Status: ATP #68. Holds career wins over Agassi, Roddick, Gulbis, Haas, Davydenko, Lopez, Almagro.
DOB: May 9, 1983 In: Schifflange, Luxembourg
Tennis Inspiration: “I always looked up to Agassi.”
Favorite Movies: “A lot of movies I like. I like Denzel Washington, I think he’s one of the best actors in the world.”
Musical Tastes: “U2. I had the chance to see them twice in one year in Berlin and Zurich. Huge fan of U2.”
First Job: “I went to my uncle’s, he’s selling meat. Butcher shop. I helped in the kitchen (age 12).”
First Car: “Was my mom’s Volkswagen Polo. Now I have a BMW.”
Favorite Meal: “Pizza.”
Early Tennis Memory: “I always look back when I see these moments now, in a big stadium. And I look back when I was a kid and I went to my club with all my friends and we played there for fun and we were always watching the big matches in the big stadiums on TV. And it’s always nice to look at those moments.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “Well, you have different matches. In big matches in big stadiums I’m more nervous in a good way, than the other matches. If you’re playing on like Court 16, it’s not the same as if you’re playing on the Stadium. I think sometimes my problem – if I play on small court, I’m – I won’t say I’m not motivated but it’s different there. You really try to do your best. And if you lose, you try to fight every point like hell. And so I have to try and find the mental to do it everywhere.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Tough to say. I never won an ATP tournament. The win against Agassi (2004 in Washington, DC) is always nice. But then, on the other hand, U.S. Open Ashe Stadium night session against Roddick (2005). It was so unbelievable, emotional moment in my career.”
Most Painful Moment: “The toughest moment is if you play here on Ashe Stadium in front of a full house and then you’re playing a Challenger somewhere out there in front of two people and one of them is your coach. I mean, that’s what’s very tough. In the beginning, when I went back to Challengers, I felt like I failed.”
Favorite Tournament: “Probably the U.S. Open. I like the city, the stadium, I like the people here.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Once in juniors I had the shorts with the knob and you close it with the zipper. And I lost my shorts and I kept playing the point holding my shorts up [smiles].”
Favorite Players To Watch: “It’s always nice to see Roger playing, so easy and so calm on the court. It’s very much fun to watch Rafa. So much energy on the court. He’s not missing so much and he’s fighting so much. He’s really making people enjoy it. He gives me a big impression always when I’m watching.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “I like Roddick. I think he’s pretty funny all the time. After our match, I have to say for me it was really nice, he came and told me on the court, Good luck and these kinds of things, you played great. And after again, he came here in the locker room to tell me this. So I think that’s very fair and very nice. For sure he was very disappointed but he’s a big sportsman.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “In tennis, you don’t have really, very close friends in tennis. You’re friends with everybody but you’re still opponents, so it’s tough to have good relations with anybody. But I’m close with all the guys from Belgium because we speak the same language. Also the French. I respect everybody but it’s not that you also go to have a drink with somebody during a tournament. But outside of the tournament, it’s very rare that you call somebody or have news from somebody. So it’s not the same if you have a friend at home.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Well, I like the people who even if they are playing good and are big stars, they are very, very simple guys, very friendly guys. I like that a lot. I think even if you are a good player you have to respect everybody as well.”
"It's hard to play in front of two people"
Gans · September 7, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Great biofile.
I have a huge respect for Muller’s game. He played one of the best matches at the Open in 2008 against RF, which RF won in five. Muller gave Federer all that he could handle.
He is a very dangerous player who can take down someone on his best day. Rafa, you better watch out!This rain delay may be much needed for some guys who need help from coaches anyway!
Scoop Malinowski · September 7, 2011 at 10:40 pm
He is a lethal player I agree Gans and also a very intelligent and engaging one as shown in his Biofile. He was deadly vs. a very determined and sharp Gulbis last week. Not only was his serve effective but his baseline game was too, he was able to grind it out with Gulbis’s firepower. Lefty Muller loves the US Open and Ashe court, he’s hungry after many years of struggle – all these factors could cause a major upset of Rafa.
Michael · September 8, 2011 at 3:27 am
Good one. Very honest. The difficulty of going from 22,000 fans back to the challengers. Interesting about Roddick. Makes his boorish on court behavior even more baffling.
I’m surprised he didn’t mention his run from the qualies to the quarters going through Almagro and Davydenko and giving Fed a tough match.
Yalan · September 8, 2011 at 3:45 am
Actually Roger defeated Muller in 3 sets in 2008 at the US Open. That said, sets 1 and 3 were tie-break sets.
Thanks for this article. I have a soft spot for this guy.
Gans · September 8, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Yalan, you are correct. It was Igor Andreev who played that great 5-setter against RF.
Muller was beaten in straights although couple of them were very tight. Thanks.