Julien Benneteau

Titles Won: 

Julien Benneteau is a professional tennis player from France. He began playing tennis at the age of four and turned professional in 2000. As a junior he won the Orange Bowl 16s singles title in 1996 and in 1999 won the US Open boys doubles event with fellow Nicolas Mahut . At the start of his career, Benneteau played on the Futures tour and in 2000 compiled a 23-20 record, reaching two semi-finals in France, as well as winning a Futures and Challenger doubles title with Mahut. In 2001, he continued his progress by making his ATP debut as a qualifier in Lyon, reaching the second round before losing to Ivan Ljubicic. He also reached two finals in Future events at Aix En Provence (l. Saoudi) and Plaisir (l. Niemeyer). He made his Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros in 2002, losing to Arnaud Clement in straight sets. In 2003, the Frenchman won three ATP matches and reached the semi-final stages at three Challenger events. In doubles play he won his first ATP title in Metz with Mahut and also reached the final in Lyon, as well as winning Challenger titles in Bronnx and St. Jean de Luz. Benneteau finished in the Top 100 for the first time in 2004, highlighted by advancing to his first ATP semi-final in Casablanca (l. Hrbaty). H ealso captured the Andrezieux Challenger (d. D. Norman) and a finalist at the Besancon Challenger (l. Berdych). In March, he qualified for the Masters Series in Miami and reached the fourth round where he lost to Argentine Guillermo Coria. At Roland Garros, he reached the third round, posting a memorable victory over clay court specialist David Ferrer before losing to Russia's Igor Andreev. He finished the season reaching the quarter final at St. Petersburg (l. Youzhny).

In 2005, Benneteau won three Challenger titles in doubles play. In singles action his best result came in the last event of the season when he reached the final of the Challenger in Doha (l. Patience). In Grand Slam play he played in three of the four majors, only missing the US Open but made an early first round exit in each. The Frenchman finished in the Top 50 for the first time in 2006, winning a career best 24 ATP matches. He started the season reaching the third round of the Australian Open (l. Roddick) but exacted his revenge over the American in February on the hard courts at Memphis where he reached the semi-finals before losing to Tommy Haas 3-6, 1-6. At Roland Garros he produced a career Grand Slam best by reaching teh quarter finals. In the earlier rounds he dispatched Tipsarevic, Baghdatis, Stepanek and Alberto Martin, before falling to world number four Ivan Ljubicic in straight sets. In Masters Series action he reached the third round of three tournaments at Indian Wells (l. Nalbandian), Toronto (l. Acasuso) and Paris (l. Ancic). In 2007, Benneteau reached the quarter final stages on four different surfaces. He started the season reaching the quarter at Chennai (l. Koubek) and reached his second ATP quarter final in February at Marseille (l. Nieminen). At the Masters Series in Indian Wells, the Frenchman defeated James Blake in the third round 6-2, 7-6(1) but lost in the fourth round to Novak Djokovic. In April, he reached his third quarter final of the season on the clay courts at Casablanca (l. Gicquel). In preparation for Wimbledon, Benneteau played at 's-Hertogenbosch and reached the semi-final, losing to Ljubicic in three sets.

Benneteau finished the 2008 season in the Top 50 for the second time in three years, ending the year ranked 43. In Janurary he reached the semi-final at Auckland (l. Ferrero) but at the Australian Open he made an early first round exit to Wawrinka in straight sets. In May, the Frenchman reached his first ATP final of the year at Casablanca (l. Simon). His next tournament came at Roland Garros where he reached the fourth round, losing to eventual runner-up and world number one Roger Federer. He reached his second ATP final of the season at Lyon on carpet, losing to Robin Soderling of Sweden in three sets.