Benjamin Balleret

Benjamin Balleret
Country  Monaco
Residence Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born January 15, 1983 (1983-01-15) (age 29)
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Retired Active
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money $204,430
Singles
Career record 17–14
Career titles 0 ATP
Highest ranking 204 (June 19, 2006)
Current ranking 399 (September 26, 2011)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open N/A
French Open N/A
Wimbledon N/A
US Open N/A
Doubles
Career record 1–2
Career titles 0 ATP
Highest ranking 508 (November 24, 2008)
Last updated on: August 1, 2008.
Medal record
Tennis
Competitor for  Monaco
Games of the Small States of Europe
Silver 2003 Malta Men's Doubles
Gold 2005 Andorra Singles
Silver 2005 Andorra Men's Doubles
Silver 2007 Monaco Singles
Silver 2009 Cyprus Singles
Silver 2011 Liechtenstein Singles
Bronze 2011 Liechtenstein Mixed Doubles

Benjamin Balleret (born January 15, 1983 in Monte Carlo, Monaco) is a professional tennis player on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour.

Career

Balleret is best known for his April 2006 fairy tale run to the third round of the Monte Carlo Open, an ATP Masters Series tournament held in Monte Carlo, Monaco every year. Entering the tournament, he was ranked 351st in the world and had competed only in challenger tournaments and several Davis Cup matches (he played for the Monegasque team in 2004 and 2005 and compiled a modest record of 4 wins and 5 losses).[1] However on April 16, 2006, he received a wild card into the qualifying draw of the Monte Carlo Open and won upsets over seeded, far more accomplished players than he including clay court specialist Albert Portas (at the time ranked 106th in the world and seeded 13th in the qualifying draw) as well as U.S. Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist Jonas Björkman (at the time ranked 71st in the world and seeded third in the qualifying draw). These wins earned Balleret a spot in the main draw, and his performance there is what earned him international headlines. He won shocking upsets over Christophe Rochus (at the time ranked 44th in the world) and, perhaps most amazingly, Sébastien Grosjean (at the time ranked 23rd in the world, number one in France, and seeded thirteenth in the main draw). Balleret's impressive run came to an end in the third round, in which he lost to world number one Roger Federer.[2]

After Balleret's performance at this prestigious clay court event, he shot up 134 positions in the rankings to world number 217. As of June 26, 2006, he has ascended to #205 in the ATP rankings.

References

External links