Jiří Veselý facts for kids
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Veselý at the 2021 Internationaux de Tennis de Vendée
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| Country (sports) |  Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Residence | Březnice, Czech Republic |
| Born | 10 July 1993 Příbram, Czech Republic |
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Turned pro | 2009 |
| Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Emanuel Rehola (2023–), Jaroslav Navrátil, Dušan Lojda (2021–2023) |
| Prize money | US $6,105,681 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 143–169 (45.83% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 35 (27 April 2015) |
| Current ranking | No. 337 (18 November 2024) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2018, 2021) |
| French Open | 3R (2017) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2016, 2018) |
| US Open | 3R (2015, 2023) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 39–66 (37.14% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 94 (8 June 2015) |
| Current ranking | No. 1030 (18 November 2024) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2016) |
| French Open | 3R (2017) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2014) |
| US Open | 2R (2013, 2014, 2015) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (2013) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's tennis | ||
Representing a  mixed-NOCs team |
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| Youth Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 2010 Singapore | Doubles |
Jiří Veselý (born on July 10, 1993) is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. He plays left-handed and uses a two-handed backhand. He once reached his highest singles ranking of world No. 35 in April 2015.
Contents
Early Tennis Days
Jiří Veselý was a very successful junior player. In 2011, he won the boys' singles title at the Australian Open, beating Luke Saville. He also won the boys' doubles title at the Australian Open that same year with his partner Filip Horanský. They won without losing a set.
He also reached the finals of the US Open boys' singles and the Wimbledon boys' doubles. In January 2011, Jiří became the No. 1 junior tennis player in the world.
Becoming a Pro Player
Starting Out: 2012–2015
Jiří started his professional career in 2009. He played his first Davis Cup match for the Czech Republic in 2013. The Davis Cup is a big team tennis competition for countries. He also won many smaller tournaments called ITF Futures and ATP Challenger events.
In 2013, Jiří played in his first major tournament, a Grand Slam, at the French Open. He was the youngest player in the top 100 at that time. He won his first Grand Slam match at the 2014 French Open.
A month later, he reached the third round of Wimbledon for the first time. He also won his first ATP Tour doubles title in 2014 with his countryman František Čermák.
In 2015, Jiří won his first ATP singles title at the ATP Auckland Open in New Zealand. He also reached the third round of the US Open that year.
Big Wins and Wimbledon Success: 2016
The year 2016 was exciting for Jiří. At the Monte-Carlo Masters, he beat the world No. 1 player, Novak Djokovic. This was a huge upset and a big moment in his career. It was the first time Djokovic had lost so early in a Masters tournament in three years.
Later that year, at Wimbledon, Jiří had another amazing win. He beat world No. 8 Dominic Thiem in three very close sets, all decided by a "tie-break." A tie-break is a special game used to decide a set when the score is tied. He then reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, which was his best result at a Grand Slam at that time. He eventually lost to his fellow Czech player, Tomáš Berdych, in a very tough five-set match.
He had to stop playing in some tournaments later in 2016 because of injuries.
More Titles and Comebacks: 2017–2020
In 2017, Jiří won his second ATP doubles title at the Istanbul Open. He teamed up with Roman Jebavý for this win.
After some time, Jiří won his second ATP singles title in February 2020 at the Maharashtra Open in India. This was his first singles title since 2015. He had to fight hard, saving many "match points" (points that could have ended the match) in his semifinal and final matches.
Another Big Win Over Djokovic: 2022
In 2022, Jiří had another memorable moment. At the Dubai Tennis Championships, he was ranked No. 123 in the world. He played against Novak Djokovic again, who was still the world No. 1. Jiří won the match in straight sets! This win was very important because it allowed another player, Daniil Medvedev, to become the new world No. 1. This was the first time in many years that a player outside the "Big Four" (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray) held the top spot.
Jiří then reached his first ATP 500 final (a higher level of tournament) at the Dubai Championships. He lost the final to Andrey Rublev, but his ranking jumped from 123 to 74.
Returning to Play: 2023-2024
Jiří had to take a break from tennis for eight months. He returned to the ATP Tour in 2023 using a "protected ranking." This rule helps players who have been out with long-term injuries get into tournaments.
He won his first match back at Wimbledon in 2023, beating Sebastian Korda. He also had a great run at the US Open in 2023, reaching the third round. He won two tough five-set matches before losing to Borna Gojo. He continued to use his protected ranking to play in the 2024 Australian Open.
Coaches
Jiří has worked with several coaches throughout his career. His former coaches include Jaroslav Navrátil and Dušan Lojda. In 2015, he started working with Tomáš Krupa, who used to coach Tomáš Berdych.
Wins Over Top 10 Players
Jiří Veselý has had some impressive wins against players ranked in the top 10 in the world. Here are some of his notable victories:
- In 2016, he beat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
- Also in 2016, he defeated world No. 8 Dominic Thiem at Wimbledon.
- In 2019, he beat world No. 5 Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon.
- In 2022, he again defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the Dubai Championships.
