Ryan Harrison (tennis) life and biography

Ryan Harrison is an American professional tennis player.

CAREER:

2010:
Harrison played in a playoff against other Americans to decide who would receive America's wildcard into the 2010 Australian Open. Harrison defeated Alex Kuznetsov and Donald Young in two sets, before defeating Jesse Levine in three straight sets. Once in the draw, Harrison lost in the first round to Janko Tipsarević in straight sets. At this point Harrison began competing in some bigger tournaments. First he received a wildcard into the 2010 SAP Open, where he lost to eventual semifinalist Denis Istomin in the first round. Next Harrison went through qualifying to face John Isner in the first round of the 2010 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships. Harrison lost in straight sets to the eventual finalist. Afterwards Harrison went through qualifying in the 2010 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, before losing to eventual champion Ernests Gulbis in the first round. Harrison received a wildcard for the 2010 BNP Paribas Open, where he defeated Taylor Dent in the first round, before losing to the eventual winner Ivan Ljubičić. Having lost early, Harrison competed in the 2010 Sunrise Challenger where he lost first round, and then after receiving another wildcard into the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open lost in the first round to Michaël Llodra. Harrison played in a few challengers afterwards without any major results. On May 19, now ranked 263 in the world, Harrison entered the qualifying tournament for the 2010 French Open, after having lost in the final of the US Wildcard Playoff to Ryan Sweeting. Harrison lost in the final round of qualifying to Stefano Galvani. Harrison competed in the prestigious Queen's Championship with the likes of Murray, Djokovic, and Nadal, but would lose in the first round to Jesse Levine. Next Harrison would compete in Wimbledon Qualifying, but would lose in the first round to up and coming Lithuanian star Ričardas Berankis. Having not gained any points on his favourite surface, Harrison decided to compete in the 2010 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. He defeated sixth seed Karol Beck 6-1, 6-2, before defeating seventeen year old Denis Kudla 7-5, 7-6(5). He then lost to Richard Bloomfield of Great Britain by a score of 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5. Immediately after the tournament (as of July 12, 2010), he rose in the South African Airways ATP Rankings to a (young) career-high of #220.

Harrison qualified for the US Open and defeated the 15th seed Ivan Ljubičić in the first round for his first win in a Grand Slam tournament. In the second round, Harrison fell to Sergey Stakhovsky in a grueling 5-setter 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(6), after failing to convert 3 match points when up 6-3 in the fifth set tiebreak.

He opted to stay in the U.S. instead of heading to Asia and trying to qualify into main tour events. He had a relatively successful fall on the Challenger tour, making the final in Tiburon, the quarterfinals in Calabasas, the second round in Charlottesville, and the second round in Bratislava where he defeated ATP #93 Dustin Brown 4-6, 7-6(9), 6-3.

2011:
Harrison lost to Adrian Mannarino in straight sets in the first round of the 2011 Australian Open. Harrison won the 2011 Honolulu Challenger beating Alex Kuznetsov in the finals. He won the doubles title as well. He also ousted 22nd-seeded Guillermo García-López in the second round of the 2011 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California, as a wild card. In the third round, he defeated Canadian up-and-comer Milos Raonic in a tight three-setter to set up a fourth-round confrontation with World No.2 Roger Federer, which Harrison lost with the final score of 6(4)-7, 3-6. At the 2011 French Open, Robin Soderling (seeded fifth) beat Harrison in the first round 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5. Harrison was up 5-4 in the fourth set, within one game of forcing a fifth and deciding set, but ceded the final three games, the fourth set, and ultimately the match to Soderling.

PERSONAL:
Began playing at age two
Nicknamed "Harry"
Father, Pat, played collegiate tennis at Oklahoma State and Mississippi before a brief pro career in futures and challengers
Mother, Susie
Oldest of three children in family; brother, Christian (born 29 May 1994) and sister, Madison (15 December 1996)
Christian
is also a tennis player, and Ryan calls him, "very good. Best in the world for his age"
At age 11, Ryan entered Shreveport City Championships and reached final, where he lost to his dad
In 2005, family moved to Texas and his dad became head pro at John Newcombe's Tennis Academy in New Braunfels where he now trains
Grandfather, Jimmy, was running back at Louisiana Tech, earning All-American honors in 1949
Considers grass favorite surface
Also a big New Orleans Saints fan, watched 2010 Super Bowl with Devin Britton with Drew Brees jerseys
Likes rock music, and Lifehouse is his favorite band
Reached a career-high No. 7 in world junior rankings in April 2008
Advanced to semifinals at Australian Open juniors in '08
Family moved to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in 2008 where he now lives and trains
Coached by his father Pat Harrison and ATP pro Martin Damm.

Read more