Somdev Devvarman facts for kids
Devvarman at the 2015 Wimbledon Qualifying
|
|
| Full name | Somdev Kishore Devvarman |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  India |
| Residence | Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Born | 13 February 1985 Agartala, Tripura, India |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Turned pro | 2008 |
| Retired | 2017 (last match 2016) |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| College | University of Virginia |
| Prize money | $1,459,122 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 62–81 (43.36% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 62 (25 July 2011) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2013) |
| French Open | 2R (2013) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2011) |
| US Open | 2R (2009, 2013) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 1R (2012) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 19–26 (42.22% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 139 (31 October 2011) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2010) |
| French Open | 1R (2011) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2011) |
| US Open | 3R (2011) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | 1R (2010) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing India |
||
| Men's Tennis | ||
| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Gold | 2010 Delhi | Singles |
| Asian Games | ||
| Gold | 2010 Guangzhou | Singles |
| Gold | 2010 Guangzhou | Doubles |
| Bronze | 2010 Guangzhou | Team |
Somdev Kishore Devvarman (born 13 February 1985) is a former professional tennis player from India. He is famous for being one of the few college players to reach three straight finals at the NCAA tournament. He won the championship two years in a row during his junior and senior years at the University of Virginia. His amazing record of 44 wins and only 1 loss in 2008 was the best since 1971.
Somdev's best result on the ATP World Tour was reaching the final of the Chennai Open in 2009. He also won gold medals for India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and two gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games. He received the Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Padma Shri in 2018, both high honors from the Indian government.
Contents
Early Life and College Tennis
Somdev was born in Guwahati, India, on February 13, 1985. His family moved to Chennai when he was young, and he started playing tennis at age nine. He began competing in professional tournaments called Futures in 2002 when he was 17.
Later, Somdev moved to the USA to attend the University of Virginia. While there, he became a college tennis star. He won the NCAA Singles Championship in 2007, beating top player John Isner. The next year, he won again, becoming one of only a few players to win back-to-back titles. He finished college with a degree in sociology and became a professional tennis player in 2008.
Becoming a Professional Player
After college, Somdev quickly started winning. He won his first professional title at a Futures tournament in New York. He also won doubles titles with his college partner, Treat Huey.
In 2008, Somdev won the Lexington Challenger tournament. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, a bigger tournament. He started 2008 ranked No. 1033 in the world and finished the year at No. 204, showing how much he had improved.
First ATP Final
Somdev had a great start to 2009. He reached his first ATP Tour final at the 2009 Chennai Open in India. He beat some highly ranked players before losing in the final to Marin Čilić.
Later that year, Somdev played in his first Grand Slam singles main draw at the US Open. He won his first-round match before losing to a seeded player.
Major Achievements and Awards
_for_Youth_Affairs_and_Sports,_Shri_Ajay_Maken_presenting_the_Arjuna_Award_for_the_year_2011_to_Tennis_Player_Shri_Somdev_Kishore_Devvarman,_in_New_Delhi_on_September_20,_2011.jpg)
Commonwealth Games Gold
In 2010, tennis was played at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, for the first time. Somdev won the gold medal in men's singles, making his home country proud.
Asian Games Gold Medals
Later in 2010, Somdev continued his success at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. He won two gold medals: one in men's singles and another in men's doubles with his partner Sanam Singh. He also helped the Indian men's team win a bronze medal.
Reaching the Top 100
In 2011, Somdev had a breakthrough year. He reached the final of the South African Tennis Open 2011, which helped him climb to No. 80 in the world rankings. He then played against world No. 2 Roger Federer in Dubai.
Somdev also had a great run at the BNP Paribas Open, a big tournament in California. He won several matches, beating higher-ranked players, before losing to world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. This performance helped him reach his career-best ranking of No. 62 in July 2011.
Awards and Recognition
For his achievements in tennis, the Indian government honored Somdev with the Arjuna Award in 2011. In 2018, he received the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards.
Challenges and Retirement
In 2012, Somdev faced a tough challenge when he suffered a shoulder injury. This kept him from playing for most of the year, and his ranking dropped.
He made a strong comeback in 2013, returning to the top 100. He reached the second round of the 2013 Australian Open and the 2013 French Open. He also played against top players like Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Somdev continued to play for a few more years, winning the 2014 ONGC–GAIL Delhi Open and defending his title in 2015. On January 1, 2017, Somdev Devvarman announced his retirement from professional tennis.
Representing India
Somdev proudly represented India in many team events.
Davis Cup
He made his Davis Cup debut for India in 2008. He played many important matches for his country, helping India reach the World Group in 2009 and 2010. One of his most notable wins was against Janko Tipsarević of Serbia in 2011.
Olympics
Somdev competed in his first Olympics in London in 2012. He received a special entry to play in the men's singles event.
Personal Life
Somdev's family comes from the state of Tripura in India. He is related to Tripura's former royal family. He is a big fan of tennis legend Roger Federer and also looks up to Indian tennis players like the Krishnans, Leander Paes, and Mahesh Bhupathi. He enjoys watching cricket and admires Sachin Tendulkar. His favorite movie is Good Will Hunting.
See also
In Spanish: Somdev Devvarman para niños
