Stefan Koubek
Encyclopedia
Stefan Koubek is a tennis player from Austria. Koubek plays left-handed with a double-handed backhand. His idol when growing up was Thomas Muster
. Koubek has won three titles, two of which have come on hardcourt
s; despite this, he says his favorite surface is clay
.
His nickname is Cooley or Stef. Koubek's hobbies include sports cars, video games, golf and skiing.
Futures and ATP Challenger Series
events.
In 1997 he jumped up 184 positions in the rankings, thanks to good results in Challenger tournaments, reaching finals in Ulm
and Alpirsbach
. 1998 saw Koubek win his first Challenger event in Alpirsbach
; later that same year he lost to Younes El Aynaoui
in the final of Maia
. Koubek compiled a 33-20 record for the year.
Koubek won his first ATP title in 1999 at Atlanta as a qualifier. He achieved this losing only one set in the whole tournament, overcoming Sébastien Grosjean
in the final 6–1 6–2. Koubek reached the fourth round in his French Open debut, losing to Àlex Corretja
; to date this is his best performance at this event. Koubek made the final of Bournemouth
, losing to Adrian Voinea
, and helped his country Austria back into the World Group of Davis Cup
by defeating Sweden 3–2 in a promotion tie. Koubek was second only to Albert Costa
in wins on clay during the 1999 season, with 28 match victories.
In 2000 Koubek won his second title on the hardcourts at Delray Beach, defeating Álex Calatrava
. He reached the semi finals at Mexico City
, losing to Juan Ignacio Chela
. He reached his highest singles rank to date on March 13, 2000, when he became the world number 20.
Koubek started off 2002 with his best ever performance at a Grand Slam
tournament by making the quarter finals of the Australian Open
. In the first round, Koubek came back from a 0–6 1–6 1–4 15-40 deficit to eventually defeat Cyril Saulnier
, 0–6 1–6 7–6(6) 6–4 8–6. In the next round he again came back from two sets to love down against James Blake
, winning in 5 sets. Koubek then defeated Kristian Pless
in the third round, and Fernando González
in the fourth, before losing to Jiří Novák
in the quarterfinals.
In the remainder of 2002, Koubek's best result was a quarterfinal appearance at the Hamburg Masters
, losing to Tommy Robredo
. Koubek then finished the year with seven consecutive first round losses.
Koubek rebounded in 2003 by winning his third career title in Doha
. Koubek won the tournament without dropping a set, defeating Jan-Michael Gambill
in the final, and briefly holding the top spot in the ATP Champions Race. Koubek's form remained inconsistent, again losing seven consecutive first-round matches after his victory in Doha
, before making the semi-finals in Munich
, where he lost to Roger Federer
. In Davis Cup
, Koubek defeated the Belgian brothers Christophe
and Olivier Rochus
to help return Austria to the World Group.
Koubek made the third round at the 2004 French Open
before losing to David Nalbandian
. In Thomas Muster
's debut as Davis Cup
captain, Koubek was instrumental in preserving Austria's status in the World Group, winning both singles matches over Tim Henman
and Greg Rusedski
.
Koubek tested positive for glucocorticosteroids at the 2004 French Open after receiving an injection for an injured wrist; he was subsequently suspended for three months. The ITF
rejected Koubek's appeal of the suspension, though acknowledging that Koubek had not used the drugs to enhance performance.
Koubek forfeited his points and prize money from Roland Garros
, though his results subsequent to Roland Garros
were not disqualified.
As a result of injuries and his suspension, Koubek struggled in 2005, and his ranking fell outside the top 100. Koubek spent most of the year playing events on the Challenger circuit. His best results on the tour were a third round in Kitzbühel
, losing to Nicolás Massú
, and a semifinal in the Helsinki
Challenger, where he lost to Björn Rehnquist
.
At the start of 2006, Koubek was ranked 182nd in the world. Koubek played a mixture of Challengers and ATP events during the year; as a qualifier, Koubek made the final of the ATP event in Zagreb
, losing in straight sets to local favourite Ivan Ljubičić
. Koubek reached the third round in Stuttgart
and the Generali Open, and the semifinals in Mumbai
. He finished the year ranked number 80. In doubles Koubek won his first title at the Generali Open with Philipp Kohlschreiber
.
