Félix Mantilla Botella
 |
|
| Country (sports) |
 Spain
|
|---|---|
| Residence | Barcelona, Spain |
| Born |
23 September 1974 Barcelona, Spain |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Turned pro | 1993 |
| Retired | 7 April 2008 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $5,311,964 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 312–215 |
| Career titles | 10 |
| Highest ranking | No. 10 (8 June 1998) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1997) |
| French Open | SF (1998) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1998) |
| US Open | 4R (1997) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Grand Slam Cup | QF (1998) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 10–22 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 208 (2 August 2004) |
Félix Mantilla Botella (Catalan: Fèlix Mantilla Botella [ˈfɛɫiɡz mənˈtiʎə βuˈteʎə]; 23 September 1974) is a Spanish former professional tennis player and coach. In common with many of his fellow countrymen, Mantilla's best surface is clay. While not as successful away from the clay, Mantilla also produced good hardcourt results. Mantilla's best stroke was his single-handed backhand and he was known for his baseline consistency from both sides, high endurance levels. He reached the semi-finals of the 1998 French Open, won the 2003 Rome Masters and achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 10.
Mantilla began playing tennis at the age of ten and was a member of the winning Spanish Sunshine Cup team along with Albert Costa in 1992.
Mantilla turned professional in 1993 playing Futures and Challenger events. In 1994 Mantilla won the Uruguay/Paraguay Satellite classification and was second in the Spanish satellite 2 and 4 events. He also played his first match on the ATP Tour in Prague, losing to compatriot Àlex Corretja in 3 sets.
At the beginning of 1994 Mantilla was ranked 301st in the ATP Entry Rankings, but at the end of 1995 he had progressed to 84th and had a 10–5 record for the season. Mantilla made his first two finals that year losing in the Budapest Challenger to Jiří Novák in 3 sets and following his first semi final appearance at the ATP level losing to Sjeng Schalken, it was followed up with his first final on the ATP Buenos Aires losing to Carlos Moyá in straight sets.
Mantilla's ranking had jumped up 66 places at the end of 1996 where he finished the year ranked 18th. He compiled a 48–27 record for the year mostly on the clay, and in the process won three Challenger titles, each of them without losing a set. This feat was achieved in Punta del Este defeating Kris Goosens in the final. Mantilla followed the success with victories in Naples over Karim Alami and later in the year in Tashkent over Lars Rehmann.
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