Stephane Robert

Starting playing aged eight...Parents are Luc and Martine - both retired...Father was a mechanic, mother a secretary...Brother, Fabien, is a tennis coach and used to play pro...Favourite surface is clay, and favourite shot is backhand....Idols growing up were Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten...Hobbies include following sport in general and reading...Likes to read Dostojevski...If he wasn't a tennis player he would still be involved in tennis in some capacity, most likely as a tennis coach...On his style of play he says, "I had been all my life playing what I call 'casino tennis,' hitting crazy shots, gambling with big shots and closing my eyes just hoping the ball would go in."

2011 -- The veteran Frenchman finished just outside Top 100 and his best results came in Challenger level play, compiling a 35-20 match record with his lone title in Ostrava (d. Kellner)…Also reached final at Le Gosier (l. to O. Rochus) in March and 3 other SF...In limited ATP World Tour tournaments, qualified at Australian Open (l. to Almagro) and at Roland Garros where he posted biggest career win over No. 6 Berdych in 1R (l. to Fognini in 2R)...

2010 -- The Frenchman has a breakthrough year, reaching his first ATP World Tour final at Johannesburg...Beat his first-ever Top 20 player Ferrer in SFs, before losing to F. Lopez in the title match...Played Australian Open for the first time, reaching the 2nd RD (l. to Montanes, having led two sets to love)...On 1 February broke into Top 100 for the first time at No. 100...Rose to a career-high No. 61 on 22 February after he won an ATP Challenger title at Tanger (d. Dolgopolov Jr.)...Played first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Miami...Made 1st RD exits at Roland Garros (l. to Kamke), Wimbledon (l. to Petzschner) and the US Open (l. to Roddick)...Finished the year at World No. 122...

2009 -- Won two ATP Challenger Tour titles at Kosice (d. Vanek) and Alphen aan den Rijn (d. Russell) from four finals...Won two ITF Futures titles...At Roland Garros held 4 M.P. in 2nd RD qualifying match against Anderson (lost 7-9 in third set)...In doubles, finished runner-up in three Challenger finals...Finished year at World No. 108...

2008 -- Returned to pro tennis in June 2008, without a ranking..."I didn't practice for months. I'm not an athlete anymore and I have no ATP ranking...Won two ITF Futures titles from five finals...Finished year at World No. 369...

2007 -- Sidelined from February with Hepatitis A...

2006 -- Was finalist at Wrexham Challenger (l. to Bogdanovic)…Was 16-13 in Challengers and 9-1 in Futures...

2004 -- Recorded 1st career ATP match win in Houston (d. Faurel, l. to Horna)…Made Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros (l. to Zabaleta)…Was 22-21 in Challengers with a title in Budapest...

2003 -- Won 1st career Challenger at Sofia (d. Elsner)…Was 9-3 in Challengers and 43-18 with 3 Futures titles...

2002 -- Won 1st Futures in Tel Aviv and went 20-12 on that circuit...