Sergiy Stakhovsky

Began playing at age six in Kiev Olympic Stadium...Born in Kiev and now resides in Bratislava, Slovakia...Father, Eduard, is a urology professor; mother, Olga, is a retired university economics teacher; Has two brothers, Aleksandr (26, a doctor), who played basketball, and Leonard (15, who plays tennis)...Supports Ukraine Institute of Cancer...Speaks five languages – Ukranian, Slovak, Czech, Russian and English...Enjoys reading Russian classics with some easy reading mixed in and favorite writers are Bulgakov, Sinkevich, Dominik Dan and Minaev...Enjoys all ball sports, especially soccer, basketball and table tennis...Also enjoys swimming and spending time with friends at cinema, bowling or playing billards...Favorite players growing up were Patrick Rafter and Pete Sampras...Also admired countryman Andrei Medvedev and watched a lot of his matches...Has a 12-6 career Davis Cup record (6-5 in singles) in seven ties...Physiotheraptis is Karol Guman and coached by Tibor Toth (since August 2007).

2003 – In only second event of year, reached QF at Futures event in Uzbekistan...Also reached QF at Samarkand Challenger...

2004 – Advanced to Futures final in Ukraine (l. to Bruthans)...Lost to Davydenko in ATP debut in Moscow...Reached two Challenger QF at Dnepropetrovsk and Milan...

2005 – In February, advanced to first ATP QF with wins over C. Rochus and No. 29 Ancic before losing to Soderling...Later in year, defeated Alexander Popp in 1st RD in St. Petersburg before losing to Carlsen in three tie-break sets in next round...Reached three SF in Challenger play...

2006 – Finished No. 180, highlighted by Challenger SF results in Cordoba and Istanbul...In Davis Cup play, lost to Greg Rusedski of Great Britain 9-7 in fifth set in 2nd RD tie on clay and lost to Andy Murray in reverse match... Best win came in October over No. 21 Tursunov in 1st RD of Moscow before losing to Clement in 2nd RD...

2007 – Reached final at Kuala Lumpur Challenger (l. to Schuettler), SF at Recanati and QF at Waikoloa and Cherbourg Challengers...Made lone ATP appearances as a qualifier in Delray Beach (l. to Falla) and San Jose (l. to Pless).

2008 -- The top Ukrainian was first player from his country to finish in Top 100 since Andrei Medvedev was No. 58 in 2000...In March, won his first ATP title as lucky loser...Also won one Challenger title in two finals...Earned spot in Zagreb main draw after Llodra withdrew...Defeated Karlovic, Troicki, Tipsarevic, Bolelli and Ljubicic to become first lucky loser to win an ATP title since Christian Miniussi in November 1991...Also first Ukrainian ATP titlist since Medvedev in May 1997 at AMS Hamburg...Afterwards, jumped from No. 209 to No. 123 in South African Airways ATP Rankings...Went winless in ATP/Challenger main draw action through July, but qualified for first Grand Slam at Wimbledon (l. to Ferrer)...In four tournament Challenger stretch, was a finalist in Penza (l. to Dorsch), winner at Segovia (d. Alves), and SF at Istanbul and Cherkassy...Cracked Top 100 at No. 91 on Aug. 18 and reached career-high No. 74 on November 17...In doubles, won Challengers at Ostrava (w/Zib) and Orleans (w/Zovko) and was runner-up at Zagreb (w/Zib) and Cherkassy (w/Bubka)...Earned a career-high $252,563.

2009

The top Ukraine player qualified into main draw and captured his second career ATP World Tour title in St. Petersburg, defeating Argentine Horacio Zeballos in a third set tie-break...He saved one match point in final set tie-break...In semi-finals, he defeated Marat Safin in three sets in Russian's final match on home soil...He became first player to win an ATP World Tour title as a lucky loser ('08 Zagreb) and qualifier.