Michaël Llodra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michaël Llodra

Country (sports)	France
Residence	Rueil-Malmaison, France
Born	(1980-05-18) 18 May 1980 (age 45) Paris, France
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Turned pro	1999
Retired	2014
Plays	Left-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	,533,350
Singles
Career record	187–221
Career titles	5
Highest ranking	No. 21 (9 May 2011)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2012)
French Open	4R (2004, 2008)
Wimbledon	4R (2011)
US Open	4R (2004)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	2R (2008)
Doubles
Career record	387–224
Career titles	26
Highest ranking	No. 3 (14 November 2011)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (2003, 2004)
French Open	F (2004, 2013)
Wimbledon	W (2007)
US Open	SF (2003)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2005)
Medal record Olympic Games – Tennis Silver 2012 London Doubles

Michaël Llodra (born May 18, 1980) is a retired professional tennis player from France. He was especially good at doubles tennis, winning three Grand Slam titles and an Olympic silver medal. He also had success in singles, winning five titles. Llodra was known for his amazing volleys (hitting the ball before it bounces).

A Look at Llodra's Tennis Journey

Llodra playing at the 2014 US Open.

Michaël Llodra was born in Paris, France. His father, Michel, played football for Paris Saint-Germain. Michaël is left-handed and played with a "serve-and-volley" style. This means he would hit his serve and then quickly run to the net to hit the next shot. He looked up to tennis legend Stefan Edberg.

Llodra married his wife Camille on September 9, 2003. They have two children: a daughter named Manon (born 2004) and a son named Teo (born 2007). Michaël is a big fan of the French football club Paris Saint-Germain. He often wore their shirt before his tennis matches.

Early Career and First Grand Slam Final

In 2002, Llodra reached his first major final at the Australian Open in men's doubles. He played with his partner Fabrice Santoro. They were not expected to win but made it all the way to the final. They lost to Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor. During one match, Llodra accidentally hit a bird with the ball!

Winning Grand Slam Titles

Llodra and Santoro won their first Grand Slam title in 2003. They beat Knowles and Nestor in the Australian Open men's doubles final. They won the Australian Open again in 2004.

In 2007, Llodra won his third Grand Slam doubles title. He teamed up with Arnaud Clément to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon. They beat the famous Bob and Mike Bryan. Llodra was so excited that he threw his shirt, racket, and towel into the crowd!

Singles Success and Big Wins

Llodra also had some great moments in singles tennis. In 2004, he reached the fourth round of the French Open. He almost won that match, but his opponent came back to win. A few weeks later, he won his first singles title in 's-Hertogenbosch.

In 2008, Llodra won two singles tournaments. He won in Adelaide and then in Rotterdam, where he beat Robin Söderling. He also reached the fourth round of the French Open that year.

In 2010, Llodra won the Open 13 tournament in Marseille. He beat top players like Robin Söderling and Julien Benneteau. He also won a title in Eastbourne. Later that year, he played very well at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. He defeated Novak Djokovic, who was ranked third in the world, and Nikolay Davydenko.

In 2012, Llodra reached the semifinals of the Paris Masters. He beat two highly ranked players, John Isner and Juan Martín del Potro.

Olympic Medal and Retirement

Llodra won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in men's doubles. He partnered with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. They lost to the Bryan brothers in the final.

In 2013, Llodra reached the doubles final of the French Open with Nicolas Mahut. They again lost to the Bryan brothers. Llodra played fewer tournaments in 2014 and then retired from professional tennis.

Llodra's Unique Playing Style

Michaël Llodra was famous for his amazing net play. He was known for his "dinks" (soft shots), "slices" (shots with backspin), and changing the speed of the ball. One journalist said he played like he was from the 20th century because his style was so different from most modern players.

Robin Söderling said Llodra's serve was "unbelievable" and his volleys were the "best on the tour." To help him feel the ball better when volleying, Llodra used special strings called "natural gut strings." These strings gave him great touch, but less power from the back of the court.

Llodra was one of the last top players to use the "serve-and-volley" tactic. This means he would serve and then immediately run to the net to hit the next shot. His left-handed serve helped him create tricky angles, making it even harder for opponents. Many people called him the "best serve and volleyer in the world."

Significant Achievements

Michaël Llodra had a very successful career, especially in doubles.

• Grand Slam Doubles Titles:

* 2003 Australian Open (with Fabrice Santoro) * 2004 Australian Open (with Fabrice Santoro) * 2007 Wimbledon Championships (with Arnaud Clément)

• Olympic Medal:

* Silver Medal at the 2012 London Olympics in Men's Doubles (with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga)

• ATP Finals Doubles Title:

* 2005 Tennis Masters Cup (with Fabrice Santoro) – This tournament features the top eight doubles teams in the world.

• Masters 1000 Doubles Titles:

* 2005 Italian Open (with Fabrice Santoro) * 2006 Paris Masters (with Arnaud Clément) * 2011 Canadian Open (with Nenad Zimonjić)

Interesting Moment: The Bird Incident

During a doubles semifinal match at the 2002 Australian Open, a small bird flew onto the court. It was chasing a moth. Michaël Llodra hit a very hard volley, and the bird flew right into the path of the ball. It was an accident. After a quick pause, the match continued. Llodra later joked, "I didn't do it on purpose. But at least I saved the moth!"

Images for kids

• 

  Llodra at the 2009 French Open.

See also

In Spanish: Michaël Llodra para niños