Koubek finished the 2007 season ranked in the top 50. The year began 2007 by making the final in Chennai
, losing to Xavier Malisse
. At the Australian Open
, he was knocked out in the first round by Wayne Arthurs, in Arthurs' final Australian Open appearance; Koubek lost the match despite leading two sets to love. He played in Austria's first-round defeat in Davis Cup
, losing 4–1 to Argentina
in Linz
. In Sopot
Koubek came back from a 6–0 4–0 deficit to defeat Agustín Calleri
0–6 7–6 7–5, where Calleri served for the match three times and saved 5 match points in the process, which broke a streak 21 consecutive games lost after losing 6–4 6–0 to Daniel Köllerer
in Kitzbühel
. Koubek was disqualified in Metz
against Sébastien Grosjean
while leading 5–7 7–6 4–2 after using abusive language to the tournament supervisor Thomas Karlberg while disputing a call. Koubek said he directed the "Fuck you" at the situation and not at Karlberg personally.
Koubek started 2008 by making the third round at the Australian Open
before falling to Paul-Henri Mathieu
in 5 sets, a match in which he led a break of serve in each set, but was not able to close the match out. In March Koubek suffered back problems and will have surgery to alleviate bulging discs, which is a potentially career threatening injury.
Runner-ups (3)
Thomas Muster
Thomas Muster is a former world no. 1 tennis player from Austria. One of the world's leading clay court players in the 1990s, Muster won the 1995 French Open and at his peak was known as "The King of Clay." In addition, he won eight Masters 1000 series titles, placing him sixth on the all-time list...
. Koubek has won three titles, two of which have come on hardcourt
Hardcourt
Hardcourt or hard court describes a form of surface or floor on which a sport is played. It may refer to an indoor court made from a wood, or more specifically hardwood such as maple, as in basketball or indoor soccer. Alternatively, it may refer to outdoor materials such as asphalt, shale, or clay...
s; despite this, he says his favorite surface is clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
.
His nickname is Cooley or Stef. Koubek's hobbies include sports cars, video games, golf and skiing.
Tennis career
Koubek turned professional in 1994, losing his first match in St Pölten. Between 1994 and 1998, Koubek mostly played in 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...
Futures and ATP Challenger Series
ATP Challenger Series
The ATP Challenger Tour, known until the end of 2008 as the ATP Challenger Series, is a series of international men's professional tennis tournaments...
events.
In 1997 he jumped up 184 positions in the rankings, thanks to good results in Challenger tournaments, reaching finals in Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
and Alpirsbach
Alpirsbach
Alpirsbach is a town in the district of Freudenstadt in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest on the Kinzig river, 13 km south of Freudenstadt.Alpirsbach is twinned with the French commune of Neuville-sur-Saône....
. 1998 saw Koubek win his first Challenger event in Alpirsbach
Alpirsbach
Alpirsbach is a town in the district of Freudenstadt in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest on the Kinzig river, 13 km south of Freudenstadt.Alpirsbach is twinned with the French commune of Neuville-sur-Saône....
; later that same year he lost to Younes El Aynaoui
Younes El Aynaoui
Younes El Aynaoui is a professional tennis player from Morocco.He is a five-time singles winner on the ATP Tour and reached his career-high singles ranking of No. 14 in 2003, at the age of 31. His long career has been plagued by injuries and he did not play competitive tennis between September...
in the final of Maia
Maia
Maia is a female given name of Greek origin. Together with other similar words, it may refer to:- Mythology :* Maia , the eldest of the Pleiades in Greek mythology, also identified with an Ancient Italic goddess of spring and the most beautiful....
. Koubek compiled a 33-20 record for the year.
Koubek won his first ATP title in 1999 at Atlanta as a qualifier. He achieved this losing only one set in the whole tournament, overcoming Sébastien Grosjean
Sébastien Grosjean
Sébastien René Grosjean is a retired tennis player from France. His career-high ATP Entry ranking is No. 4 . He retired from tennis on May 27, 2010.-Career:...
in the final 6–1 6–2. Koubek reached the fourth round in his French Open debut, losing to Àlex Corretja
Àlex Corretja
Àlex Corretja i Verdegay is a former professional tennis player from Spain. During his career, he finished runner-up twice at the French Open . He won the ATP Tour World Championships in 1998 and reached his career-high singles ranking of world no. 2 in 1999...
