Vasek Pospisil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vasek Pospisil

Vasek Pospisil at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships
Country (sports)	Canada
Residence	Freeport, Bahamas
Born	(1990-06-23) June 23, 1990 (age 35) Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Turned pro	2007
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Malek Jaziri
Prize money	US$7,141,194
Singles
Career record	136–175 (43.73% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 25 (27 January 2014)
Current ranking	No. 486 (29 January 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2014, 2015)
French Open	1R (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020)
Wimbledon	QF (2015)
US Open	4R (2020)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2012, 2016)
Doubles
Career record	119–91 (56.67% in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles	7
Highest ranking	No. 4 (27 April 2015)
Current ranking	No. 571 (21 September 2023)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	QF (2016)
French Open	QF (2015)
Wimbledon	W (2014)
US Open	3R (2013, 2014)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	SF – 4th (2016)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (2022) Record: 27–24 (52.94%)
Hopman Cup	RR (2015, 2018)

Vasek Pospisil (born June 23, 1990) is a professional tennis player from Canada. He has achieved a high world ranking of No. 25 in singles. In doubles, he reached No. 4 in the world. Vasek won the 2014 Wimbledon Championships in men's doubles with his partner Jack Sock. They also won the 2015 Indian Wells Masters doubles title. He made it to the quarterfinals in singles at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.

Vasek's Early Life and Tennis Start

A young Vasek Pospisil training in Vernon, British Columbia.

Vasek Pospisil was born on June 23, 1990, in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. His parents, Miloš and Mila, came from Czechoslovakia. In 1988, before Vasek was born, they left their home country to escape the Communist government. They drove to Austria to find a new life.

His parents had played tennis for fun. They also joined local tournaments. After saving money, the family moved to Canada in 1989. They settled in Vernon, British Columbia. Vasek's uncle was already living there. When they arrived, the family knew very little English.

Vasek's father, Miloš, worked two jobs. He worked at a flour mill and a brewery. He became very interested in tennis after Vasek was born. Miloš coached Vasek's older brothers on public tennis courts. He also watched matches on TV and read tennis magazines to learn more.

When Vasek was about 3 years old, he started helping his brothers. He would be their ball boy during practice. He also loved to carry a small tennis racquet around the house.

First Tournaments and Challenges

Vasek played his first tennis tournament when he was 6 years old. He competed against players up to 12 years old and still won! Around age nine, he played in the Little Mo Nationals in San Diego. These early wins made his father even more excited about Vasek's tennis future.

Vasek also played other sports like soccer, basketball, and street hockey. He stopped playing soccer at age 12 because of injuries. It also took time away from his tennis training. He said it was hard to quit soccer because he loved it so much.

In the winter, Vasek often drove 45 minutes to Kelowna to play tennis indoors. He did this almost every day for six years. In the summer, he practiced with his brothers on old high school courts. Sometimes, other students would tease them.

Moving for Tennis Training

In 2002, Vasek's family moved to Vancouver to find a better tennis coach for him. His father, Miloš, stayed in Vernon for his job. But he would drive four hours every weekend to see them. Vasek's older brothers were already going to university in Vancouver.

Vasek had been homeschooled since he was 7. This allowed him to focus on tennis. He said homeschooling helped him finish his schoolwork faster. He trained with Vadim Korkh, a Russian-born coach. Korkh had coached other professional players. He said Vasek's hard work and talent meant he would definitely succeed. Vasek practiced tennis for four hours, five days a week, with Korkh. He also did fitness training and schoolwork.

In November 2002, Vasek won the Prince Cup in Florida. He beat some of the best under-12 players from Europe. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Orange Bowl.

In 2003, Vasek traveled to Europe for under-14 tournaments. He was younger than most players and lost early. He also got a knee injury that bothered him for a year and a half. In 2004, he won the Canadian Nationals for under-14 players. This made him the top player in Canada for his age. When Vasek was 14, his father left his job and moved to Vancouver. Miloš became Vasek's full-time coach again.

Junior Tennis Career

Vasek started playing in USTA tournaments at age 7. He won his first tournament for 12-and-under players. He continued to beat strong players.

In 2005, Vasek reached the doubles final of his first junior International Tennis Federation (ITF) event. He won the doubles title with his Canadian partner, Graeme Kassautzki. In December 2006, he won another doubles title with Milos Raonic. This was at the Prince Cup in the United States. He also won two doubles titles in the Czech Republic in early 2007. And he won the Guru Cup in Italy in May.

Vasek (age 15) with his father and coach, Miloš Pospíšil, in Bradenton, Florida, 2005.

In singles, Vasek won three ITF junior championships in 2007. These included events in the Netherlands and Canada. He won one Canadian event without losing more than four games in any set.

