The 12-year career of Argentine player Pedro Cachin has come to an end.
On Monday, the former world number 48 made the retirement announcement on Instagram, departing from the sport at the age of 30.
Cachin, who shared the court with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic during his career, won one ATP Tour singles title at the 2023 Gstaad Open.
The 30-year-old, who reached a career-high junior ranking of world number eight, described an ‘unforgettable journey’ when summarising his career achievements.
Pedro Cachin’s ‘unforgettable journey’
On Instagram, Cachin said: “48th in the world, it sounds easy, but it isn’t.
“For many, it’s just a number, but it represents hours of training, travel, competition, sweat, and experiences.
It was an unforgettable journey, with many lessons along the way and a clear objective, which at many moments seemed blurry/distant, but which we ultimately achieved.
“For many, it’s just a number; for me, it’s the hours of training, the journeys, the competition, the sweat, and the experiences.
“It was an unforgettable journey, with many lessons along the way and a clear goal that at times seemed blurry or distant, but in the end we achieved it.
“I say “we achieved it” because tennis is an individual sport that’s pursued as a team effort, with family and people who invest their time to follow and support you from anywhere and in any way they can, all to reach that goal.
“It was a privilege to compete in the world’s best tournaments and on the best courts—Rafa in Madrid, Novak at Wimbledon, in the Davis Cup, in the ATP, among others—but I also haven’t forgotten when I used to travel alone to the futures; the place where conditions are poor for playing and everything seems far away.
I”’m leaving with a clear conscience and proud of what I’ve achieved, having given it my all.
These are some photos that capture more than just a few moments of my tennis journey.
“That’s why I decided to take up this sport, so that I would spend the next day.
“Thank you all for respecting me and helping me fulfil my dream. To my family, my girlfriend, my friends, and the kindness they show here and there, our hearts say thank you!
Thank you, tennis, for all the experiences and lessons learnt. Pedro
Cachin played in the main draw of eight Grand Slam singles brackets during his career. The Argentine player, born in Bel Ville, recorded his best singles result at a major at the 2022 US Open.
Remarkably, Cachin became the first player to win a singles match at the US Open using the new 10-point tiebreak format, which is used when two players are level at 6-6 in the final set of a Grand Slam singles match.
Cachin defeated Alijaz Bedene in this fashion, winning 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 1-6, 6-7. He then won another fifth set tiebreak in the second round, defeating Brandon Holt 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6, 7-6.
In the third round, Cachin lost to lucky loser Corentin Moutet: 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 5-7.
As mentioned previously, Cachin played Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic during his career. Djokovic defeated Cachin in straight sets in the first round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.
Against Nadal, Cachin was more competitive. The Spaniard needed three sets to defeat the Argentine at the 2023 Madrid Open, winning 6-1, 6-7, 6-3.
Following their match, Cachin asked Nadal: “You made my dream come true. Can I have a shirt or something of yours?”
To the delight of Cachin, Nadal duly obliged.
Pedro Cachin’s ATP Tour debut
Pedro Cachin made his ATP Tour debut as a doubles player, partnering with compatriot Facundo Argüello at the 2015 Argentina Open.
The pair, who were wildcard entries, saved match points before defeating the second seeds – Horacio Zeballos and Maximo Gonzalez – in the first round.
In the second round, Cachin and Argüello lost to Diego Schwartzman and Carlos Berlocq.
Eight years later, Cachin recorded his best run at a Masters 1000 event [in singles], beating Abdullah Shelbayh, Francisco Cerundolo and Frances Tiafoe to reach the Madrid Open fourth round. His victory over Tiafoe marked Cachin’s first victory against a top 20-ranked singles player.
In the fourth round, Cachin lost to eventual runner-up Jan-Lennard Struff.
