David Nalbandian - Argentina 
| Birth Date:
| 1/1/1982 |
Age:
| 30 |
| Birth Place:
| Cordoba, Argentina |
Residence:
| Cordoba, Argentina |
| Height:
| 5'11" (180 cm) |
Weight:
| 175 lbs (79 kg) |
| Year Turned Pro:
| 2000 (12 years on tour) |
Plays:
| Right Handed |
| Official Website:
| www.davidnalbandian.com |
Twitter:
| @nalbandiandavid |
|
David Nalbandian of Argentina is a former top three player who has won 11 career ATP singles titles.
He has finished five different seasons ranked in the Top 10. Nalbandian made his ATP in 2000, losing to former No. 1 Jim Courier in three sets.
In 2001, he leapt from No. 245 to No. 47 to finish in the Top 50 for the first time. He reached the semifinals of Umag and Sopot and made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open, reaching the third round. His first final came at Palermo.
In 2002, he finished 12th and ranked No. 1 for all South American players. In April, he won his first ATP title at Estoril, then stunned many by making his pro grass debut at Wimbledon and reaching the final, losing to Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets.
He moved into the Top 10 for the first of five straight seasons in 2003, despite battling injuries. He reached two finals and went 13-4 in Grand Slam play. He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon. He missed time during the summer clay series with an abdominal injury then suffered problems with his left wrist late in the year.
In 2004 he finished ninth despite missing more than four months with maladies of the ankle, thigh and abdomen. He reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, falling to eventual champion Roger Federer. He returned in mid-May and won 15 of his next 20 matches,, including a career-best semifinal appearance at the French Open.
He surged up the rankings to sixth in 2005, his best finish to date. Nalbandian reached the quarterfinals or better of three Grand Slam events, one of only three men (Federer, Hewitt) to do so. He fell to Hewitt in the quarters at Australia, losing the fifth set 10-8 after rallying from a 2-0 set deficit. He made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon with a two-set comeback against Andy Murray in the third round. He went on to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open, losing to Federer.
Nalbandian started 2006 red-hot, winning 15 of his first 20 matches and reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open before falling to Marcos Baghdatis in five sets. The strong start allowed him to reach No. 3 in the rankings, the highest he has ever been. After pulling a stomach muscle against Federer in the semifinals at the French Open, he went just 4-4 in four tournaments over the next two months.
He slipped to ninth in 2007 but still became just the second Argentine man to finish in the Top 10 for five straight years, joining Guillermo Vilas who did so from 1974-1982. He had fallen to No. 25 before winning at both Madrid and Paris to surge back into the Top 10. For the first time in six yeaers however, he failed to reach at least the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam event. His Madrid and Paris wins were particularly impressive, as he beat both Federer and Rafael Nadal in each, and beat one or the other in the finals.
In 2008, Nalbandian slipped out of the Top 10 despite reaching a career-best five finals and winning two crowns. He was 20-6 through the first four months, but unimpressive in the Grand Slams.
In 2009, a hip injury required surgery that put him out of action from May 13 on. He slipped to No. 64 in the ratings, his lowest since 2000.
Nalbandian returned to pro action in February of 2010 at Buenos Aires, only to retire in the third round with a muscle tear in his right leg. He took the court again in March at the Davis Cup, and slowly began working his way back up the charts. At Washington in August, he won his 11th title while losing just one set throughout the week. He was ranked 117th to start the tournament and 45th when it ended. He followed that up with a quarterfinal appearance at the Rogers Cup which sent him into the Top 40.
Year-End Singles Rankings: 1997 – 1,313th; 1998 – 1,127th; 1999 – 532nd; 2000 – 245th; 2001 – 47th; 2002- 12th; 2003 – 8th; 2004 – 9th; 2005 – 6th; 2006 – 8th; 2007 – 9th; 2008 – 11th; 2009 -64th.
Personal
Began playing tennis at age five. Is a native of Cordoba, the second-largest city in Argentina. His brother Dario is a tennis coach. He enjoys watching rally races and fishing. Was named one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People en Espanol in 2005. Is a partner in the Tango Rally Team, and drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX in competition in 2007. Is the founder of the David Nalbandian Foundation, which provides programs and projects for people with disabilities. Is coached by Luis Lobo.
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