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 December 10, 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 May 13, 2019.

She also achieved a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 16 in April 2018. Kiki won ten singles and ten doubles titles on the WTA Tour. This included big wins at the 2018 Cincinnati Open and 2019 Madrid Open. Bertens was known for being great on clay courts, but she also did very well on hardcourts.

Kiki's Early Life

Kiki Bertens was born in Wateringen, near The Hague, in the Netherlands. She grew up in a town called Berkel en Rodenrijs. Kiki has two sisters, one older and one younger.

She started playing tennis at age six at a club where her aunt and uncle played. Her coach, Martin van der Brugghen, recognized her talent early on. He coached her from when she was seven years old.

Kiki's Professional Tennis Journey

Kiki Bertens turned professional in 2009. Her career saw many exciting moments and big wins.

First Big Wins: 2012

In 2012, Kiki played in the qualifiers for the Australian Open. She won her first match but lost in the second round. She also played for the Dutch team in the Fed Cup.

Kiki won her first WTA Tour singles title in Fes, Morocco. Before this, she had never won a main-draw match on the WTA Tour. She beat several strong players to reach the final. In the final, she defeated Laura Pous Tió. This made her the first Dutch female player since 2006 to win a WTA singles tournament.

Later that year, Kiki played in her first Grand Slam tournament main draw at the French Open. She also got her first Grand Slam win at Wimbledon.

Building Her Game: 2013–2015

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 in that match because of a back injury.

At the 2014 French Open, she reached the fourth round as a qualifier. This was a great achievement for her. In 2015, she started working with a new coach, Raemon Sluiter.

Bertens at the 2015 US Open qualifying

Grand Slam Semifinal and More Titles: 2016

Kiki had a fantastic year in 2016. She helped the Netherlands beat Russia in the Fed Cup. She won both her matches against top Russian players.

She won her second WTA singles title in Nuremberg, Germany. This was her first title since 2012. She also won the doubles title there with Johanna Larsson.

At the French Open, Kiki had an amazing run. She upset the No. 3 seed, Angelique Kerber. She then beat several other strong players to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. In the semifinal, she played against the top seed, Serena Williams. Kiki had a calf injury during the match. Even with the injury, she played very well but lost in two close sets. After this, she entered the top 30 players in the world for the first time.

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

Winning More Titles: 2017

Kiki started 2017 by winning a doubles title in Auckland with Johanna Larsson. She continued to do well on clay courts. She reached the quarterfinals at the Madrid Open. Then, she made it to 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 title at Gstaad. She also won the doubles title there with Johanna Larsson. Kiki and Johanna reached their biggest final together at the WTA Finals in doubles. They had a big win in the semifinals but lost in the final.

Breaking into the Top 10: 2018

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

At Wimbledon, Kiki had her best result yet. She beat top players like Venus Williams and Karolína Plíšková to reach the quarterfinals. After Wimbledon, she won the biggest title of her career at Cincinnati. She beat many top-10 players on her way to 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, her first time in the top 10.

Reaching World No. 4: 2019

Kiki started 2019 strong. She reached her first final of the year in St. Petersburg, Russia, and won the title. She continued her great form at the Madrid Open. She won the tournament without losing a single set. She beat four former Grand Slam champions along the way, including world No. 3 Simona Halep in the final. This win helped her reach a new career-high ranking of world No. 4.

She also reached the semifinals in Rome, beating world No. 1 Naomi Osaka. Kiki finished 2019 ranked No. 9 in the world again. In November 2019, she announced that Elise Tamaëla would be her new coach.

Bertens at the 2019 Sydney International

Injuries and Retirement: 2020–2021

In 2020, Kiki defended her title at St. Petersburg. She won both her matches at the Fed Cup. The WTA Tour was then paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kiki chose to skip the US Open. At the French Open, she reached the fourth round. After the tournament, she announced she would have surgery for an Achilles tendon injury. This meant she would miss the rest of the season. She finished 2020 ranked No. 9 in the world.

Kiki missed the start of the 2021 season due to her surgery. She returned to play but struggled with her form. 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.

Her final tournament was the doubles draw at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. She partnered with Demi Schuurs. They won their first match but lost in the second round. Kiki Bertens officially retired from tennis on July 26, 2021. She was ranked No. 24 in singles and No. 112 in doubles when she retired.

Kiki's Playing Style

Kiki Bertens was a baseline player. This means she liked to hit the ball from the back of the court. She was known for being able to play great defense while also hitting aggressive shots.

Her best shot was her forehand. It was powerful and had a lot of topspin. This allowed her to hit winners and push her opponents back. Her two-handed backhand was also strong. Kiki had a powerful first serve, which helped her win many points. She was also very good at hitting drop shots, especially on clay courts.

Kiki was very fit and moved well around the court. Her favorite surface to play on was clay. The slower speed and higher bounce on clay suited her game perfectly. Even though she was a strong player, Kiki sometimes struggled with nerves during big matches.

Bertens preparing to hit a backhand

Kiki's Personal Life

Kiki Bertens' older sister, Joyce, helped manage her finances. Kiki married her physiotherapist, Remko de Rijke, on November 30, 2019. She became a mother in April 2022 when her son, Mats, was born. She welcomed her second child, a girl, in 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

Kiki Bertens had a successful career. Here are some of her Grand Slam results:

Grand Slam Singles Results

Grand Slam Doubles Results

See also

In Spanish: Kiki Bertens para niños