Martin Kližan facts for kids
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Kližan at the 2019 French Open
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| Country (sports) |  Slovakia |
|---|---|
| Residence | Bratislava, Slovakia |
| Born | 11 July 1989 Bratislava, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Turned pro | 2007 |
| Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Martin Hromec |
| Prize money | US$ 5,554,264 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 149–154 (49.17%) |
| Career titles | 6 |
| Highest ranking | No. 24 (27 April 2015) |
| Current ranking | No. 417 (26 May 2025) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2014) |
| French Open | 3R (2014, 2019) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2012) |
| US Open | 4R (2012) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 1R (2012) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 38–58 (39.58%) |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 73 (4 May 2015) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2013) |
| French Open | 1R (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2014) |
| US Open | 1R (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2014) |
Martin Kližan (born July 11, 1989) is a professional tennis player from Slovakia. He is known for his powerful left-handed game. Martin reached his highest singles ranking of world No. 24 in April 2015. He also achieved a doubles ranking of No. 73 in May 2015. As a junior, he won the 2006 French Open boys' singles title.
Contents
Martin Kližan's Tennis Journey
Early Career and Junior Success
Martin Kližan showed great talent from a young age. In 2005, he won the European Junior Championship. He won both the singles and doubles titles in the under-16 category. His doubles partner was his fellow Slovakian player, Andrej Martin.
The next year, in 2006, Martin won a very important junior title. He became the champion of the French Open boys' singles competition. This was a big step in his young career. As a junior player, he had a great record, winning many matches. He even became the world's No. 1 junior player on January 1, 2007.
Becoming a Professional Player
Martin Kližan officially became a professional tennis player in 2007. It takes a lot of hard work to move from junior tennis to the professional level.
Breaking into the Top 100
In 2010, Martin played in his first major professional tournament, the US Open. He had to win qualifying matches to get into the main draw. Later that year, he won his first Challenger tournament in his hometown of Bratislava. This win helped him climb the rankings. By September 2011, he entered the top 100 tennis players in the world.
Grand Slam Achievements in 2012
The year 2012 was a big one for Martin. He played at Wimbledon for the first time. He won a tough first-round match that went to five sets. He also played in the 2012 Summer Olympics for Slovakia.
At the US Open in 2012, Martin had his best performance at a Grand Slam event. He reached the fourth round, which means he was one of the last 16 players left. On his way, he surprised everyone by beating the fifth-seeded player, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Ups and Downs: 2013-2014
Facing Challenges in 2013
After his success in 2012, some people thought Martin would reach the top 20. However, 2013 was a bit of a mixed year for him. He had some good results, like reaching the quarterfinals in Rotterdam. This helped him reach his highest ranking of World No. 26. But he also had some tough losses and dealt with a wrist injury.
Strong Comeback in 2014
Martin started 2014 with some challenges, but he soon found his form. At the Australian Open, he had a great run. He started in the qualifying rounds and made it all the way to the third round of the main tournament. This was his best result there.
He continued to play well, returning to the top 100 rankings. A big highlight of 2014 was when he won the BMW Open in Germany. He beat two top players, Mikhail Youzhny and Tommy Haas, and then won the final against Fabio Fognini. This was his second professional title.
At the French Open, he reached the third round. He even defeated the world No. 11 player, Kei Nishikori, in straight sets. Later in the year, at the China Open, he got a big win against Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.
Winning More Titles: 2015-2016
Reaching the Top 25 in 2015
In 2015, Martin continued his success. He won his third ATP doubles title at the Rio Open with his partner Philipp Oswald. He also played for Slovakia in the 2015 Davis Cup, helping his country win their tie against Slovenia.
In April, Martin won his third singles title in Casablanca. He then reached the semifinals in Barcelona.
Two ATP 500 Titles in 2016
Martin had an amazing year in 2016, winning two big titles. He won his fourth singles title in Rotterdam. In this tournament, he showed incredible fighting spirit, saving eight match points on his way to the final. He then beat Gaël Monfils to win the title.
He followed this up by winning his fifth singles title at the 2016 German Open. This was his second ATP 500 level title, which are very important tournaments. He defeated Pablo Cuevas in the final.
Injuries and Comeback: 2017-2025
Dealing with Injuries in 2017
The year 2017 was tough for Martin due to injuries. He had to retire from some matches because of foot problems. He still reached the quarterfinals in a few tournaments, but his ranking dropped out of the top 100.
Sixth ATP Title in 2018
Despite the challenges, Martin had a strong year in 2018. He won a Challenger tournament in Indian Wells. At the Barcelona Open, he achieved a big win by beating Novak Djokovic for the first time.
Later in 2018, Martin won his sixth ATP singles title at the 2018 Generali Open Kitzbühel. He had a fantastic run, beating top players like Dominic Thiem and saving match points in another match. This win meant he had won six out of seven ATP finals he played in.
French Open Third Round in 2019
In 2019, Martin reached the third round of the French Open again. He also played for Slovakia in the 2019 Davis Cup, winning one singles match and a doubles match.
Retirement and Return to Tennis
Martin Kližan announced his retirement from professional tennis in June 2021. He played his last match at Wimbledon that year.
After retiring, Martin tried new things, like running for mayor in his hometown. However, he started watching his old tennis matches. After seeing his win against Nadal from 2014, he decided he wanted to play again!
In September 2023, he began training for a comeback. He started playing in smaller tournaments in December 2023. In 2024, Martin won four ITF tournaments, which helped his ranking improve a lot. He finished 2024 ranked No. 291 in the world. In February 2025, he even qualified for an ATP tournament in Bucharest.
Career Statistics
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | NH |
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | Q1 | A | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | Q1 | Q1 | 0 / 6 | 3–6 | 33% |
| French Open | Q2 | A | A | Q3 | A | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 3R | Q2 | Q1 | 0 / 8 | 9–8 | 53% |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | Q1 | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | NH | Q1 | 0 / 7 | 1–7 | 13% |
| US Open | A | A | A | 1R | A | 4R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | A | 1R | A | A | 0 / 7 | 5–7 | 45% |
| Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 5–3 | 1–4 | 5–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0 / 28 | 18–28 | 40% |
Interesting Records
| Event | Years | Record accomplished | Players matched |
| ATP Tour | 2012–18 | First six tournament finals won | Ernests Gulbis Ugo Humbert |
See also
In Spanish: Martin Kližan para niños
