Jarkko Nieminen - Top Finnish Tennis Player

Nieminen is ranked World No. 25 in the ATP Rankings published on June 9, 2008. He has won one ATP singles title and one doubles title in his career so far. His best performances in Grand Slam tournaments have been reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 U.S. Open, 2006 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2008 Australian Open.

Arguably Finland's best ever player, Nieminen is the highest ranked Finn ever, and is also the first and so far only Finnish player to have won an ATP singles title and to have reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam event.

His wife, Anu Nieminen is currently Finland's top ranked Badminton women's single player as her husband is in men's tennis.

Career highlights

1999

* Jarkko Nieminen efeated Kristian Pless of Denmark to win his first junior Grand Slam, the U.S. Open.
* Finished the year at No. 9 in the world junior rankings.
* Made his Davis Cup debut against Italy, losing to Andrea Gaudenzi.

2000

* Won his first Davis Cup match, beating Mikael Tillström of Sweden in a dead-rubber.

2001

* Became the first Finn to reach an ATP final since Leo Palin in 1981, beating Pless, Younes El Aynaoui, defending champion Thomas Johansson and three-time winner Thomas Enqvist before losing to Sjeng Schalken in five sets in Stockholm. * Jarkko Nieminen posted a 38-12 Challenger record, winning 4 titles. * Finished the year in the Top 100 for the first time.

2002

* Reached clay court finals in Estoril and Mallorca, losing to David Nalbandian and Gaston Gaudio respectively.
* Became the first Finnish player to end the season in the Top 50.

2003

* Reached his fourth career ATP final in Munich, losing to Roger Federer.
* Advanced to the fourth round at the 2003 French Open, losing to Fernando Gonzalez.
* Jarkko Nieminen was at best ranked World No. 27, a career high until 2006.

2004

* Represented Finland at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, losing to Max Mirnyi in the second round.
* Finished in the Top 100 for the fourth consecutive year, despite missing nearly three months due to injury.

2005

* Defeated World No. 7 Andre Agassi in a first round five-setter at the 2005 French Open.
* Was defeated in five sets by Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals of the 2005 U.S. Open, having become the first Finn to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final.

2006

* Jarkko Nieminen won his first ATP singles title in January by defeating Mario Ancic in the final in Auckland.
* Recorded his career best ATP Masters Series performance by reaching the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters, but lost to Paradorn Srichaphan.
* Broke into the Top 20 for the first time in his career in April.
* Reached the quarter-finals of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships, but lost to World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in three straight sets.
* Broke into the Top 15 for the first time in his career in July after his 2006 Wimbledon success.
* Reached the quarter-finals of the Canada Masters, losing to Andy Murray.
* Reached his sixth career ATP final in Stockholm, losing to James Blake.
* Jarkko Nieminen finished the season by reaching the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters where he lost to Tommy Robredo.

2007

* Won his first ATP doubles title in September, paired with Robert Lindstedt they beat Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna in Mumbai.
* His best singles performance in 2007 came at Davidoff Swiss Indoors where he was beaten in the finals by world's no.1 Roger Federer in straight sets 6:3, 6:4. On route to the finals he had beaten Robby Ginepri, Guillermo Canas, world n.8 Fernando Gonzalez and Marcos Baghdatis.

2008

* Jarkko Nieminen lost to Michael Llodra in the Final at the Adelaide International 3:6, 4:6.
* Made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, losing in straight sets to Rafael Nadal.

Singles finals (15)

ATP Tour (1)

Challengers (7)

Wins (8)

Runner-ups (7)

Doubles finals (2)

Win (1)

Watch Jarkko Nieminen play in person at the US Open. Buy your US Open Tennis Tickets here.

Go to the List of Male and Female Tennis Players


Source of this article: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia