Kiki Bertens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kiki Bertens

Bertens at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
Country (sports)	Netherlands
Residence	Breda, Netherlands
Born	(1991-12-10) 10 December 1991 (age 33) Wateringen, Netherlands
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Turned pro	2009
Retired	26 July 2021
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Elise Tamaëla (2019–2021)
Prize money	US$ 11,653,190
Official website	kikibertens.nl
Singles
Career record	443–265 (62.57%)
Career titles	10
Highest ranking	No. 4 (13 May 2019)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (2020)
French Open	SF (2016)
Wimbledon	QF (2018)
US Open	3R (2018, 2019)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2018)
Olympic Games	1R (2016, 2020)
Doubles
Career record	184–104 (63.89%)
Career titles	10
Highest ranking	No. 16 (16 April 2018)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	QF (2015)
French Open	QF (2016)
Wimbledon	3R (2018)
US Open	3R (2015)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2017)
Olympic Games	2R (2020)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	2R (2016)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	SF (2016), record 27–5

Kiki Bertens (born 10 December 1991) is a former professional tennis player from the Netherlands. She became the highest-ranked Dutch female player ever. Kiki reached world No. 4 in singles on 13 May 2019. She also reached world No. 16 in doubles in April 2018.

Kiki won ten singles and ten doubles titles on the WTA Tour. These included big wins at the 2018 Cincinnati Open and the 2019 Madrid Open. Many people thought of Bertens as a specialist on clay courts. However, she also played very well on hardcourts.

Early Life and Tennis Start

Kiki Bertens was born on 10 December 1991 in Wateringen, near The Hague. She grew up in Berkel en Rodenrijs. Kiki has two sisters, one older and one younger.

She began playing tennis at age six at a club where her aunt and uncle played. Her coach, Martin van der Brugghen, started training her when she was seven. He saw her talent and helped her reach her full potential. Kiki did not get much support from the Dutch tennis federation. She only played in one junior tournament, the Junior Fed Cup, in 2007.

Kiki Bertens' Professional Career

First WTA Tour Title in 2012

Kiki Bertens started 2012 by trying to qualify for the Australian Open. She won her first match but lost in the second round. She then played for the Dutch team in the 2012 Fed Cup, winning her matches.

Later that year, Kiki won her second ITF singles title in Mexico. She continued to play well, winning another ITF title in Bath. In April, she reached her first WTA tournament final in Fes. She had never won a main-draw WTA singles match before this event. Kiki won the final, becoming the first Dutch female player since 2006 to win a WTA singles tournament.

She played in her first Grand Slam main draw at the French Open. Kiki then got her first Grand Slam win at Wimbledon. She continued to play on the American hardcourt circuit, reaching the main draws of big tournaments like Montreal and Cincinnati. She ended her season with a quarterfinal appearance in Seoul.

Years 2013 to 2015

Kiki started 2013 ranked No. 63. She reached the quarterfinals at the Auckland Open. At the Paris indoor event, she made it to the semifinals. She had to stop playing due to a back injury in that match.

In 2014, Kiki reached the fourth round of the French Open as a qualifier. This was a great achievement for her. In 2015, she changed coaches to Raemon Sluiter.

Bertens at the 2015 US Open qualifying

Breakthrough Season in 2016

Kiki had a strong start to 2016 in the Fed Cup semifinals against France. She won both her singles matches against top players. She then won her second WTA singles title at Nuremberg, beating a top-10 player for the first time. She also won the doubles title there.

At the French Open, Kiki surprised everyone by beating No. 3 seed Angelique Kerber. She then continued to win, reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal. She played against the top seed, Serena Williams, and despite having a calf injury, she played a tough match. Even though she lost, she entered the top 30 rankings for the first time.

Bertens at the 2016 French Open, where she reached her first Grand Slam semifinal

After Wimbledon, Kiki reached the final of the Ladies Championship Gstaad. She finished the year by winning two doubles titles with Johanna Larsson.

Two WTA Titles in 2017

Kiki started 2017 by winning a doubles title in Auckland with Johanna Larsson. She then had a strong clay-court season. She reached the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open and the semifinals of the Italian Open.

She successfully defended her title in Nuremberg, winning her third career singles title. After a tough French Open and Wimbledon, Kiki won the singles title at Gstaad. She also won the doubles title there with Johanna Larsson.

