José Acasuso facts for kids
 |
|
| Country (sports) |  Argentina |
|---|---|
| Residence | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Born | 20 October 1982 Posadas, Misiones, Argentina |
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Turned pro | 1999 |
| Retired | 2012 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $3,642,422 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 193–183 |
| Career titles | 3 |
| Highest ranking | No. 20 (14 August 2006) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2002, 2003) |
| French Open | 4R (2005) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009) |
| US Open | 3R (2009) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 95–89 |
| Career titles | 5 |
| Highest ranking | No. 27 (6 February 2006) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2006) |
| French Open | QF (2009) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (2003, 2005, 2009) |
| US Open | 2R (2005) |
José Javier "Chucho" Acasuso (born October 20, 1982) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. He was known for his powerful serve and strong shots. Like many players from Argentina, he was especially good on clay tennis courts.
Contents
José Acasuso's Tennis Journey
Early Life and His Nickname
José Acasuso started playing tennis very young, at just two years old. His father would take him, his brother, and his sister to his grandfather's tennis club. That's how his journey began!
He got his nickname "Chucho" because when he was a little kid, he used to say his name was "José Acachucho." Isn't that funny? Until he was 12, José played both basketball and tennis. But then, he decided to focus only on tennis. Even though he is naturally left-handed, he plays tennis with his right hand.
Becoming a Professional Player
José Acasuso became a professional tennis player in 2000. He started by playing in smaller tournaments called Futures and Challenger events. These are like stepping stones for new players to gain experience.
In 2001, he made a big splash at his first main ATP tournament in Buenos Aires. He beat some really good players, including former top-10 player Félix Mantilla. He even reached the final match! However, he lost to the world's number one player at the time, Gustavo Kuerten. By the end of that year, his ranking jumped up 89 spots to number 86 in the world.
Winning Titles and Major Matches
In 2002, José was part of the Argentine team that won the World Team Cup in Germany. This was a big achievement for his country! He also won his first ATP title in Sopot, Poland, showing he could win big tournaments. He reached two other finals that year in Bucharest and Palermo. He finished 2002 ranked 41st in the world.
After a couple of great years, José faced some challenges with injuries. He didn't win any titles in 2003. But in 2004, he made a comeback! He reached the final in Sopot again, where he played against a young Rafael Nadal. Later that year, he won his second career title in Bucharest.
Grand Slam Success and Davis Cup
One of José's best moments was at the 2005 French Open. This is one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world, called Grand Slams. He reached the fourth round, which was his best result ever in a Grand Slam. He even beat the second-seeded player, Andy Roddick, in an exciting five-set match! He came back from being two sets down to win.
In 2006, José won his third ATP title in Chile. This was also the year he started playing for Argentina in the Davis Cup. The Davis Cup is a huge international team competition in tennis. He helped Argentina reach the semi-finals by winning a doubles match with David Nalbandian.
José also had a fantastic run at the Hamburg Masters tournament in 2006. He reached the semi-finals, which helped him get into the top 30 players in the world for the first time!
In the 2006 Davis Cup semi-final, José played against Lleyton Hewitt from Australia. Hewitt was known for winning long five-set matches, but José broke that streak and won! He said it was one of the most important wins of his career. Later that year, José was a last-minute replacement in the Davis Cup Final against Russia. He played a tough match but lost, and Russia won the cup.
José also had success in doubles tennis. He won five doubles titles in his career. Three of those were with his partner Sebastián Prieto.
Final Years and Retirement
In the 2008 Davis Cup final, José was again a last-minute player. He stepped in for an injured teammate but was defeated in a five-set match against Spain.
In 2009, José reached another final in Chile, but lost to Fernando González. One of his most memorable matches that year was against the legendary Roger Federer at the 2009 French Open. José played incredibly well, even having chances to win sets against Federer, but eventually lost in four sets.
On February 24, 2012, José Acasuso officially announced that he was retiring from professional tennis. He had a great career, winning 3 singles titles and 5 doubles titles, and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 20.
Career Highlights
José Acasuso won 3 singles titles and 5 doubles titles during his professional career. He also reached the finals 8 times in singles and 6 times in doubles.
Team Competition Finals
José Acasuso also played in two Davis Cup finals with the Argentine team.
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | December 1–3, 2006 | Davis Cup, Moscow, Russia | Carpet (i) | David Nalbandian Agustín Calleri Juan Ignacio Chela |
 Marat Safin Nikolay Davydenko Mikhail Youzhny Dmitry Tursunov |
2–3 |
| Runner-up | 2. | November 21–23, 2008 | Davis Cup, Mar del Plata, Argentina | Hard (i) | David Nalbandian Juan Martín del Potro Agustín Calleri |
 David Ferrer Fernando Verdasco Feliciano López Marcel Granollers |
1–3 |
See also
In Spanish: José Acasuso para niños
