Jerzy Janowicz facts for kids

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Jerzy Janowicz
Singles
Janowicz in 2010
Country (sports)	Poland
Residence	Łódź, Poland
Born	(1990-11-13) 13 November 1990 (age 34) Łódź, Poland
Height	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)
Turned pro	2007
Retired	2022 (last match played)
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US $3,769,423
Official website	jerzy-janowicz.com
Career record	102–95
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 14 (12 August 2013)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2013, 2014, 2015)
French Open	3R (2013, 2014)
Wimbledon	SF (2013)
US Open	2R (2014)
Doubles
Career record	15–20
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 47 (19 August 2013)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2013, 2016)
French Open	QF (2013)
Wimbledon	Q1 (2012)
US Open	1R (2013, 2015)
Team competitions
Hopman Cup	W (2015)

Jerzy Filip Janowicz Jr. (born November 13, 1990) is a Polish tennis player who is currently not actively competing. He also plays padel, which is a sport similar to tennis. Jerzy is famous for being the first Polish man to reach the semifinals of a major tennis tournament, which happened at Wimbledon in 2013.

Even though he never won a main ATP Tour title, Jerzy reached a high singles ranking of world No. 14 in August 2013. He also achieved a best doubles ranking of No. 47 in the same month. He became well-known after reaching the final of the 2012 Paris Masters as a player who had to win qualifying matches to get into the main tournament. During that event, he beat five players ranked in the top 20, including famous players like Andy Murray.

Jerzy Janowicz was given the Gold Cross of Merit by the Polish President in 2013 for his achievements in tennis. He was known for his incredibly powerful serve, which could reach speeds of up to 249 kilometers per hour (about 155 miles per hour). He also had very strong groundstrokes, which are shots hit after the ball bounces.

Early Life and Family Support
Tennis Career Highlights
Playing for Poland: Davis Cup
Playing Style
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Family Support

Jerzy Janowicz was born in Łódź, Poland. He started playing tennis when he was five years old because his parents introduced him to the sport. Both his father, Jerzy, and his mother, Anna Szalbot, were professional volleyball players. This is where Jerzy gets his athletic ability and height.

When Jerzy was about 10 or 11, his parents believed he had a bright future in tennis. To support his training, they sold their chain of sports stores and apartments. Jerzy has said that famous tennis player Pete Sampras was his inspiration. Every October, Jerzy and his team organize the annual Atlas Jerzyk Cup tennis tournament in Łódź. This event helps promote tennis to young children aged 8 to 12.

Tennis Career Highlights

Junior Years and Early Success

As a junior player, Jerzy had a strong record, winning 59 matches and losing 23. He reached a combined ranking of No. 5 in the world in 2008. He made it to the boys' singles finals at the 2007 US Open and the 2008 French Open. However, he lost both finals.

2012: Breaking into the Top 30

At the start of 2012, Jerzy was ranked 221st in the world. He couldn't play in the Australian Open because he didn't have enough sponsors. Later that year, he won three Challenger tournaments, which are events for rising players.

At Wimbledon in 2012, he played in the main tournament for the first time after winning three qualifying rounds. He won two matches before losing in the third round.

In November 2012, Jerzy had a huge breakthrough at the Paris Masters, a big ATP 1000 tournament. He won several matches against top players, including world No. 3 Andy Murray. After beating Murray, he said it was "the most unbelievable day in my life." He then defeated other highly ranked players to reach his first ATP tour-level final. He was the first qualifier to reach such a final in many years. Although he lost to David Ferrer in the final, his amazing performance pushed him into the top 30 rankings for the first time. He finished the year ranked No. 24, a huge jump from the previous year.

2013: Reaching World No. 14 and Wimbledon Semifinal

Janowicz at the French Open, 2013

Jerzy started 2013 as the 24th seed at the Australian Open, meaning he was one of the top players expected to do well. He reached the third round there. At the Italian Open, he made it to the quarterfinals, beating two top-ten players along the way. He then lost to the legendary Roger Federer.

At the French Open, he reached the third round.

