Status: ATP #78. Winner of two career ATP singles titles. Achieved highest career singles ranking of #24 in 2005.
Ht: 5-6 Wt: 143
DOB: January 18, 1981 In: Namur, Belgium
First Tennis Memory: “A long time ago. Memories when we were at school with my brother (Christophe). We were all the time after school when we were six, seven, eight years old, playing in our garden together. Always like two, three hours every day. Like a mini-court. And we were playing sometimes five hours a day [laughs], doing that. Good memories.”
Tennis Inspirations: “With my brother, we start together. When we start professionally, he show me the way. We were doing everything together, so it was more him. It wasn’t really looking too much to the stars. It was just my brother and me. My favorite player when I was very young was Pete Sampras.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “You’re nervous. You don’t know what’s going to happen, if you will feel good on the court or you’re just nervous to be there. But then when you start you feel better. You just try to play and try to do your best. And then you will feel better.”
First Job: “I was at school till eight. Then I wanted to be a professional tennis player.”
First Car: “I get a Citroen. I get a contract with Citroen when I was 19. Blue. Very fast car [smiles]. Nice car.”
Current Car: “I have a BMW (gray).”
Greatest Sports Moment: “It’s tough to explain. I had a few. A few great memories. The first ATP tournament I played in Palermo in 2000 I won it. So it was a great, great memory. When I won in Munich (2006). Some Davis Cup ties, some great wins. A win in Miami (vs. Baghdatis). A great moment – like last year – I beat Djokovic, Soderling and Del Potro. And year before I had some great wins. Great memories you will never forget.”
Most Painful Moment: “Is when you drop. You’re losing confidence. I get injured three years ago. I had a shoulder surgery. It was pretty tough. Last year I was really maybe playing better. Think to play good again, then I pull my calf muscle. I was on crutches for a month. You are thinking about everything. Will I get back? So it’s tough moment. You are alone there with the physio, just yourself, it’s not easy for your girlfriend or your family with you. You know the other players, they don’t care. They’re just doing their job in the tournaments. It’s tough. You have to take care of this and stay mentally positive and try to get back. That’s pretty hard moments.”
Favorite Tournament: “I like Wimbledon.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “Of course, it was my brother. I’m also really good friends with Roger, all the players from my age. A person like Michael Llodra, Spanish guys. All the French are good friends of mine.”
Funniest Players: “Who makes me laugh? Tough to say. Like now, I’m really tired (after a three-set win in Masters Series event). But who makes me laugh…for me the funniest guy was Andrew Ilie. To watch him play was crazy [laughs].”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Not really. But some matches I was really not there. I was losing 6-0 4-0, losing in 30 minutes, the crowd was there and sometimes you feel embarrassed, you know? When you cannot give your best. And the crowd is there and you feel very stupid. But fortunately there’s not too many.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “I just like everybody. I really like Roger, Rafa in their own way they are both spectacular and great players. Also, Novak is also a great player.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Character. The fighting spirit. On the tennis court or in life – to give your best all the time. And also to smile and be happy. When you see what happens in the world, tennis is not everything. To smile, to enjoy life I think is important. Some players are [smiles] too much into tennis. Always never smiling. I think it’s important to enjoy life.”
www.thebiofile.com
Olli defeated Djokovic · Soderling and Del Potro last year
Sakhi · April 11, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Thanks for this, Scoop. I love Rochus’s game—he’s got great speed and beautiful strokes. Perhaps one day Tennis Channel will do a series on the players that inspire us, despite or because of their size! (pace Santoro here too!)
Scoop Malinowski · April 11, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Agree Sakhi, Rochus is a big inspiration. Watching him in Miami, he is grunting and fighting on every ball like his life depends on it. He is fighting for his career – and winning. Three big narrow 3 set wins in Miami now this one over Chela in Monte Carlo. Tennis Channel should show sets or old matches, like a “Players Who Inspire” series like you suggest, of some of these players like Rochus, Brad Gilbert, Rios, Chang, Santoro, instead of showing repeats of old finals like they do. Some of the most incredible matches I ever saw were between lesser known players, like Dent vs. Navarro on grandstand at US Open two years ago. There are so many classics. It would be nice to see that Rochus vs. Grosjean Davis Cup match. Surely, Tennis Channel could dig that up from some TV networks archives and show it.
