Sjeng Schalken : biography
Sjeng Schalken [ʃɛŋ ˈsxɑɫkə(n)] (born 8 September 1976 in Weert) is a former professional tennis player from the Netherlands.
Playing style
A right-handed baseliner with a single-handed backhand, Schalken’s game is characterised by his consistency of both wings and his continental technique on both the forehand and backhand. The latter is his major weapon, a rallying shot that is also capable of being struck for winners either cross-court or down the line. The player he admired most while growing up was Ivan Lendl.
Schalken is known for his placid on-court demeanour, seemingly reacting in the same manner whether trailing or leading. But as a junior and a young pro he had an explosive temper that, he has stated, hindered him in many matches and caused him to lose through not thinking clearly. Only in 1999 did he manage to suppress his emotional side while on court and develop a more level-headed temperament, although he was disqualified from the Nasdaq-100 Open in 2004 for verbally abusing the umpire.
Grand Slam Singles performance timeline
Tournament | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | Career SR | Career Win-Loss |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam Tournaments | |||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 4R | 1R | 0 / 10 | N/A |
French Open | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | A | 0 / 8 | N/A |
Wimbledon | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 3R | QF | QF | QF | A | 0 / 10 | N/A |
US Open | 1R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | SF | QF | A | A | 0 / 9 | N/A |
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 37 | N/A |
Annual Win-Loss | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
A = did not participate in the tournament LQ = lost in the qualifying draw
Finals (21)
Singles 12 (9–3)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
Winner | 1. | 2 October 1995 | Valencia, Spain | Clay | Austria}} Gilbert Schaller | 6–4, 6–2 |
Winner | 2. | 8 January 1996 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Hard | Morocco}} Younes El Aynaoui | 6–3, 6–2 |
Winner | 3. | 18 August 1997 | Boston, United States | Hard | Chile}} Marcelo Ríos | 7–5, 6–3 |
Winner | 4. | 11 January 1999 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | Germany}} Tommy Haas | 6–4, 6–4 |
Winner | 5. | 9 October 2000 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Ecuador}} Nicolás Lapentti | 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 |
Winner | 6. | 22 October 2001 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | Finland}} Jarkko Nieminen | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 7. | 17 June 2002 | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands | Grass | France}} Arnaud Clément | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Winner | 8. | 16 June 2003 | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands | Grass | France}} Arnaud Clément | 6–3, 6–4 |
Winner | 9. | 8 September 2003 | Costa do Sauipe, Brazil | Hard | Germany}} Rainer Schüttler | 6–2, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 1. | 22 October 2000 | Shanghai, China | Hard | SWE}} Magnus Norman | 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 19 August 2001 | Washington, D.C., USA | Hard | USA}} Andy Roddick | 2–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 6 October 2002 | Moscow, Russia | Carpet (i) | FRA}} Paul-Henri Mathieu | 6–4, 2–6, 0–6 |