Kiki and Johanna Larsson reached their biggest final together at the WTA Finals. They had a great win in the semifinals but lost in the final. Kiki ended the year ranked 31st in singles and 19th in doubles.

Bertens at the 2017 Indian Wells Open

Top-10 Debut in 2018

In 2018, Kiki won her first Premier title at the Charleston Open. At the Madrid Open, she had a fantastic run. She beat many top players, including world No. 2, Caroline Wozniacki, and Maria Sharapova. She reached her first Premier Mandatory final but lost to Petra Kvitová.

At Wimbledon, Kiki had her best result there, reaching the quarterfinals. She beat top players like Venus Williams and Karolína Plíšková. The following week, she won the biggest title of her career at the Cincinnati Open. She beat four top-10 players, including Simona Halep, to win the title.

In September, she won her second hardcourt title at the Korea Open. Kiki then qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time. She reached the semifinals there. Because of her amazing year, Kiki Bertens was named "Most Improved Player of the Year" by the WTA. She finished 2018 ranked No. 9 in the world.

Bertens at the 2018 French Open

Career-High Ranking in 2019

Kiki started 2019 by reaching the semifinals in Sydney. She then won her first title of the year at the St. Petersburg Trophy.

Her clay-court season was very strong. At the Madrid Open, she played incredibly well. She beat four former Grand Slam champions on her way to the final. In the final, she defeated world No. 3, Simona Halep, without losing a set. This win gave her her first Premier Mandatory title and pushed her to a new career-high ranking of world No. 4.

Bertens at the 2019 Sydney International

She reached the semifinals at the Rome Open, beating world No. 1, Naomi Osaka. Kiki reached the final of the 's-Hertogenbosch tournament on grass. She also made it to the semifinals in Beijing. At the end of the year, Kiki reached the final of the WTA Elite Trophy. She finished 2019 ranked No. 9 in the world. In November 2019, she announced that Elise Tamaëla would be her new coach.

Challenges and Retirement in 2020-2021

Kiki started 2020 by defending her title at St. Petersburg. She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. The WTA Tour was then paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the break, Kiki played at the French Open. She reached the fourth round but had to leave the court in a wheelchair after a tough match. The next month, she announced she would have surgery for an Achilles tendon injury, which ended her season. She finished 2020 ranked No. 9 again.

Kiki missed the start of the 2021 season due to her surgery. She struggled with her form after returning. In June 2021, she announced that 2021 would be her final season. She explained that injuries made it hard for her to compete at the highest level.

Kiki decided to end her career at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. She lost in the first round of singles. Her final tournament was the doubles event at the Olympics. Kiki Bertens retired from professional tennis ranked No. 24 in singles.

Kiki Bertens' Playing Style

Kiki Bertens was known for playing from the back of the court. She combined strong defense with an aggressive style. She would hit the ball early and powerfully.

• Forehand: Her best shot was her forehand. It was very powerful and had a lot of spin. This allowed her to hit winners and push opponents back.
• Backhand: Her two-handed backhand was also strong, but sometimes less reliable than her forehand. She could also use a slice backhand to change the pace of the game.
• Serve: Her first serve was powerful, often around 105 mph (169 km/h). Her second serve improved over time, with a good kick serve.
• Drop Shot: Kiki was excellent at hitting drop shots. This was especially effective on clay courts, surprising her opponents.
• Movement: She was very fit and moved well around the court. This helped her defend and counter-attack.
• Favorite Surface: Her favorite surface was clay. The slower speed and higher bounce suited her playing style.

Even with all her strengths, Kiki's game was sometimes affected by nerves. This was thought to be why she didn't win a Grand Slam title, despite being a very consistent player.

Bertens preparing to hit a backhand

Personal Life

Kiki Bertens' older sister, Joyce, helped her manage her money. Kiki married her physiotherapist, Remko de Rijke, on 30 November 2019. She announced she was pregnant in October 2021. Her first child, a son named Mats, was born on 3 April 2022. She had her second child, a girl, on 28 June 2024.

When she retired, Kiki shared her thoughts. She said she grew "From a shy little girl, with lots of fears to an independent woman who played on the biggest stages." She thanked tennis for teaching her so much about herself and the world.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance Timelines

Singles

Doubles

See also

In Spanish: Kiki Bertens para niños