Paradorn Srichaphan
Encyclopedia
Paradorn Srichaphan is a retired professional
tennis
player from Thailand
. He is the highest ranked men's singles player from Thailand
and Asia in history, reaching a career high World No. 9. His nickname is "Ball".
career in 1998. He remained in the lower ranks of the professional circuit for several years. However his ranking continued to improve. After being a surprise finalist in the 2000 Hopman Cup
, 2002 was a breakthrough year for him as he managed to get into the top 30 after defeating Andre Agassi
in Wimbledon. In 2003 he won his first ATP-level singles title, the Hamlet Cup. He reached the fourth round in Wimbledon
where he was beaten by Andy Roddick
, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, having become in the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal
in a Grand Slam, He also reached the fourth round in the US Open
losing to Lleyton Hewitt
. By the end of the year, he was ranked World No. 11 in the ATP
rankings. He is however not in favor of playing doubles having won no title in this category on either Challenger or ATP level.
Paradorn is extremely popular in Asia, especially in Thailand. He was Thailand's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games held in Athens
, Greece but lost in the first round of singles to Joachim Johansson
. His best Olympics performance was second round in Sydney, beating Attila Sávolt
before being beaten by third-seeded Magnus Norman
. Paradorn plays with big serves and powerful forehands. He uses a single-handed backhand, and is known for being a weak player on clay courts due to his lack of patience when playing points.
At the 2006 Indian Wells
masters tournament, Paradorn reached the semifinals and lost against World No. 1 Roger Federer
in two sets (6–2, 6–3). En route to the semifinal he beat World No. 20 Robby Ginepri
in the second round, World No. 16 Juan Carlos Ferrero
of Spain in the third round, World No. 4 David Nalbandian
in the fourth round, and World No. 25 Jarkko Nieminen
of Finland in the quarterfinals.
In the 2006 Wimbledon Championships
, Paradorn was seeded 29th but was upset in the first round by Agustín Calleri
in five sets. He did not perform well in all the events he participated in early 2007 due to wrist injury and he missed basically the whole 2007 season. As a result his ranking fell to below #900. After the end of the ATP Masters Series event in Miami that ended in early April 2007, Paradorn fell entirely out of the ATP rankings. He began practicing as of March 2008, however it took him until the 2009 Thailand Open to return to the ATP World Tour, playing doubles. He retired in June 2010, following a motorcycle crash that left him with two broken hands and a wrist.
Paradorn is sponsored by adidas
, Yonex
, and Thai Airways International
.
, the traditional Thai greeting, clasping his hands together and bowing to the four corners of the stadium. The gesture is seen as thanking the fans and it has become his trademark. His success in tennis led to a spike in popularity of the game in Thailand. The Nation
newspaper named him "Thai of the Year" in 2002; in 2003, Paradorn was featured on the cover of Time
and featured as one of the year's "Asian heroes".
In November 2005, Paradorn spent a week as a Buddhist monk in a temple
outside Bangkok. He adopted the Buddhist name Mahaviro, meaning "great and brave", wore saffron robes and shaved his head. His then girlfriend, Odette Henriette Jacqmin
was present for the ceremony.
Paradorn married Natalie Glebova
(Miss Universe
2005) in Bangkok
, Thailand
, on 29 November 2007.
In June 2010, Paradorn officially announced his retirement from the ATP tour but will coach Thailand's Davis Cup team
.
In February 2011, Paradorn and wife, Natalie, announced their separation after three years of marriage stating the reason to be "work commitments had kept them apart."
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. He is the highest ranked men's singles player from Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Asia in history, reaching a career high World No. 9. His nickname is "Ball".
Career
Paradorn started his professional ATPAssociation of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
career in 1998. He remained in the lower ranks of the professional circuit for several years. However his ranking continued to improve. After being a surprise finalist in the 2000 Hopman Cup
Hopman Cup
The Hopman Cup is an annual international team tennis tournament held in Perth, Western Australia in early January each year, which plays mixed teams on a country by country basis...
, 2002 was a breakthrough year for him as he managed to get into the top 30 after defeating Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
in Wimbledon. In 2003 he won his first ATP-level singles title, the Hamlet Cup. He reached the fourth round in Wimbledon
2003 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles
Roger Federer defeated Mark Philippoussis 7-6, 6-2, 7-6 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships. It was Federer's first Grand Slam tournament win.-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below.-Key:...
where he was beaten by Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick
Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, having become in the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
in a Grand Slam, He also reached the fourth round in the US Open
2003 US Open - Men's Singles
Pete Sampras was the defending champion, but retired earlier in the year.Andy Roddick claimed his first and so far only Grand Slam title, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6–3, 7–6, 6–3, in the final. -Seeds:# Andre Agassi ...
losing to Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Glynn Hewitt born 24 February 1981) is an Australian professional tennis player and former world no. 1.In 2000, Hewitt had won ATP titles on all three major surfaces and reached one final on carpet. By 2001, he became the youngest male ever to be ranked no. 1 at the age of 20...
