you on tour?
– The truth is, it's complicated. The family is growing, we have two children and they really miss me and I miss them. It's complicated, I can't always travel. We try to travel during the weeks when the oldest child is out of school, there are holidays and there are few weeks. Routine suits the child better than schedule changes, tournaments, weather and different places.
– Thank you, good luck!