; to date this is his best performance at this event. Koubek made the final of Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, losing to Adrian Voinea
Adrian Voinea
Adrian Voinea is a former Romanian tennis player who turned professional in 1993.The right-hander won one singles title . Voinea was born in Romania, but moved to Italy at age 15 because his older brother, Marian, was coaching there...
, and helped his country Austria back into the World Group of Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
by defeating Sweden 3–2 in a promotion tie. Koubek was second only to Albert Costa
Albert Costa
Albert Costa i Casals is a former professional tennis player from Spain. He is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at the French Open in 2002.-Tennis career:...
in wins on clay during the 1999 season, with 28 match victories.
In 2000 Koubek won his second title on the hardcourts at Delray Beach, defeating Álex Calatrava
Alex Calatrava
Alex Patricio Calatrava is a former tour tennis player from Spain, who turned professional in 1993. The right-hander won one singles title...
. He reached the semi finals at Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, losing to Juan Ignacio Chela
Juan 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...
. He reached his highest singles rank to date on March 13, 2000, when he became the world number 20.
Koubek started off 2002 with his best ever performance at a Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
tournament by making the quarter finals of the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
. In the first round, Koubek came back from a 0–6 1–6 1–4 15-40 deficit to eventually defeat Cyril Saulnier
Cyril Saulnier
Cyril Saulnier is a retired French tennis player.His career-high singles ranking is 48th and was reached on March 21, 2005. Earlier that year he reached the final of the SAP Open in San Jose to be ranked in the top 50 for the first time in his career.-Singles Titles:-External links:*...
, 0–6 1–6 7–6(6) 6–4 8–6. In the next round he again came back from two sets to love down against 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...
, winning in 5 sets. Koubek then defeated Kristian Pless
Kristian Pless
Kristian Peter Pless is a professional male tennis player from Denmark.In 1999, he won the Australian Open for juniors , and reached the junior finals at Wimbledon , and the US Open . He finished 1999 as the no...
in the third round, and Fernando González
Fernando González
----Fernando Francisco González Ciuffardi is a professional tennis player from Chile. He is known for having one of the hardest forehands on the circuit. In Spanish he is called El Bombardero de La Reina and Mano de Piedra...
in the fourth, before losing to Jiří Novák
Jirí Novák
Jiří Novák is a former Czech tennis player, who was born in Zlín, Czechoslovakia but resides nowadays in Monte Carlo, Monaco.-Career:Novák turned professional in 1993 and won 7 singles and 18 doubles titles during his career, winning $7,614,063 in prize money. For six years, he was the...
in the quarterfinals.
In the remainder of 2002, Koubek's best result was a quarterfinal appearance at the Hamburg Masters
Hamburg Masters
The German Open Hamburg, established in 1892, is an annual tennis tournament for male professional players held in Hamburg, Germany and part of the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Originally a Grand Prix Tennis Tour event between 1978 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix Championship...
, losing to Tommy Robredo
Tommy Robredo
Tommy Robredo Garcés is a Spanish professional tennis player. On 8 May 2006, he broke into the world's top ten for the first time. His highest singles ranking to date is No...
. Koubek then finished the year with seven consecutive first round losses.
Koubek rebounded in 2003 by winning his third career title in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
. Koubek won the tournament without dropping a set, defeating Jan-Michael Gambill
Jan-Michael Gambill
Jan-Michael Charles Gambill is an American tennis player who made his professional debut in 1996. His highest singles ranking to date is World No. 14, which he first reached on June 18, 2001...
in the final, and briefly holding the top spot in the ATP Champions Race. Koubek's form remained inconsistent, again losing seven consecutive first-round matches after his victory in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, before making the semi-finals in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, where he lost to 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 Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
, Koubek defeated the Belgian brothers Christophe
Christophe Rochus
Christophe Rochus is a retired professional male tennis player from Belgium.Rochus is the older brother of Olivier Rochus, also a tennis player who has been slightly more successful than Christophe. He reached the singles finals of two ATP tournaments: Valencia and Rotterdam but lost them both...
and Olivier Rochus
Olivier Rochus
Olivier Rochus is a Belgian tennis player. He was born in Namur, Belgium, and currently resides in Auvelais, Belgium.-Career:...
to help return Austria to the World Group.