That summer, Vasek won two more doubles events in Europe. He also reached three more finals. He finished the summer by reaching the 2007 U.S. Open boys' doubles final. He played with Grigor Dimitrov. They lost in the final. In December, he and his partner Roman Jebavý won the doubles event at the famous Dunlop Orange Bowl.

Junior Grand Slam Results

• Singles:
  • Australian Open: 1st Round (2008)
  • French Open: 2nd Round (2008)
  • Wimbledon: 1st Round (2008)
  • US Open: 2nd Round (2007)

• Doubles:
  • Australian Open: Final (2008)
  • French Open: Semifinal (2008)
  • Wimbledon: 2nd Round (2008)
  • US Open: Final (2007)

Professional Tennis Career

2007–2010: Starting as a Pro

In March 2007, Vasek won his first professional singles match. This was at the Canada F1 Futures event. Two weeks later, he won his first professional doubles title. He partnered with Érik Chvojka.

In November 2008, he won the doubles title at the Challenger Banque Nationale de Rimouski. He played with Milos Raonic. He also won two more ITF Futures doubles titles.

In 2009, Vasek won several more doubles titles with different partners. In July 2009, he reached his first professional singles final in Illinois. In September 2009, Vasek won his first singles title in Italy. He won two more singles titles in Italy and Mexico. This was a winning streak of 23 matches!

In March 2010, Vasek won his fifth ITF tour singles title in Canada. In August 2010, he played doubles at the Rogers Cup. He and Milos Raonic became the only team to ever beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in doubles. This was Vasek's first win in an ATP Tour main event. He won two more singles titles in Mexico and one in Canada that year.

2011–2012: First Olympic Games

Vasek Pospisil serving at the 2011 Davis Cup World Group play-offs.

In 2011, Vasek won three Challenger doubles titles and two Futures titles. In September, he helped the Canadian Davis Cup team win a match after being far behind. He played both singles and doubles. This win allowed Canada to play in the World Group play-off.

In August 2011, Vasek beat world No. 22 Juan Ignacio Chela at the 2011 Rogers Cup. He then lost to third seed Roger Federer. He also reached the second round of the 2011 US Open.

In March 2012, Vasek won his first ATP Challenger singles title. After this win, he entered the world's top 100 players for the first time. He won his second Challenger title in July 2012. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he lost in the first round of singles. He reached the second round in doubles with Daniel Nestor.

2013: A Big Step Forward

Vasek Pospisil at the 2013 US Open.

Vasek missed early tournaments in 2013 due to an illness called mononucleosis. After recovering, he helped Canada win a Davis Cup match in doubles. In May, he won his third ATP Challenger singles title. In July, he reached his first ATP semifinal in Colombia.

In August, Vasek won another ATP Challenger title in Vancouver. He then played at the 2013 Rogers Cup in Montréal. He beat world No. 20 John Isner and then world No. 6 Tomáš Berdych. This was his first win against a top-10 player. He reached the semifinals, where he lost to fellow Canadian Milos Raonic. After this, Vasek was ranked in the top 40 for the first time.

At the US Open, he lost in the first round in singles. In doubles, he and Daniel Nestor reached the third round. In October, Vasek beat world No. 10 Richard Gasquet in Shanghai. He also reached the semifinals of the 2013 Swiss Indoors, losing to Roger Federer.

2014: Wimbledon Doubles Champion

Vasek Pospisil at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.

Vasek started 2014 well, reaching the semifinals in Chennai. He had to stop playing at the 2014 Australian Open due to a back injury.

At Wimbledon, Vasek lost in the first round of singles. But in doubles, he partnered with American Jack Sock. They won the men's doubles title! They beat the defending champions, the Bryan brothers, in a five-set final.

Vasek and Sock won their second doubles title in Atlanta. A week later, Vasek reached his first ATP singles final at the 2014 Citi Open. He beat world No. 5 Tomáš Berdych and world No. 14 Richard Gasquet. He lost to Milos Raonic in the final. This was the first time two Canadians played in an ATP final.

Pospisil and Sock reached their third straight final in Cincinnati. They lost to the Bryan brothers. In October, Vasek won his third doubles title of the season in Switzerland with Nenad Zimonjić.

2015: First Grand Slam Quarterfinal in Singles

Vasek Pospisil at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.

Vasek started 2015 at the 2015 Hopman Cup, playing for Canada. He won all three of his singles matches. At the 2015 Australian Open, he reached the third round for the second year in a row.

In March, Vasek and Jack Sock won their third doubles title together. This was their first Masters 1000 title. They reached another Masters 1000 final a week later. After this, Vasek's doubles ranking went up to No. 5. He became the top-ranked Canadian doubles player, passing Daniel Nestor.