Jerzy at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships

His biggest achievement came at Wimbledon in 2013. He won several matches to reach his first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal. He then beat his fellow Polish player Łukasz Kubot to become the first Polish man in history to reach a Grand Slam semifinal! He eventually lost to Andy Murray, who went on to win the tournament.

After Wimbledon, Jerzy faced some challenges. He had a back injury that forced him to withdraw from several tournaments. He finished the year ranked No. 21.

2014: Dealing with Injuries

Jerzy at the 2014 Winston-Salem Open

In 2014, Jerzy had to deal with a foot injury. He played at the Australian Open with a broken bone in his foot. Despite this, he reached the third round. He also made it to the semifinals at the Open Sud de France tournament.

He continued to play through injuries, which affected his performance. He lost many ranking points and dropped to No. 51 in the world. Towards the end of the year, he reached the final of the Winston-Salem Open, but lost in a close match. He finished 2014 ranked No. 43.

2015: Winning the Hopman Cup

Janowicz at the 2015 French Open

Jerzy started 2015 by winning the Hopman Cup with his teammate Agnieszka Radwańska. This was Poland's first title in this team competition. They beat the top-seeded USA team in the final.

He reached his third ATP final at the Open Sud de France but had to stop playing during the match due to a viral infection. He continued to play in various tournaments but faced early losses. He finished the season ranked 57th.

2016: Knee Injury and Olympics Appearance

Jerzy Janowicz at the 2016 US Open

In 2016, Jerzy struggled with a knee injury, which forced him to miss many tournaments for the first six months of the year. This injury was one of several he faced during his career.

In August, he represented Poland at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but lost in the first round. He later returned to play in Challenger tournaments to regain his form and confidence. He won a Challenger tournament in Italy, showing his knee could handle long matches. He ended the year ranked No. 280.

2017: New Coach and Challenger Title

Janowicz at Wimbledon, 2017

At the start of 2017, Jerzy hired a new coach, Günter Bresnik. He played a very close five-set match against Marin Čilić at the Australian Open, showing his high level of play.

In February, he won his sixth ATP Challenger title in Italy. He also reached the quarterfinals at the Stuttgart Open, beating Grigor Dimitrov, a highly ranked player. At Wimbledon, he reached the third round. He finished 2017 ranked No. 122.

2019-2022: Return from Knee Surgery

Jerzy did not play any matches from November 2017 until 2020 due to another knee injury. In April 2019, doctors finally allowed him to start training again. He planned his return to competitive tennis.

In February 2020, Jerzy made his long-awaited return to the tour at the Open de Rennes. He reached the final of the Teréga Open Pau–Pyrénées Challenger tournament in France, showing he was getting back into shape.

In 2021, he played only one exhibition match. In May 2022, he received a special entry to play in the Poznań Open Challenger tournament in Poland, marking another comeback attempt.

Playing for Poland: Davis Cup

Jerzy Janowicz has proudly represented Poland in the Davis Cup, which is a major international team competition in men's tennis.

In 2009, he played a key role in Poland's victory over Great Britain. In 2013, he won the deciding match for Poland against Slovenia, helping his country secure a spot in the next round.

Playing Style

Jerzy Janowicz is known for his powerful groundstrokes

Jerzy Janowicz is known for his unique and powerful playing style. He has one of the hardest serves in the world, often hitting his first serve between 130 and 140 miles per hour. His second serve is also very fast, usually between 115 and 120 miles per hour. He throws the ball very high when he serves, which helps him generate so much power.

Even though he is very tall (6 feet 8 inches), Jerzy moves remarkably well around the court. He hits powerful groundstrokes from the back of the court. He also has an excellent drop shot, which is a soft shot that barely goes over the net, making it hard for opponents to reach. He uses a two-handed backhand and often mixes up his shots with slices and spins to keep his opponents guessing.

Personal Life

Since 2013, Jerzy has been in a relationship with fellow Polish tennis player, Marta Domachowska. They announced in December 2018 that they were expecting a baby, and their son was born in 2019.