. By the end of the year, he was ranked World No. 11 in the ATP
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
rankings. He is however not in favor of playing doubles having won no title in this category on either Challenger or ATP level.
Paradorn is extremely popular in Asia, especially in Thailand. He was Thailand's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games held in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece but lost in the first round of singles to Joachim Johansson
Joachim Johansson
Joachim Johansson is a former professional male tennis player from Sweden.-Background:Johansson was born in Lund and currently lives in Södertälje, Sweden. His father, Leif Johansson, was also a tennis player and represented Sweden in the Davis Cup in the 1970s. He goes by the nickname "Pim Pim",...
. His best Olympics performance was second round in Sydney, beating Attila Sávolt
Attila Savolt
Attila Sávolt is a tennis player from Hungary, who represented his native country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where he was losing to Paradorn Srichaphan in his very first match. Starting his professional career in 1995, he peaked the ATP-ranking on May 20, 2002, reaching 68 on the world rankings...
before being beaten by third-seeded Magnus Norman
Magnus Norman
Magnus Norman is a retired Swedish professional tennis player who is best known for being the runner-up at the French Open in 2000 and for briefly being ranked World Number 2. He won 12 singles titles, including a Tennis Masters Series tournament in Rome, Italy.Norman reached his career high...
. Paradorn plays with big serves and powerful forehands. He uses a single-handed backhand, and is known for being a weak player on clay courts due to his lack of patience when playing points.
At the 2006 Indian Wells
Indian Wells Masters
The Indian Wells Masters is an annual tennis tournament held in Indian Wells, California....
masters tournament, Paradorn reached the semifinals and lost against World No. 1 Roger Federer
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
in two sets (6–2, 6–3). En route to the semifinal he beat World No. 20 Robby Ginepri
Robby Ginepri
Robert Louis Ginepri is an American professional tennis player.-Early life:Robby Ginepri is of Luxembourgish ancestry....
in the second round, World No. 16 Juan Carlos Ferrero
Juan Carlos Ferrero
Juan Carlos Ferrero Donat is a professional tennis player, and a former world no. 1 player, from Spain. He captured the men's singles title at the 2003 French Open, and in September of that year, he became the 21st player to hold the world no. 1 ranking. He was also the runner-up at the 2002...
of Spain in the third round, World No. 4 David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Pablo Nalbandian is an Argentine professional tennis player and former world no. 3. He was runner-up at the 2002 Wimbledon Championships and the winner of the Tennis Masters Cup in 2005.-Biography:...
in the fourth round, and World No. 25 Jarkko Nieminen
Jarkko Nieminen
Jarkko Kalervo Nieminen is a professional tennis player from Finland.His highest ranking is 13th, which was achieved on July 10, 2006. He has won one ATP singles title and two doubles titles in his career so far. His best performances in Grand Slam tournaments have been reaching the quarter-finals...
of Finland in the quarterfinals.
In the 2006 Wimbledon Championships
2006 Wimbledon Championships
The 2006 Wimbledon Championships began on 26 June and finished on 9 July 2006.-Gentlemen's singles: Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal 6-0 7-6 6-7 6-3-Ladies' singles: Amélie Mauresmo defeated Justine Henin-Hardenne 2-6 6-3 6-4...
, Paradorn was seeded 29th but was upset in the first round by Agustín Calleri
Agustín Calleri
Agustín Calleri Shaal is a retired professional male tennis player from Argentina. His nickname is Gordo which means Fat in Spanish. He is known as a hard-hitter and he prefers playing on clay....
in five sets. He did not perform well in all the events he participated in early 2007 due to wrist injury and he missed basically the whole 2007 season. As a result his ranking fell to below #900. After the end of the ATP Masters Series event in Miami that ended in early April 2007, Paradorn fell entirely out of the ATP rankings. He began practicing as of March 2008, however it took him until the 2009 Thailand Open to return to the ATP World Tour, playing doubles. He retired in June 2010, following a motorcycle crash that left him with two broken hands and a wrist.
Paradorn is sponsored by adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, Yonex
Yonex
is a Japanese manufacturer of sporting equipment for badminton, golf and tennis, producing racquets, clubs, shoes, shuttlecocks, and other equipment for those sports.-History:...
, and Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a...
.
Personal life
Paradorn is noted for his politeness on the court. At each match, he performs the waiThai greeting
The Thai greeting referred to as the wai consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. It has its origin in the Indic Añjali Mudrā, like the Indian namasté and the Cambodian sampeah...
, the traditional Thai greeting, clasping his hands together and bowing to the four corners of the stadium. The gesture is seen as thanking the fans and it has become his trademark. His success in tennis led to a spike in popularity of the game in Thailand. The Nation
The Nation (Thailand)
The Nation is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper founded in 1971 and published in Bangkok, Thailand, and is owned by the Nation Multimedia Group.The Nation is a member of the Asia News Network...
newspaper named him "Thai of the Year" in 2002; in 2003, Paradorn was featured on the cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and featured as one of the year's "Asian heroes".
