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By Chris Oddo | Tuesday July 28, 2015

 
Mardy Fish, Atlanta 2015

Mardy Fish's last singles match in Atlanta ended in defeat to Dudi Sela

Photo Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty.

Mardy Fish’s last ride hit a speed bump on Tuesday in Atlanta, as the American fell to Dudi Sela, 6-4, 6-4 in the first of three singles events that he plans to play before retiring at the US Open this summer.

More: Mardy Fish Plans to Retire after 2015 US Open

Fish, who will compete in doubles alongside Andy Roddick against Yen-Hsun Lu and Jonathan Marray tomorrow evening, plans to play Cincinnati in August before his last hurrah at the 2015 U.S. Open.

On Tuesday Fish seemed to struggle with confidence but didn’t look out of his league against Sela despite struggling on big points. He failed on seven of eight break opportunities, including all four he saw in the second set against the 30-year-old Israeli.

Despite the loss Fish saw positives in his return.

It’s nice to finish on my own terms,” Fish said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This sport, my job, was taken from me so abruptly that it took me a long time to sort of get my life back. I have different goals now than I did a couple years ago coming here, or in 2011 when I won a couple times. Obviously I’d like to play better, but just to play again and just to compete out here again in this tournament is a blast.”

Fish famously climbed to a career-high ranking in 2011 before developing a heart issue which had to be repaired by a surgery in 2012. When he returned to the sport he found himself dealing with a different issue: anxiety.

“I’d love to win some matches, but that’s not in the forefront of my mind,” Fish said. “The last time I was on the court besides Indian Wells … I had to walk off the court in the middle of the match. I was right in the thick of the worst part of my troubles.”

He added: “I’ve learned a ton from everything and just trying to get through it and beat it and help as much people as I can while I do it.”

 

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