Nenad Zimonjic

Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic were the first team to clinch their place at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, where they will make their second straight appearance (5-0 record) at the season climax.

2009 Review

The defending champions enter London with an ATP World Tour-best nine titles in 11 finals, highlighted by their repeat title performance at Wimbledon (d. Bryans) and five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns (Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Cincinnati, Paris). In three of them (except Madrid, Paris) they defeated their rival Bryans in the final.

They began season with back-to-back runner-up showings in Doha (l. to M. Lopez-Nadal) and Sydney (l. to Bryans) and in February, they captured title in Rotterdam (d. Dlouhy-Paes). After an 11-6 start in first three months, they compiled a 12-match winning streak on clay with consecutive titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome. After a 1st Rd. loss in Belgrade, earned title in Madrid (d. Aspelin-Moodie) and followed with SF at Roland Garros.

In July, repeated title at Wimbledon, defeating Bryans in four sets. One month later, rallied to beat Bryans in Cincinnati final 15-13 in Match Tie-break, saving eight match points. After a QF at US Open, lost three in a row in October, but in last two tournaments prior to London, won titles in Basel and Paris.

Finals History

Nestor and Zimonjic lifted the trophy on their team’s debut at in Shanghai last year, defeating the Bryan twins 7-6(3), 6-2 in a winner-take-all match to also become the 2008 ATP World Tour Champions and clinch the year-end No. 1 ATP Doubles Team Ranking.

Zimonjic, 33, will be making his fourth appearance. On his debut with Leander Paes in 2005 at Shanghai, the pair reached the final (l. to Llodra-Santoro). He partnered Fabrice Santoro in 2006.

Began playing at age nine. Nicknames include "Ziki, Zimo, Zimone". Father, Mirko, is a civil engineer; mother, Nevenka, is a bank employee. Has older brother, Igor. Won Yugoslavia 16s, 18s and men's (twice) in singles, doubles and mixed national championships. Played soccer, track, basketball and handball as kid. Childhood heroes were Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis. Enjoys music of U2, Dire Straits and Seal. Considers fast clay and hard courts favorite surfaces and best shot is serve. Has a 33-14 career Davis Cup record (20-5 in doubles) in 31 ties since 1995. Was playing captain in 2003-04. Credits former pro Robert Seguso with providing assistance and guidance early in career. Wife, Mina (married May 24, 2008 in Belgrade). Twins, Leon (son) born 3:11 p.m. and Luna (daughter) two minutes later on Dec. 3, 2008.

1998 -- Improved over 300 positions in singles by winning his first Challenger title in Kiev (d. Kroslak). Played longest match of career in Davis Cup tie vs. Portugal, losing 20-18 in fifth set to Nuno Marques. In doubles, won five Challenger titles with four different partners.

1999 -- Reached Grand Slam-best 3rd RD in singles at Wimbledon with first ATP level win over Pescariu in 1st RD and Tarango in 2nd RD (l. to Kuerten). In doubles, won first title in Delray Beach (w/Mirnyi). Finalist in San Jose (w/Kitinov)

2000 -- Won titles in Delray Beach (w/MacPhie) and Vienna (w/Kafelnikov) and reached final in Munich (w/Mirnyi). In singles, won Challenger title in Belo Horizonte (d. Bachelot).

2001 -- Reached SF at Australian Open and Marseille (w/Arthurs). Won title in Lyon, reached final in Dubai and consecutive SF in Basel and AMS Paris (w/Nestor). Also runner-up in Estoril (w/Johnson). In singles won Andrezieux Challenger.

2002 -- Won only title of the year at Memphis (w/Sa). Reached three SF (w/MacPhie). In singles reached final of Belgrade Challenger (l. to Ancic). Was 0-1 in Davis Cup singles.

2003 -- Won hometown title at Belgrade Challenger (w/Bozoljac) and ATP titles in Delray Beach (w/Paes) and St. Petersburg (w/Knowle). Reached finals in Valencia (w/MacPhie) and St. Polten (w/Sargsian).

2004 -- Won first AMS title in Monte Carlo (w/Henman) and reached first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon (w/ Knowle). In singles, reached 2nd RD in St. Polten as qualifier (d. Agassi, l. to Hanescu). Won singles title at Belgrade Challenger (d. Chiudinelli).

2005 -- Won titles at AMS Monte Carlo and Barcelona (w/Paes). Also finalists at Stockholm, AMS Madrid and Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai (l. to Llodra-Santoro in a third set tie-break.

2006 -- Finished No. 5 in Doubles Race (w/Santoro) with titles in Sydney, Halle and Moscow. Qualified for Tennis Masters Cup and went 1-2 in round-robin play. Finalists at AMS Monte Carlo and Wimbledon. Won mixed doubles title at Roland Garros (w/Srebotnik).

2007 -- Finished in Top 10 for first time at No. 5 in doubles and captured five ATP titles, including his third AMS title. Opened wth titles in Doha (w/ Youzhny) and Dubai (w/Santoro). Performed well at Grand Slam events (w/Santoro), reaching SF at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and QF at Australian Open. Won team's first AMS title at Rome and followed by reaching Halle final. In August, won New Haven title (w/ Bhupathi). Won St. Petersburg title and reach AMS Paris final (w/Nestor). Also helped Serbia return to Davis Cup World Group, partnering Djokovic to doubles win in playoff vs. Australia. Finished at No. 10 in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race (w/ Santoro).

2008 -- The Serb won his first Grand Slam doubles title and finished as No. 1 team in ATP Doubles Race. Playing with Daniel Nestor for first full season, they won five of eight finals. They had a stretch of six straight finals -- runner-up at AMS Rome, title at AMS Hamburg, runner-up at Roland Garros then titles at Queen's Club (d. Melo-Sa), Wimbledon (d. Bjorkman-Ullyett) and AMS Toronto (d. Bryans). Won 17 consecutive matches before streak snapped in SF at AMS Cincinnati (l. to Erlich-Ram). At Tennis Masters Cup defeated the Bryans in the final to clinch No. 1. Finished No. 1 individually, reaching the top spot for the first time.

2009

The Serb captured an ATP World Tour-best nine titles in 11 finals (w/Nestor), highlighted by repeat title performance at Wimbledon (d. Bryans) and five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns (Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid, Cincinnati, Paris)...In three of them (except Madrid, Paris) they defeated their rival Bryans in the final...They began season with back-to-back runner-up showings in Doha (l. to M. Lopez-Nadal) and Sydney (l. to Bryans) and in February, they captured title in Rotterdam (d. Dlouhy-Paes)...After an 11-6 start in first three months, they compiled a 12-match winning streak on clay with consecutive titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome...After a 1st Rd. loss in Belgrade, earned title in Madrid (d. Aspelin-Moodie) and followed with SF at Roland Garros...In July, repeated title at Wimbledon, defeating Bryans in four sets...One month later, rallied to beat Bryans in Cincinnati final 15-13 in Match Tie-break, saving eight match points...After a QF at US Open, lost three in a row in October, but in last two tournaments prior to London, won titles in Basel and Paris.