Luis Horna

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**Luis Horna**

Country	Peru
Residence	Lima
Date of birth	September 14 , 1980
Place of birth	Lima, Peru
Height	5'11 (180 cm)
Weight	180 lbs (81 kg)
Turned Pro	1998
Plays	Right
Career Prize Money	$1,676,342
Singles
Career record:	108-111
Career titles:	1
Highest ranking:	33 (August 30, 2004)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open	3rd (2006)
French Open	3rd (2005)
Wimbledon	1st (2003 - 2006)
U.S. Open	2nd (2006)
Doubles
Career record:	58-49
Career titles:	2
Highest ranking:	27 (February 6, 2006)

Luis Horna Viscari (born September 14, 1980 in Lima) is a tennis player from Peru, who turned professional in 1998. Horna plays righthanded, he has a strong serve for a relatively short player and the forehand is his best stroke. He uses a one-handed backhand and his favourite surface is clay.

1 Career
2 Singles Titles (1)
- 2.1 Singles Finalist (1)
3 Doubles Titles (2)
4 External link

[edit] Career

Horna is known by his nickname "Lucho", which comes from his first name. Horna was an outstanding junior player in both singles and doubles. He made the final of the boys singles at the French Open in 1997 losing to Daniel Elsner. Horna won the French Open and Wimbledon doubles with Jose de Armas and Nicolas Massu respectively.

Horna turned professional in 1998 and he moved up over 1000 places in the rankings with victories in the Ecuadorian and three Futures events in Peru and in 1999 made his first ATP Challenger final in Aschaffenburg. In 2000 he was finalist in Salinas and again in [[Aschaffenburg] and it was not until 2001 that Horna was able to get his first win on the ATP tour in Umag defeating Martin Damm and made another Challenger final in Curitiba losing to Flavio Saretta.

2002 was a successful year for Horna when he became the first Peruvian since Jaime Yzaga to finish in the top 100 in the end of season rankings, who finished 34th in 1994. This was achieved through winning three Challenger titles in Zagreb, Furth, and Weiden defeating Dominik Hrbaty, Jürgen Melzer and Zeljko Krajan respectively and finalist in the Sao Paulo Challenger losing to Franco Squillari.

Horna made his debut in the four Grand Slam events in 2003. At the French Open Horna defeated Roger Federer who was one of the pre tournament favourites and was the the last time that Federer has lost in the first round of a Grand Slam event. Horna said after the victory that it was "the best feeling I have had in my whole life". [1]. Horna lost his second round match after having a match point against eventual finalist Martin Verkerk. He won another Challenger title in Seville and was a three time semi finalist in Amersfoort, Sopot and Palermo.

In 2004 Horna reached his career-high world ranking is no. 33, which was achieved on August 30. Horna won the Bermuda Challenger over Martin Vassallo Arguello and made his first ATP final in Long Island losing to Lleyton Hewitt. Horna also made three semi finalsin Costa do Sauipe, Houston and Munich. Horna finished inside the top 50 at the end of the year equalling the same feat by Jaime Yzaga.

2005 was not as successful for Horna and his singles ranking slipped to outside the top 50. He won his first doubles title with Argentine Martin Garcia in Amersfoort and achieved his best ever performance at the French Open making the third round and defeating the seeded Tim Henman in the second round before losing to Victor Hanescu.

In spite of winning his first ever ATP singles title defeating Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 7-6(5), 6-4 in Acapulco and reaching the third round of the Australian Open for the first time defeating Gael Monfils before losing to Paul-Henri Mathieu and winning his second doubles title with Martin Garcia in Palermo. Horna finsihed 2006 ranked outside the top 50 and had various injury problems relating to his arm and shoulder which impacted on his final end of year ranking.