Koubek made the third round at the 2004 French Open
French Open (tennis)
The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
before losing to 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 Thomas Muster
Thomas Muster
Thomas Muster is a former world no. 1 tennis player from Austria. One of the world's leading clay court players in the 1990s, Muster won the 1995 French Open and at his peak was known as "The King of Clay." In addition, he won eight Masters 1000 series titles, placing him sixth on the all-time list...
's debut as Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
captain, Koubek was instrumental in preserving Austria's status in the World Group, winning both singles matches over Tim Henman
Tim Henman
Timothy Henry "Tim" Henman OBE is a retired English professional tennis player and former British Number One. Henman played a serve-and-volley style of tennis that suited the grass courts of Wimbledon. He was the first player from the United Kingdom since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the...
and Greg Rusedski
Greg Rusedski
Gregory "Greg" Rusedski is a British Canadian former tennis player who turned professional in 1991 and played until his retirement on 7 April 2007, at the age of 33...
.
Koubek tested positive for glucocorticosteroids at the 2004 French Open after receiving an injection for an injured wrist; he was subsequently suspended for three months. The ITF
International Tennis Federation
The International Tennis Federation is the governing body of world tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations.It was established as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by 12 national associations meeting at a conference in Paris, France on 1 March 1913...
rejected Koubek's appeal of the suspension, though acknowledging that Koubek had not used the drugs to enhance performance.
Koubek forfeited his points and prize money from Roland Garros
French Open (tennis)
The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
, though his results subsequent to Roland Garros
French Open (tennis)
The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are...
were not disqualified.
As a result of injuries and his suspension, Koubek struggled in 2005, and his ranking fell outside the top 100. Koubek spent most of the year playing events on the Challenger circuit. His best results on the tour were a third round in Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
, losing to Nicolás Massú
Nicolás Massú
Nicolás Alejandro Massú Fried , nicknamed Vampiro , is a Chilean tennis player, a former world number nine in singles, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist...
, and a semifinal in the Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
Challenger, where he lost to Björn Rehnquist
Björn Rehnquist
Björn Rehnquist is a professional Swedish tennis player. The Swede competed in the 2006 Australian Open, losing to 20th seed Radek Štěpánek 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, and at the 2009 Australian Open, but lost in the first round 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to eventual semi-finalist Andy Roddick.-External links:...
.
At the start of 2006, Koubek was ranked 182nd in the world. Koubek played a mixture of Challengers and ATP events during the year; as a qualifier, Koubek made the final of the ATP event in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, losing in straight sets to local favourite Ivan Ljubičić
Ivan Ljubicic
----Ivan Ljubičić is a Croatian tennis player born in Bosnia and Herzegovina . His career-high ATP ranking to date has been no. 3, and he stands at no. 37....
. Koubek reached the third round in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and the Generali Open, and the semifinals in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. He finished the year ranked number 80. In doubles Koubek won his first title at the Generali Open with Philipp Kohlschreiber
Philipp Kohlschreiber
Philipp Kohlschreiber is a tennis player from Germany, who turned professional in 2001. The right-hander has won six doubles and three singles titles. He reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on 28 September 2009, when he achieved a ranking of World No. 22...
.
Koubek finished the 2007 season ranked in the top 50. The year began 2007 by making the final in 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...
, losing to Xavier Malisse
Xavier Malisse
Xavier Malisse is a Belgian tennis player. Born in Kortrijk, Belgium, he is the only men's player from his country to have been ranked in the top 20 of the ATP tour. He is sponsored by Prince and Lotto. His nickname is "The X-Man"....
. At the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
, he was knocked out in the first round by Wayne Arthurs, in Arthurs' final Australian Open appearance; Koubek lost the match despite leading two sets to love. He played in Austria's first-round defeat in Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
, losing 4–1 to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
. In Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
Koubek came back from a 6–0 4–0 deficit to defeat 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....
