Paul-Henri Mathieu

Paul-Henri Mathieu , also called PHM and called Paulo , is a player of Tennis French born the January 12th 1982 with Strasbourg. Specialist in the beaten Ground (it gained the tournament junior of Roland Garros), it belongs to the team of France of Coupe Davis. Equipped with a very good reverse, it is currently involved by the TEAM Lagardere.

Career

He discovered tennis as of the 3 years age 1/2 in the garage of his parents before those do not register it in a club of tennis (TC Lingolsheim). At the 11 years age it joined a section sport-studies of Rheims. At 14 years it is registered with INSEP Vincennes. At 15 years it is accepted with International Academy Tennis of Florida, the formative school of young champions. It involves there with the Belgian player Xavier Malisse during 2 years. In 2000 it returns in France and is coaché by Thierry Champion and gains the tournament junior of Roland-Garros. One month later, it is accepted in tournament ATP.

It is in 2002 that it makes speak about him for the first time on the world circuit. It reaches the 8èmes of finale to Roland Garros, being inclined only in 5 sets vis-a-vis Andre Agassi. During the American round on cement, it records a victory over Pete Sampras with Island Length, becoming at the same time the last player to have beaten the man with the 14 titles of the Large Slam, this last finishing its career on its victory with the US Open. A few weeks later, it gains back-to-back two tournaments indoor with Moscow (while leaving the qualifications) and with Lyon (as Free Special). That enables him to be retained by Guy Forget to play the final of the Coupe Davis against Russia.
Beaten logically by Marat Safin the first day, it is brought to play the decisive match against Mikhail Youzhny whereas the two teams are with equality 2-2. In spite of an advantage of 2 sets to 0, it is inclined in 5 sets.

Feeling responsible for the loss of the Coupe Davis it will put of long month to go back and find its best level from it. It misses two thirds of the year 2004 because of wounds and falls down beyond the hundredth places world.

But a victory in five sets against Spanish Carlos Moya in semi-final of Coupe Davis enables him to take again confidence.
From 2005 it makes its return among the first 50 world, grace mainly to its results on beaten ground (it is regarded as the best French specialist on this surface). He also did one 8th of finale to the Open of Australia. Thus, in 2006 with Roland-Garros, it pushes Rafael Nadal in her cuttings off with the third turn, inclining only 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 (in 4:53).

In 2007, it gains finally the 3rd tournament of its career with Casablanca, over beaten ground. At the time of the tournament of Roland Garros, it is inclined with the third turn against Russian Igor Andreev (7/6 - 6/0 - 6/3). It obtains at the time of this edition, the Lemon-yellow Prix, distinction decreed with the player with the " strong character ultra vitaminé" tournament. Although regarded as a player of beaten ground, " Paulo" will illustrate itself with Wimbledon this same year by in particular beating two heads of series, Spanish David Ferrer and the Croatian Ivan Ljubičić. It will be inclined in 8th of finale vis-a-vis American Andy Roddick. On this occasion it will obtain its best classification ATP by reaching the 28e place. It will confirm the following week by gaining the tournament over beaten ground of Gstaad by in particular eliminating Gaël Monfils into 1/4 and Radek Stepanek into 1/2 finale and before beating finally Andreas Seppi 6/7, 6/4, 7/5, thus succeeding another French, Richard Gasquet. It began its American round by the Masters from Canada where it made a first match vis-a-vis Guillermo Cañas which led a sleeve to nothing and 4-0 but it succeeded in turning over the situation and finally gained match 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, to the following turn it was opposed to Croatian Mario Ancic whom it swept 6-3, 6-2 but this great adventure finished after its lost match but very hung vis-a-vis Rafael Nadal (3-6, 6-3, 6-2) The US Open starts, and it is not really a success for the Strasbourgeois young person who inclines himself with the first turn, vis-a-vis Fernando Verdasco (6-3 6-1 4-6 3-6 3-6). In October, it carries out once again with the Open of Moscow an excellent course by reaching the finale of the tournament which it loses in a match hung against Nikolay Davydenko (7-5 7-6 (9)).

Characteristics

1m85, 76 kg
Droitier (reverse with two hands)
Professional since 1999 Better
classification ATP: 19th (October 29th, 2007)
Title (S): 4 (2002: Lyon, Moscow; 2007: Casablanca, Gstaad)
Final (S): 2 (2003: Palermo; 2007: Moscow)
Coupe Davis: finalist in 2002

Prize list

Titles into simple (4)

Finales into simple (2)

Course in the tournaments of Large Slam

Into simple

In double

Better result in Masters

Masters of Canada: Semi-finalist in 2005

Classification ATP

10/12/1998: N.1320
7/19/1999: NR. 747 +
8/14/2000: NR. 318 +
2/25/2002: NR. 149 +
7/8/2002: NR. 75 +
12/16/2002: NR. 36 +
10/27/2003: NR. 78 -
10/11/2004: NR. 149 -
4/11/2005: NR. 75 +
4/24/2006: NR. 36 +
4/23/2007: NR. 57 -
8/27/2007: NR. 20 +
10/15/2007: NR. 21 (In progress)

External bonds

PHM Live (nonofficial Site)

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