In November 2005, Paradorn spent a week as a Buddhist monk in a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
outside Bangkok. He adopted the Buddhist name Mahaviro, meaning "great and brave", wore saffron robes and shaved his head. His then girlfriend, Odette Henriette Jacqmin
Odette Henriette Jacqmin
Odette Henriette Jacqmin is a famous Thai-French supermodel, actress and singer born in Lyon, France, on October 13, 1982. Raised in France, she moved to Thailand at the age of 18 . She is 178 cm and 53 kg....
was present for the ceremony.
Paradorn married Natalie Glebova
Natalie Glebova
Natalie Glebova is a Russian Canadian beauty queen, the 2005 Miss Universe title holder.-Personal life:Glebova was born in Tuapse, Russia. She studied classical piano and graduated from a professional musical school at age of 12. She also has won various regional rhythmic gymnastics championships...
(Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
2005) in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, on 29 November 2007.
In June 2010, Paradorn officially announced his retirement from the ATP tour but will coach Thailand's Davis Cup team
Thailand Davis Cup team
The Thailand Davis Cup team represents Thailand in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand.Thailand currently compete in the Asia/Oceania Zone of Group II...
.
In February 2011, Paradorn and wife, Natalie, announced their separation after three years of marriage stating the reason to be "work commitments had kept them apart."
Titles won
| Legend (Singles) |
| Grand Slam (0) |
| Tennis Masters Cup (0) |
| ATP Masters Series (0) |
| ATP Tour (5) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1. | Aug. 2002 | Long Island ATP Long Island The Volvo International – also known as the Pilot Pen International – is a defunct professional tennis tournament played on clay courts from 1973 to 1984 and on outdoor hard courts from 1985 to 1998. It was first held at the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire in the... , United States |
Hard |  Juan Ignacio ChelaJuan Ignacio Chela Juan Ignacio Chela is a professional male tennis player from Argentina. Like most Argentine players he is comfortable on Clay courts and owns all six of his career titles on the surface... |
5–7, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 2. | Oct. 2002 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) |  Marcelo RíosMarcelo Ríos Marcelo Andrés Ríos Mayorga is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Chile. Nicknamed El Chino and El zurdo de Vitacura , he became the first Latin American player to reach the top position on the Association of Tennis Professionals singles rankings in 1998. He held the World No... |
6–7(2), 6–0, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 3. | Dec. 2002 | Chennai, India | Hard |  Karol KučeraKarol Kucera Karol Kučera is a retired ATP professional male tennis player from Slovakia. He is a former top 10 player and has been ranked as high as World No. 6.-Tennis career:... |
6–3, 6–1 |
| 4. | Aug. 2003 | Long Island, U.S. | Hard |  James BlakeJames Blake James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances... |
6–2, 6–4 |
| 5. | Jun. 2004 | Nottingham, United Kingdom | Grass |  Thomas JohanssonThomas Johansson Karl Thomas Conny Johansson , commonly known as Thomas Johansson, is a former Swedish professional tennis player. He is a former Australian Open singles champion and Olympic silver medalist in doubles.-Junior career:... |
1–6, 7–6(4), 6–3 |
Singles runner-ups (6)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1. | Jan. 2002 | Chennai Chennai Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India... , India |
Hard | Guillermo Cañas Guillermo Cañas Guillermo Ignacio Cañas , often referred to as Willy Cañas, is a retired Argentine professional tennis player. He was born in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, and named after Argentine tennis star Guillermo Vilas. His highest singles ranking was 8th . After retirement Cañas took on coaching, he... |
6–4, 7–6(2) |
| 2. | Aug. 2002 | Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... , United States |
Hard | James Blake James Blake James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances... |
1–6, 7–6(5), 6–4 |
| 3. | Jul. 2003 | Indianapolis Indianapolis Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... , United States |
Hard | Andy Roddick Andy Roddick Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish.... |
7–6(2), 6–4 |
| 4. | Jan. 2004 | Chennai Chennai Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India... , India |
Hard |  Carlos MoyáCarlos Moyá Carlos Moya Llompart is a retired former world no. 1 tennis player from Spain. He was the French Open singles champion in 1998 and was the singles runner-up at the 1997 Australian Open. In 2004, he helped his country win the Davis Cup. He currently resides in Switzerland... |
6–4, 3–6, 7–6(5) |
| 5. | Jan. 2005 | Chennai Chennai Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India... , India |
Hard | Carlos Moyá Carlos Moyá Carlos Moya Llompart is a retired former world no. 1 tennis player from Spain. He was the French Open singles champion in 1998 and was the singles runner-up at the 1997 Australian Open. In 2004, he helped his country win the Davis Cup. He currently resides in Switzerland... |
3–6, 6–4, 7–6(5) |
| 6. | Oct. 2005 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
Hard (i) | James Blake James Blake James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances... |
6–1, 7–6(6) |