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Julian Knowle
Knowle RG13 (5) (9380200314).jpg
Country (sports)  Austria
Residence Hard, Austria
Born (1974-04-29) 29 April 1974 (age 51)
Lauterach, Austria
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Turned pro 1992
Retired 2021
Plays Left-handed (two-handed both sides)
Prize money $3,048,871
Singles
Career record 10–33
Career titles 0
Highest ranking No. 86 (15 July 2002)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 2R (2003)
French Open 1R (2002)
Wimbledon 3R (2002)
US Open 1R (2002)
Doubles
Career record 410–368
Career titles 19
Highest ranking No. 6 (7 January 2008)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 3R (2006, 2007)
French Open SF (2010)
Wimbledon F (2004)
US Open W (2007)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals F (2007)
Olympic Games 2R (2008)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open QF (2007)
French Open F (2010)
Wimbledon QF (2010)
US Open 2R (2006, 2010)

Julian Knowle (born 29 April 1974) is a former professional tennis player from Austria. He was a left-handed player. Julian was known for using both hands for his forehand, backhand, and even volleys.

He became Austria's most successful doubles player. In January 2008, he reached world No. 6 in the ATP doubles rankings. Later, other Austrian players like Jürgen Melzer and Alexander Peya also achieved high rankings.

Julian's Tennis Journey

Julian Knowle had a good start in his tennis career. He won several tournaments called the ATP Challenger Series. These wins happened in places like Kyoto (1999) and Caracas (2001). He also reached the finals in other Challenger events.

His best ranking in singles tennis was world No. 86 in July 2002. After 2005, he mostly focused on playing doubles.

Knowle US16 (10) (29236558983)
Julian Knowle playing in 2016.

Reaching the Wimbledon Final in 2004

In 2004, Julian Knowle reached his first Grand Slam final. This was at the famous Wimbledon tournament. He played with his partner, Nenad Zimonjić from Serbia. They played well but lost in the final match. Before Julian, only one other Austrian player had reached a doubles final at Wimbledon, back in 1938.

New Partners and Wins (2005-2006)

After 2004, Julian played with different partners. In 2005, he teamed up with Petr Pála from the Czech Republic. Later, he formed a strong team with fellow Austrian player Jürgen Melzer. They played together for most of 2005 and 2006. During this time, they won two doubles tournaments. They also reached the finals in five other events.

Winning a Grand Slam Title in 2007

In 2007, Julian found a new partner, Simon Aspelin from Sweden. This year became the most successful of his career. At the 2007 US Open, they were seeded tenth. They surprised many by winning the entire tournament! This was Julian's first Grand Slam title.

They beat some very strong teams along the way. In the quarterfinals, they defeated the top-ranked team of Bob and Mike Bryan. Then, in the final, they won against Pavel Vízner and Lukáš Dlouhý. This big win helped Julian reach the top 10 in doubles rankings.

Julian was the second Austrian tennis player to win a Grand Slam. The first was Thomas Muster in 1995. Later, Jürgen Melzer and Dominic Thiem also won Grand Slam titles.

Because of their great year, Julian and Simon played in the Tennis Masters Cup in China. They made it all the way to the final. They played against Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor but lost that match.

Playing in the Olympics (2008)

In 2008, Julian and Simon didn't have as many wins. However, Julian teamed up with Jürgen Melzer for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. They won their first match. But then they lost to the famous Bryan brothers.

More Partnerships and Success (2009-2010)

Julian started playing with Jürgen Melzer again in 2009. They won titles in New Haven and Tokyo. They also reached another final in Vienna. In 2010, Julian played with Robert Lindstedt from Sweden for a few months. Later, he teamed up with Andy Ram from Israel. Their best result was reaching the semifinals at the French Open.

Dealing with Injuries (2011)

The year 2011 was tough for Julian because of many injuries. He had a groin injury and then a torn muscle. These injuries forced him to take breaks from playing. He even missed the French Open, where he had done so well the year before.

Making a Comeback (2012)

After his ranking dropped, Julian worked hard to get back into the top 50 in 2012. He played with several different partners. He won a tournament in Kitzbühel with František Čermák. This was his first title since 2009. He also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

In 2012, at age 38, Julian even played in a singles tournament again. He became the oldest player to qualify for an ATP tournament.

Later Career and Retirement (2013-2021)

In 2013, Julian won two more titles with Filip Polášek. One was in Casablanca and the other in Zagreb. He continued to play doubles, reaching more finals.

In November 2020, Julian worked as a coach for other players at the ATP Finals. His last Grand Slam appearance was at the Australian Open in February 2021. He officially retired from professional tennis in November 2021.

Career Highlights

Julian Knowle had a long and successful career in doubles tennis. He won 19 doubles titles and reached 25 other finals. His biggest achievement was winning the US Open in 2007.

Doubles Titles: 19 Wins

Julian won many tournaments on different types of courts. He won on hard courts, clay courts, and grass courts. Some of his wins include:

  • Copenhagen Open (2002)
  • Croatia Open (2002)
  • Chennai Open (2003)
  • St. Petersburg Open (2003, 2005)
  • Bavarian Championships (2005)
  • Grand Prix Hassan II (2006, 2013)
  • ATP Pörtschach (2007)
  • Halle Open (2007, 2014)
  • Swedish Open (2007, 2017)
  • US Open (2007) - This was his Grand Slam win!
  • Connecticut Open (2009)
  • Japan Open (2009)
  • Austrian Open (2012)
  • Zagreb Indoors (2013)
  • Auckland Open (2014)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Julian Knowle para niños

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