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Michael Russell (tennis)

Michael Russell
Michael Russell flickr pic.jpg
Michael Russell (May 2011)
Full name Michael Craig Russell
Country (sports)  United States
Residence Houston, Texas
Born (1978-05-01) May 1, 1978 (age 38)
Detroit, Michigan
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Turned pro 1998
Retired 2015
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money $2,352,870
Singles
Career record 76–148
Career titles 0
Highest ranking No. 60 (August 13, 2007)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open 2R (2008, 2011)
French Open 4R (2001)
Wimbledon 2R (2010, 2012)
US Open 1R (1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Doubles
Career record 23–51
Career titles 0
Highest ranking No. 164 (June 11, 2012)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open 1R (2010)
French Open 1R (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Wimbledon 2R (2011)
US Open 3R (2015)

Michael Craig Russell (born May 1, 1978) is a retired American professional tennis player. He reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 60 in August 2007. His 23 United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit singles titles were the all-time record, as of November 2013. That month he became the third-highest-ranked American in the world.

In 1994 Russell was ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles in the USTA Boys' 16 rankings, and in 1996 he was ranked No. 1 in singles in the U.S. Boys' 18-Under. Playing for the University of Miami in 1996–97, he was named National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Rookie of the Year, before he turned pro in 1997. A high school valedictorian, Russell is one of the few current Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) players who have a college degree, having earned a B.S. from the University of Phoenix with a 3.94 grade point average.

Russell has struggled with knee injuries for much of his professional career. He is perhaps best known for, on two occasions, holding surprise two-set leads in Grand Slam tournaments against former Grand Slam champions, before eventually being defeated both times. In the fourth round of the 2001 French Open (his best run at a Grand Slam) against defending and eventual champion Gustavo Kuerten (the world's # 1-ranked player), Russell led two-sets-to love and 5–3 in the third set, and held a match point, but was defeated in five sets. In the 2007 Australian Open, he held a two-sets-to-love lead over former U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, before succumbing in five sets. Other career highlights include a fourth-round showing at the 2007 Indian Wells Masters event, a semi-final appearance at the 2012 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, and wins against top-10 players Mardy Fish and Tomas Berdych.


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