Michael Venus (tennis)
| Country |
 United States (2002 – 2010) New Zealand (2010 – ) |
|---|---|
| Residence | Orlando, FL, United States |
| Born |
October 16, 1987 Auckland, New Zealand[1] |
| Height | 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) |
| Turned pro | 2006 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Prize money | $81,367 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 55-55 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 274 (July 25, 2011) |
| Current ranking | No. 514 (January 14, 2013) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| US Open | Q2 (2009) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 46-41 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 287 (December 17, 2012) |
| Current ranking | No. 416 (January 14, 2013) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Last updated on: January 12, 2013. | |
Michael Venus (born October 16, 1987) is a New Zealand professional tennis player. He reached a career high ranking of 302 in January 2010. He switched nationality in June 2010 and began playing in the New Zealand Davis Cup team.
Early years
His family moved to the United States, where he started to compete in the boys' league and won the Boys’ 18 National Clay Courts in 2006. His idols were Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. He was vacillating between going to college or turning professional and trying the senior tour but decided to go for the College Conference.[2]
College years to professional career
He moved to Louisiana State University from the University of Texas during his sophomore college year of 2006-07. In January 2008 debuted in the Louisiana Tigers and was the first to win the 2008 D’Novo/ITA Men’s All-American Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma wearing the Tigers' colors. He is also one of only two Louisianan players to finish in the Campbell's ITA College Tennis Rankings top 10 in both singles and doubles the same year (No. 7 in singles and No. 4 in doubles respectively). He was a representative of United States team in the BNP Paribas International University Challenge of Tennis in Poitiers, France in December 2009.[1]
2007Venus finished the season winning the USA F26 Futures in doubles partnering Danny Bryan and losing only in the final of Thailand F3 Futures[3] thus peaking 866th in singles on the ATP world tour.[4] 2008Despite playing the final of Baton Rouge Challenger with partner Ryan Harrison,[3] due to his fable singles performance Venus closed the year at the 1752nd position on the South African Airways ATP rankings.[4] 2009In July Venus clinched the title of USA F17 Futures beating Vasek Pospisil in the final. He reached the doubles final of the USA F19 Futures in August teaming up with Colt Gaston losing in the two straight sets. The end of the month Venus earned a wild card to the qualifying draw of the 2009 US Open in which he advanced to the second round overcoming Uruguay's Marcel Felder in two sets but failing to qualify by losing to Giovanni Lapentti Of Ecuador. In October The Venus-Harrison pair won the USA F24 Futures against fellow Kudla-Sarmiento and in November playing with Gaston they lost in the championship match in the USA F27 Futures against the Armenian-Russian duo Martirosyan-Sitak.[3] He reached his career year-end high of 587.[4] 2010Venus won another futures the USA F13 Futures tournament but lost in his first ever challenger series final in Qarshi against Blaž Kavčič in two tie-breaker sets. In the same year he won his first Davis Cup match representing New Zealand.[3] He advanced to the 328th ATP year-end rank.[4] Finals (3)
Singles 1 (0–1)
Doubles 2 (1–1)
Davis Cup (8)
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