Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

Youzhny Mikhail Mikhailovich - Russian tennis player, two-time winner of the Davis Cup. Sports experts say the player has a unique backhand, which is an original way executed only one right hand. M. South - a very emotional player. In one of the fights against Nicolas Almagro viewers could see how the Russians out of anger broke his racket on his head, which, however, helped him change the course of the meeting.

Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

The Early Years

Hardly a little Misha was six years old, he took up the racket and did not want to release it. From a young age to the present day Michael coached one and the same person - Boris Sobkin.

Southern quite successfully performed at junior tournaments. In 1999 he even reached the final of the Australian Open. But in the final confrontation was defeated by the Dane Kristian Pless. Through perseverance and hard work, the Russian tennis player entered the top 20 juniors and began performing at a professional level. In autumn 1999, Mikhail Youzhny won his first finals at smaller tournaments, and at the Kremlin Cup he manages to get into the main draw.

Russians, like the crumbs, improve their skills. First he wins fights to challengers, and then - and at major tournaments. Tennis player Mikhail Yuzhny became a real discovery of the Davis Cup in 2000, and some time later without losing not a single set, he reached the finals of ATP tournament in Cherbourg, where, alas, without a chance lost to Julien Butte.

Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

Career Development

In the early 2000s, M. South has consistently performed at a Grand Slam tournament series, passing through two or three rounds in the main draw. Russian tennis player has stepped on a new stage for himself and made his debut in the Masters Series, winning several strong competitors in the tournament in Monte Carlo.

St. Petersburg Cup was another tournament, the final of which struck Mikhail Youzhny. Tennis - a certain degree of fortune game, because showdown was again lost. At this time - Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean. Ironically, once again managed to rehabilitate Michael Davis Cup, where the athlete successfully replaced a legend of Russian tennis Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

A successful for the South was also the 2003 season. Then Michael for the first time ranked among the fifty best players in the world, and then continued to climb up in the standings. Since 2003, the year the Russians have linked another interesting fact career - he for the first time performances at the professional level, it takes part in all the main rounds of Grand Slam and Masters Series. Particularly well developed for his performance on the courts of Australia, where he beat one of the recognized leaders in tennis - Czech Jiri Novak. In tournaments, below the status of the South, and all three reached the semi-finals before the Olympics that will allow players to climb into the top 20 ATP. 2005 marked the first victory for the South in doubles - together with a Belarusian Maxim Mirny he became a triumph of the Kremlin Cup.

At the peak

Successful period for career Mikhail Youzhny were 2006-2007. During this time he managed to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament in the US Open, beating with the second-ranked Rafael Nadal. Especially good for Russians took shape business in doubles. In tandem with the Czech Leos Friedl South on US courts overcame tournament favorites - Bryan brothers, and then gave way to a future pair-winner. Grand Slam wins Mikhail incredible nine wins and Masters Series reaches quarterfinals in Paris.

The 2008 season held at the same level. Russian athlete won several major victories in smaller tournaments. In doubles competition again I followed the progress. In the course of the Australian Open has beaten Davydenko pair - Nadal, and the Mikhail Youzhny at the end of the season ranked highest for himself in eighth place in the men's world rankings.

Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

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New records

Successful for the Russian tennis player was also in 2010. At the Grand Slam tournaments, he managed to win twelve victories, and on the American courts US Open for the second time in his career reached the semifinal match. The highlight of the season for the South was the victory over the second-ranked Novak Djokovic in the tournament in Rotterdam. According to the results, Michael regained his place in the top 30 tennis players of the planet.

The recession and the end of a career

At the age of thirty Russian athlete has done, it seemed impossible, winning a number of important victories and restoring its place in the top ten rankings. However, this success was local and, unfortunately, the last. Won against Spaniard David Ferrer in the final of the Valencia, Mikhail Youzhny sharply slowed down. On the eve of each of the next tournament with his participation had to admit the sheer unwillingness to play tennis at a high level. Short-term local successes were followed by increasingly protracted series of defeats. And in 2015 the Russians have not included even in the top 100 world ranking. After the end of the season Michael has decided to end career.

Mikhail Youzhny: life, career, photos

The Russian team

M. debut for the national team of the South took place at the age of 17 years. Over the next 15 seasons tennis player did not miss a single tournament with the participation of the Russians. All for the national team, Mikhail spent 38 fights (including doubles), scoring 21 wins.

Life

Main personal fan of Mikhail Youzhny - the wife of tennis player Julia. Couple legalize their relationship in November 2008. The couple has two sons - Maxim and Igor. Brother Michael, Andrew Southern, in due time also dabbled as a professional player, but later decided to concentrate on coaching.