0–6 7–6 7–5, where Calleri served for the match three times and saved 5 match points in the process, which broke a streak 21 consecutive games lost after losing 6–4 6–0 to Daniel Köllerer
Daniel Köllerer
Daniel Köllerer is a former professional tennis player from Austria who turned professional in 2002. Nicknamed "Crazy Dani" for his controversial behaviour while on court, he achieved his career-high ranking of #55 on October 19, 2009. He is serving a lifetime ban from the sport for match-fixing...
in Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
. Koubek was disqualified in Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
against Sébastien Grosjean
Sébastien Grosjean
Sébastien René Grosjean is a retired tennis player from France. His career-high ATP Entry ranking is No. 4 . He retired from tennis on May 27, 2010.-Career:...
while leading 5–7 7–6 4–2 after using abusive language to the tournament supervisor Thomas Karlberg while disputing a call. Koubek said he directed the "Fuck you" at the situation and not at Karlberg personally.
Koubek started 2008 by making the third round at the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
before falling to Paul-Henri Mathieu
Paul-Henri Mathieu
Paul-Henri Mathieu is a French tennis player.-Tennis career:Mathieu was born in Strasbourg, France. He first began playing tennis at age 3, with his older brother Pierre-Yves. Between 1997 and 2000 he trained at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida...
in 5 sets, a match in which he led a break of serve in each set, but was not able to close the match out. In March Koubek suffered back problems and will have surgery to alleviate bulging discs, which is a potentially career threatening injury.
Singles
Wins| Legend (Singles) |
| Grand Slam (0) |
| Tennis Masters Cup (0) |
| ATP Masters Series (0) |
| ATP Tour (3) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| 1. | April 26, 1999 | Atlanta Verizon Tennis Challenge The Verizon Tennis Challenge is a defunct Grand Prix circuit and ATP Tour affiliated tennis tournament played from 1987 to 2001. It was held in Orlando, Florida in the United States from 1987 to 1991 and at the Atlanta Athletic Club in what is now Johns Creek, Georgia in the United States from 1992... , United States |
Clay |  Sébastien GrosjeanSébastien Grosjean Sébastien René Grosjean is a retired tennis player from France. His career-high ATP Entry ranking is No. 4 . He retired from tennis on May 27, 2010.-Career:... |
6–1, 6–2 |
| 2. | February 28, 2000 | Delray Beach, U.S. | Hard |  Álex CalatravaAlex Calatrava Alex Patricio Calatrava is a former tour tennis player from Spain, who turned professional in 1993. The right-hander won one singles title... |
6–1, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 3. | December 30, 2002 | Doha Qatar ExxonMobil Open The Qatar Open, currently known as the Qatar ExxonMobil Open for sponsorship reasons, is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour... , Qatar Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its... |
Hard |  Jan-Michael GambillJan-Michael Gambill Jan-Michael Charles Gambill is an American tennis player who made his professional debut in 1996. His highest singles ranking to date is World No. 14, which he first reached on June 18, 2001... |
6–4, 6–4 |
Runner-ups (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| 1. | September 13, 1999 | Bournemouth Brighton International The Brighton International was a tennis tournament held in Brighton, UK. It was a WTA Tour event from 1978-1995 and an ATP Tour event from 1996-2000, upon the discontinuation of the women's tournament. The women's event was held in October.... , United Kingdom |
Clay |  Adrian VoineaAdrian Voinea Adrian Voinea is a former Romanian tennis player who turned professional in 1993.The right-hander won one singles title . Voinea was born in Romania, but moved to Italy at age 15 because his older brother, Marian, was coaching there... |
1–6, 7–5, 7–6(2) |
| 2. | January 30, 2006 | Zagreb PBZ Zagreb Indoors PBZ Zagreb Indoors is a tennis event on the ATP Tour held in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. From 2009 it is part of the ATP 250 Series and offered 250 ranking points. The tournament is played on a fast and hard indoor surface and features both a men's singles and a men's doubles tournament.The... , Croatia Croatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... |
Carpet (i) |  Ivan LjubičićIvan Ljubicic ----Ivan Ljubičić is a Croatian tennis player born in Bosnia and Herzegovina . His career-high ATP ranking to date has been no. 3, and he stands at no. 37.... |
6–3, 6–4 |
| 3. | January 1, 2007 | Chennai Chennai Open The Chennai Open is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour... , India |
Hard |  Xavier MalisseXavier Malisse Xavier Malisse is a Belgian tennis player. Born in Kortrijk, Belgium, he is the only men's player from his country to have been ranked in the top 20 of the ATP tour. He is sponsored by Prince and Lotto. His nickname is "The X-Man".... |
6–1, 6–3 |