Bio
numbers
Kristof Vliegen (BEL)
Pronounced: christ-TOF VLEE-gen
Birthdate: 22-Jun-82
Birthplace: Maaseik, Belgium
Residence: Sint Pieters Leeuw, Belgium
Height: 6'4'' (193 cm)
Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Turned Pro: 2001
Coach: Michel Bouhoulle
Current ATP Ranking - Singles: 108
Career High ATP Ranking - Singles: 30 (30-Oct-06)
Career High Stanford ATP Doubles Ranking: 49 (11-Jun-07)
Career Highlights
2007 IN REVIEW:
Kristof finished in Top 100 for third straight year despite up-and-down results...Opened season with QF in Auckland (l. to eventual champion Ferrer) and biggest result came in February in 1st RD Davis Cup tie vs. Australia...In opening match vs. No. 18 Hewitt, rallied from a 1-2 sets deficit to win in five and then defeated Guccione in straight sets in fifth and decisive rubber to give his country a 3-2 victory...Followed with 2nd RD in Rotterdam (d. No. 18 Nieminen, l. to Ferrer)...In April, advanced to 3rd RD at AMS Monte Carlo (d. Mathieu, Safin, l. to Nadal) and 2nd RD in Barcelona (l. to Nadal again)...Best Grand Slam showing was 3rd RD at Roland Garros where he upset No. 13 Gasquet (l. to Canas)...Then reached 2nd RD in four of next six tournaments -- 's-Hertogenbosch, Wimbledon, Gstaad and Sopot...In October, advanced to final at Mons Challenger (l. to Gulbis)...Went 0-5 vs. Top 10 opponents...In doubles, won Sunrise Challenger title (w/Economidis) and reached final at Istanbul Challenger (w/Norman).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2001 – Runner-up at Luxembourg Futures #2…2002 – Improved year-end ranking 345 positions and finished at No. 165… Won first pro title at France Futures #6 and finished year with wins at Germany Futures #6 and Geneva Challenger…2003 – Reached final in Adelaide after qualifying into main draw… Defeated Enqvist, Parmar, A. Martin and Krajicek before losing to Davydenko in final… Failed to win another ATP match until Umag where he defeated Mertinak to reach 2nd RD before pulling out of match with Gonzalez with right groin injury… Lost to Ferrero in dead rubber of 1st RD Davis Cup action against Spain… Made Grand Slam debut at US Open, losing to Kafelnikov in four sets… Defeated Melzer in Davis Cup World Group playoff tie against Austria… Won Challenger titles at Zagreb (d. Ramirez Hidalgo) and Groningen (d. J. Johansson)…2004 – Broke into Top 100 for first time in his career…In his first ATP event of year, reached 2nd RD in San Jose with a win over Popp before falling to Roddick… Reached final of Barcelona Challenger (l. to Wawrinka)…One week later, he qualified into ATP event in Barcelona recorded wins over Koubek, Saretta, Patience and Nalbandian before falling to Robredo in SF… Made debuts at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, losing in 1st RD in both… Reached 2nd RD in Bastad (l. to Monaco) and QF of Umag (l. to Volandri)… In September reached 2nd RD in Palermo… Climbed to a career high ranking of No. 92 in May… Was 11-11 in Challengers… Won doubles match in Davis Cup tie against Zimbabwe (w/O. Rochus), defeating Black-Ullyett…2005 – Finished in Top 100 for first time...In ATP play, reached QF in Chennai (l. to Srichaphan) and Basel... Also was 16-12 in Challengers...Reached final in Bermuda Challenger (l. to Zib)... Qualified at Roland Garros and reached 2nd RD for first time, defeating Dupuis before losing to eventual finalist Puerta... Advanced to final at Scheveningen Challenger... Qualifyied in Basel and reaching QF, defeating No. 7 Coria in 2nd RD for second career Top 10 win (l. to Hrbaty)... Also qualified into AMS Paris, defeating countryman C. Rochus in 1st RD before losing to T. Johansson... In doubles, reached SF in Umag (w/Scherrer) and won Challenger title in Barletta (w/Vanhoudt)... 2006 -- Belgian No. 1 for first time in his career compiled his best results with a personal-high 32 match wins and second career ATP final appearance...Jumped off to a career-best start by eclipsing his previous high win mark by February and reaching QF or better in five events...Began with SF run in Chennai (l. eventual champion Ljubicic) and made career-best Grand Slam showing with 3rd RD finish in Australian Open debut...Compiled an 8-4 record in North America over next two months, reaching QF in San Jose, SF in Memphis (d. Blake in 1st RD) and making AMS Indian Wells and Miami debuts...Recorded career-best result at AMS event by reaching 3rd RD in Miami, next month in Monte-Carlo (l. to eventual champion Nadal) and later in Madrid (d. No. 7 Blake, l. to Safin)...Also reached second career and first clay court final in Munich (l. to O. Rochus)...On grass, reached SF in Halle (l. to Berdych) and reached personal-best 2nd RD at Wimbledon...Did not win back-to-back matches again until October in Stockholm where he reached QF (l. to J. Johansson) and followed with 3rd RD in Madrid...Went 2-2 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled records of 18-13 on hard, 7-6 on clay and 5-3 on grass...Earned a career-high $477,925.
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age six at same club as former WTA Tour player Kim Clijsters...The two were enrolled in same tennis clinic, attended same school and grew up near each other in Flemish part of Belgium...Still good friends with Clijsters and sent her a short message after she reached World No. 1 in summer of 2003...Father, Theo, is retired, and mother is Mia Leinders...Older brother Frank, is an insurance company manager...Moved at age 11 to Federation’s training center in Antwerp where he lived, studied and trained for eight years...Speaks English, French and Flemish...Enjoys cars and soccer and often takes PlayStation2 on road with him to tournaments... Listens to U2, Tom McRae, Dave Matthews, Sting, David Gray...Considers serve as best shot and likes to mix it up (play some serve and volley on occasion)...Says variety is one of his strengths, which makes it only natural that hard court is his favorite surface...Admired Boris Becker growing up and he is still his idol...Turned pro in 2001 and moved to Brussels after finishing school...Has an 10-7 career Davis Cup record (5-3 in singles) in 10 ties.
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