Stricken Mardy Fish ends career after marathon US Open encounter with Feliciano Lopez

The 33-year-old American bows out after a dramatic final match

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Mardy Fish of the United States retired after his loss to Feliciano Lopez. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:30am, 3 Sep 2015Updated: 10:36am, 3 Sep 2015

Mardy Fish faced down heart problems and crippling anxiety attacks but in the end it was a humble spot of cramping which brought his career to an end Wednesday.

The 33-year-old American, who has played just a handful of tournaments in the last three years and seen his ranking slip to 581 as he battled his personal demons, had already said that this US Open, his 13th, would be his last event.

You would have had to carry me off the court. I was definitely not stopping at that point

Mardy Fish

Despite serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set of his second round clash against Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, he was finally undone by the same cramping which has claimed many players at this year’s hot and humid US Open.

“I wasn’t quitting. I was just cramping. I mean, both sides of both legs, if I moved anywhere close to three or four steps, two or three steps, it would go,” said Fish after the three hour, 11 minute Louis Armstrong Stadium encounter, which he lost 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Fish suffered with cramp towards the end of his match. Photo: Reuters

“You would have had to carry me off the court. I was definitely not stopping at that point.”