Michael · April 11, 2011 at 10:58 pm
That Dent match was good tennis/atmosphere.(So was his first round upset over F. Lopez).
There have always been great matches on that court. The classic Tarango-Rios match. A 17 year old Krickstein over Vitas G. Tim Mayotte v. Lendl. Krajicek v. Martin. The list of great matches on that court goes on and on. It’s one of the great courts in tennis and it will be a real loss if they muck with it. Do you remember the original setup before they put in the seats around the courtside where kids could sit on the edge with their legs hanging over ? That was the best setup — if you were a kid anyway. Then that silly restuarant they had for a while. The current setup is very good. And the overhang from Armstrong is a favorite spot for photographers and fans.
Anyway, I don’t think a network is going to be reshowing the Dent match unless they do some tennis bio of him.
However, I’m going to post up some highlights for you Mr. Biofile. Including the 5th set tiebreak and the Dent high five of the crowd. I just have to dig it up and cut something together.
Michael · April 11, 2011 at 11:06 pm
On the biofile, nice one. What about the ice cream ?
I’m surprised Rochus didn’t mention beating Moya at the USO in 2004. I recall Moya had his ranking back up pretty high at the time and might have been seeded around 4 or so, if you can believe it. And it went five.
Scoop Malinowski · April 12, 2011 at 12:45 am
The best court in tennis, as stated by SL Price of SI fame. WOuld really appreciate to see that Dent triumph again, such an exciting finale and celebration. Tennis at it’s best right there. That silly restaurant used to give out some nice smells of burgers bbquing. Krajicek-Martin was afive setter, remember the post match press conference when a female reporter tried to make him talk about his controversial WTA overweight comments. TC should show a forgotten classics series, Dent would be on it with that one.
Scoop Malinowski · April 12, 2011 at 12:47 am
It’s chocolate and vanilla actually. Left that one out by mistake. Sorry for the error.
Mitch · April 12, 2011 at 2:19 am
Gotta love the little guy. Hard to believe he competes against some of the taller guys out there. Karlovic, at the extreme, is a full 14 inches taller, which is more than 20% of Rochus’ height.
Michael · April 12, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Scoop, Dent v.Navarro, fifth set tiebreak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-8WThj5pw&sns=em
Scoop Malinowski · April 13, 2011 at 12:00 am
Thanks so much for posting this Michael. Very high quality too, almost like being there again! This was one of the most memorable, emotional and thrilling matches I have ever seen. This was absolutely tennis at it’s best. Dent turned that grandstand into a wild party. We were all talking about it on the media bus ride back to NYC. If the powers that be could expose casual sports fans to that match, there would be so many more tennis fans worldwide.
Michael · April 13, 2011 at 1:42 am
My pleasure.
I actually never looked at the footage before until you brought up the match and I went back to see what I had. I actually have quite a bit more of it but I figured the tiebreaker would be best to post.
I’m glad you like the quality. You should see the original 1080p. YouTube degrades the quality when it does it’s compression more so I’m told than some other hosts. But youTube has the largest audience so you have to make a choice.
I looked at it a few times to do an edit and I forgot that that match was basically four hours of S&V from both sides. You don’t see that anymore. I also forgot Dent’s amazing backhand on the baseline lob and his awful move down 3-4 in the breaker where he completely misjudges the in ball. Credit to him for not letting it get away after that.
I agree with you. Many potential fans don’t appreciate the electric atmosphere you can get on a smaller court, with the right match on the right night. They think tennis is watching Nadal roll some guy on a half empty stadium court while the commentators babble.