Diego Junqueira

Began playing satellites and future tournaments at age 16, then moved on to challengers ...Father, Daniel, is a salesman; mother, Maria Julia, a computer science teacher; older brother Mariano is also a salesman, younger sisters Ignacia (currently studying Industrial Engineering) and Josefina (studying Architecture)...Comes from town of Tandil (population 110,000) and has produced ATP pros Juan Martin del Potro, Maximo Gonzalez, Juan Monaco and Mariano Zabaleta...Raul Perez Roldan, father of former Top 20 pro Guillermo, created a strong training school (players not only came from Tandil, but also from cities nearby)...Enjoys playing soccer and harmonica when he travels (sometimes turning on music and trys to follow it with his instrument)...Favorite rock bands are mainly Argentine and Uruguayan: No te va a gustar, La Velga Puerta, Attaque77...Considers fitness and mentality as strengths...Favorite surface is clay and forehand his best shot...Best moment of his career thus far was qualifying at Roland Garros in 2008 and reaching the second round...Coached by countryman Wally Grinovero.

1999 – Won his first pro match in a Bolivian Futures event over Richard Villegas...

2000 – Continued on Futures circuit, reaching two QF within a month at Lima and Buenos Aires...

2001 – Improved ATP ranking from No. 830 in January to No. 536 by November... Reached Futures event SF at Mendoza in his home country and his first Futures final at Posadas, Argentina (l. to Veronelli)...

2002 – Best results were a SF at Toulon, France Futures event and a QF at French Futures in Aix-En-Provence...

2003 – In Futures events, advanced to QF or better nine times, including SF at tournaments in Bucharest, Santiago and Buenos Aires...

2004 – Remaining on Futures circuit, broke through and won his first title, defeating Antonio Pastorino in Montevideo in November...

2005 – Won Futures event in Palazzoio over Adam Vejmelka in July, part of a month-long hot streak, making SF or better four straight weeks... Jumped from No. 515 to No. 221 during year...

2006 – Played mostly Challengers and reached two finals – both in Florianopolis, Brazil – winner in February (d. Fraile) and runner-up in April (l. to R. Mello)...Also won his first ATP match in Stuttgart, reaching 3rd RD (d. C. Rochus and Volandri, l. to Berdych), climbing to No. 177...

2007 – Won two more Futures clay court events – Italy #27 (d. Prpic) and Argentina #18 (d. Hipperdinger) and QF or better in six Challengers.

2008

The Argentine finished in Top 100 for first time with three Challenger titles in six finals...Compiled a 48-22 record in Challengers...Lost 1st RD in La Serena Challenger and in qualifying at three ATP events...Got first main draw wins by reaching Santiago Challenger SF...Followed with runner-up at Salinas Challenger (l. to Miranda) and SF at St. Brieuc (l. to Granollers)...In May, won San Remo Challenger (d. M. Gonzalez)...Made Grand Slam debut by qualifying into Roland Garros and reached 2nd RD (d. Mannarino, l. to Ljubicic)...In Italy, reached three Challenger finals in as many weeks with runner-up at Turin (l. to Fognini) and San Benedetto (l. to M. Gonzalez) before clinching title in Rimini (d. Trusendi)...Cracked Top 100 at No. 97 on August 4...Returned to Italy at end of August to win Como Challenger (d. Koellerer)...Earned a career-high $123,511.