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Paul Jason HanleyAustralian professional tennis player.
Date of Birth: 12.11.1977
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Paul Hanley: A Tennis Legend
- Grand Slam Debut and Early Success
- First ATP Final
- First ATP Title
- Continued Success
- Breakthrough in 2003
- More Titles and Career High
- Partnership with Kevin Ullyett
- Later Career and Retirement
Paul Hanley: A Tennis Legend
Early CareerPaul Hanley, a 6'0" (183 cm) Australian tennis professional, began his career in 1997. The right-handed player, with a one-handed backhand, was coached by Miles Maclagan. Hanley specializes in men's doubles.
Grand Slam Debut and Early Success
In 1999, Hanley made his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open with Nathan Healey, losing in the first round. In 2000, he reached the second round of the Australian Open again. In 2001, he and Healey also reached the second round of the US Open.
First ATP Final
June 2001 marked a breakthrough for Hanley as he partnered with Andrew Kratzmann to reach his first ATP final in Nottingham. They were defeated by Donald Johnson and Jared Palmer. This result propelled Hanley into the ATP doubles top 100, ranking 99th.
First ATP Title
Hanley's first ATP title came a month later in Sopot, Poland, alongside Nathan Healey. They defeated Irakli Labadze and Attila Savolt in the final.
Continued Success
In 2002, Hanley began to perform consistently. With Healey, he reached the semifinals of the Viña del Mar tournament. With Wayne Arthurs, he achieved the same result in Munich before making his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open.
Breakthrough in 2003
2003 proved to be a watershed year for Hanley. He won in Sydney with Nathan Healey, in Rotterdam with Wayne Arthurs, and in Rome with Arthurs. The victory in Rome was particularly significant as it marked Hanley's first Masters Series title. He also reached the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon and the quarterfinals of the US Open.
More Titles and Career High
Hanley's success continued into 2004. He successfully defended his Rotterdam title with Radek Štěpánek and won in Nottingham with Todd Woodbridge. He also reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and made two more ATP finals. In February 2005, he won in San Jose with Wayne Arthurs and claimed his tenth ATP title in St. Pölten with Lucas Arnold Ker.
Partnership with Kevin Ullyett
From 2006, Paul Hanley partnered with Kevin Ullyett, which proved to be a fruitful alliance. They won six titles that year, including the lucrative Dubai Tennis Championships and the Masters Series tournament in Hamburg. Hanley also reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slams, a remarkable achievement.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2007, Hanley won his 20th career title in Sydney. He continued to compete until 2011, winning one more ATP title in Dubai with Simon Aspelin. Hanley represented Australia in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, winning a gold medal in the men's doubles and a silver medal in mixed doubles.