At Wimbledon, Vasek reached the quarterfinals in singles for the first time. He won several tough matches that went to five sets. He was then defeated by world No. 3 Andy Murray. In doubles, Vasek and Sock were the defending champions but lost in the third round.

In October, Vasek won his second doubles title of the season with Jack Sock in China. He reached the semifinals of his last tournament of the year in Valencia.

2016: Ups and Downs

Vasek Pospisil at the 2016 US Open.

Vasek started 2016 with some early losses in singles. In February, he won his sixth career doubles title with Nicolas Mahut. In March, he reached the doubles final at the Indian Wells Masters.

At the 2016 French Open and Wimbledon, he lost in the first round of singles. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he lost in the first round of singles. In doubles, he and Daniel Nestor reached the bronze medal match but lost. In September, Vasek reached the second round of the US Open in singles. In October, he reached the third round of a Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. He beat world No. 20 Ivo Karlović and world No. 18 Grigor Dimitrov.

2017: Mixed Results

Vasek Pospisil at the 2017 Citi Open.

Vasek hired Hall of Famer Mark Woodforde as his new coach. In February, he won two singles matches in the 2017 Davis Cup World Group. The next week, he reached the singles final at an ATP Challenger event in San Francisco.

In March, Vasek upset world No. 1 Andy Murray in straight sets. This was his first win over a top-10 player since 2014. In May, Vasek won his fifth ATP Challenger singles title in Busan. In June, he reached his first ATP quarterfinal of the season.

2018: More Challenger Wins

Vasek won his sixth ATP Challenger title in France. In February, he won his seventh ATP Challenger title in Hungary. In May, he reached two more ATP Challenger finals but lost both.

2019: Surgery and Davis Cup Final

In January, Vasek had surgery for a back injury. He was out of action until 2019 Wimbledon Championships. He lost in the first round there.

At the 2019 US Open, Vasek beat ninth seed Karen Khachanov in the first round.

In the 2019 Davis Cup Finals, Vasek and Denis Shapovalov helped Canada reach its first-ever Davis Cup final. They beat strong teams like Russia, Australia, the United States, and Italy.

2020: Great Comeback Year

In February, Vasek reached his first singles final since 2014 in Montpellier. He beat world number 10 David Goffin before losing in the final. In his next tournament, he beat world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev. This was his third win against a top-5 player.

In his third tournament in February, Vasek won his seventh doubles title with Nicolas Mahut.

At the 2020 US Open, Vasek reached the fourth round for the first time. He beat 25th seed Milos Raonic and 8th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. He lost in the fourth round.

In his last tournament of the season, Vasek reached his second singles final of the year. He lost a very close match in three sets. Vasek ended the year ranked No. 61. He was named Comeback Player of the Year in the ATP Awards. This award is voted on by other players.

2021: Injuries and Ranking Drop

Vasek played his first tournament of the year at the 2021 Australian Open. He lost to the fourth seed Daniil Medvedev in singles.

He reached his fifteenth doubles final with Austin Krajicek in July. However, Vasek started to have injuries again. He played fewer tournaments. His ranking fell back below the top 100.

Vasek played for Canada in the 2021 Davis Cup Finals. He lost two singles matches and one doubles match. Canada was eliminated early.

2022: Challenger Success and Davis Cup Champion

Vasek Pospisil at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

Vasek played only singles in 2022. He missed the Australian Open and French Open. He reached the quarterfinals at the 2022 Dallas Open.

He won his first Challenger title since 2019 in France. He also reached another Challenger final in February. In late March, Vasek had an elbow injury. He was expected to return in June.

In September, Vasek reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Tel Aviv Open. He lost to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. In November, he won another Challenger title in Canada. He finished the year back in the top 100.

In November, at the 2022 Davis Cup, Vasek helped Canada win its first-ever Davis Cup Finals title! He teamed up with Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov. Canada beat Australia in the finals.

2023: Out of the Top 100 Again

Vasek started 2023 at the Adelaide International 1. He played doubles with his friend, Novak Djokovic, but they lost in the first round. At the Australian Open, he lost in the first round to fellow Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime.

In February, Vasek lost in the first round of a Challenger event where he was the defending champion. His ranking fell outside the Top 100. He reached another Challenger final in Koblenz but lost.

On February 16, Vasek announced he would be out for three to four months due to health issues. He returned in June 2023 at Wimbledon qualifying but lost in the first round.

Career Statistics

Singles Matches

Notes

• ¹ Pospisil's 2014 Australian Open withdrawal in the third round does not count as a loss.

Doubles Matches

Coaches Vasek Has Worked With

See also

In Spanish: Vasek Pospisil para niños