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Dominik HrbatyProfessional Slovak tennis player.
Date of Birth: 04.01.1978
Country:  Slovakia |
Content:
Professional tennis player
Dominik Hrbaty is a professional Slovak tennis player. He began his professional career in 1996.
Early life and career
Hrbaty was born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. His father was an architect and his younger brother later became a referee. Before focusing on tennis, Hrbaty was actively involved in skiing and even participated in European junior tournaments. However, at the age of 11, he decided to fully concentrate on tennis.
In 1996, Hrbaty started his professional career and quickly achieved success. In his first year, he reached the finals of six Challenger-level tournaments and broke into the Top-100 rankings, becoming the youngest player to be ranked there.
Professional achievements
In 1997, Hrbaty won the Košice Challenger tournament and reached his first ATP Tour final in Palermo. He also made his debut in doubles at the Umag tournament, partnering with Karol Kučera.
In 1998, Hrbaty won his first ATP title in San Marino and successfully defended his championship in Košice. He continued to excel in 1999, winning his second ATP title in Prague and reaching the semifinals of the French Open.
Although Hrbaty did not win any championships in 2000, he reached the finals of three tournaments - St. Petersburg, Monte Carlo, and Brighton. He also helped Slovakia win the ATP World Team Championship by defeating Pete Sampras and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. In doubles, he won the Rome Masters and reached the finals three times.
In 2001, Hrbaty won the Auckland tournament for the third time and reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, defeating Marat Safin along the way. He also reached the semifinals of tournaments in Dubai, Tashkent, and Moscow. Additionally, he played a crucial role in Slovakia's success in the Davis Cup.
In 2002, Hrbaty faced some challenges and dropped out of the Top-50 rankings for the first time since 1996. However, he still won the Biella Challenger tournament.
In 2003, Hrbaty reached the finals of the Auckland tournament, the semifinals of tournaments in Casablanca and Umag, and defeated Andy Roddick in the Davis Cup, preventing Roddick from achieving his 20th consecutive victory.
Peak of his career
The year 2004 was Hrbaty's most successful season. He started the year by winning the Auckland and Adelaide tournaments. In Auckland, he even defeated Rafael Nadal, becoming one of only two players to have achieved this feat. He went on to win the Marseille tournament, reach the finals in Casablanca, defeat Roger Federer in Cincinnati, and reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.
In 2005, Hrbaty did not reach any finals but managed to maintain his Top-20 ranking. He played a vital role in Slovakia reaching the Davis Cup final.
In 2006, Hrbaty did not achieve remarkable results, and in 2007, he faced serious health issues due to an elbow injury, which significantly affected his performance.
In 2008, Hrbaty lost to his old friend and doubles partner, Roger Federer, in the first round of Wimbledon. After the match, Hrbaty hinted at the possibility of retiring from the sport.
In 2010, Hrbaty became a father and shortly after announced his retirement from professional tennis. However, he made a temporary comeback in 2012 to participate in the Heineken Open.
