Robin Haase (hawkeyed)

Robin Haase (born 6 April 1987 in The Hague) is a Dutch tennis player. Haase is currently the highest-ranked Dutch player, achieving his career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 33 in July 2012. He is left-handed, but plays with right hand. He is endorsed by Robey, Head, Tempo-Team and iTennis.nl.

Juniors
Haase was a promising junior player, compiling a singles win/loss record of 76-41 and reaching as high as No. 3 in the junior world rankings in March 2005. Later on in 2005, he lost the final of the Junior Grand Slam Tournament at Wimbledon to Jérémy Chardy in his last junior-level tournament.

Junior Slam results:

Australian Open: SF (2005)

French Open: 1R (2004)

Wimbledon: F (2005)

US Open: 1R (2004)

2006
Haase started 2006 ranked 665. In June he played his first ATP tournament at Rosmalen losing in the first round against Juan Carlos Ferrero 4–6, 6–3, 2–6.

In September he made his debut for the Dutch Davis Cup team in the World Group Play-offs against the Czech Republic, losing against Tomas Berdych in straight sets and winning from Jan Hernych when the competition already was decided.

In November Haase won his first Challenger tournament in Nashville, beating 2 top-100 players in the process.

He further reached three semi-finals on the ATP Challenger Tour and ended the year ranked 164.

2007
In March he won his second Challenger in Wolfsburg.

In July, Haase reached his first ATP Tour semifinal at the Dutch Open in Amersfoort, where in the quarterfinals he beat the top-100 player Florent Serra. He eventually lost in straight sets, 4–6, 4–6, to Werner Eschauer. Capping off a good week, he reached the final in doubles with compatriot Rogier Wassen, but lost in straight sets, 2–6, 0–6.

In August, Haase for the first time defeated a top-10 player at the Rogers Cup, beating Tomáš Berdych, 6–4, 7–5.

Haase made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open as a lucky loser, due to the withdrawal of Mario Ančić. He lost in the first round in straight sets to the third seed and eventual runner-up Novak Djoković, 2–6, 1–6, 3–6.

2008–2010
At the 2008 Chennai Open, Haase claimed another top-20 win when he defeated the second-seeded Marcos Baghdatis, 6–3, 6–4, in the first round.

Haase pushed Lleyton Hewitt to five sets in the first round of Wimbledon 2008, with Hewitt finally winning, 7–6, 3–6, 3–6, 7–6, 2–6.

Haase returned to Wimbledon two years later, where he upset James Blake in straight sets in the first round. He was narrowly defeated by world no. 1 and eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the second round, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 0–6, 3–6.

2011
At Wimbledon, Haase beat world no. 22 Fernando Verdasco in the second round, 6–3, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2. In the third round, he trailed against Mardy Fish, 3–6, 7–6, 2–6, 1–1, before retiring with a knee problem.

Haase then landed his first ATP title at the Austrian Open Kitzbuhel. In the opening round, he led Potito Starace, 6–3, 2–0, before his opponent retired due to injury. In the second round, he defeated second seed Feliciano Lopez, 1–6, 6–4, 6–3, in a rain-delayed match that spanned two days. Hours later on the same day, he beat Andreas Seppi, 6–4, 6–2, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he defeated qualifier Joao Souza, 6–1, 6–7, 6–4. In the final, he came out on top against experienced clay-courter Albert Montanes, 6–4, 4–6, 6–1.

At the US Open, Haase reached the second round after beating Portuguese Rui Machado 6–0, 6–4, 6–4. In the second round Haase led fourth seed Andy Murray by two sets to love, but was eventually beaten in five sets, despite coming back from 4–0 to 4–4 in the deciding set resulting in 7–6, 6–2, 2–6, 0–6, 4–6.

Haase ended the year ranked 45, his highest end of year ranking in his professional career.

2012
Robin Haase meant to start the year playing in Chennai but because of troubles obtaining a visa he had to withdraw. In Australia he lost first round matches in Sydney and Melbourne. Losing first to Alex Bogomolov Jr. and then Andy Roddick. At the indoor tournament of Zagreb Haase was seeded 7th and reached the quarterfinals, losing to Lukáš Lacko 4–6, 4–6.

In February he helped the Dutch Davis Cup team to a 5–0 victory over Finland in World Group I, playing a singles match and partnered in the doubles match with Jean-Julien Rojer. In Rotterdam and Indian Wells Haase lost again in the first round. This time to Nikolay Davydenko and Pablo Andujar.

In a Challenger tournament in Dallas he reached the quarterfinals. In the Miami Masters he lost in the second round to Jurgen Melzer 6–7, 6–3, 4–6 after winning from Marinko Matosevic.

In the second round of World Group I the Netherlands won 5–0 from a devalued Romanian team. Haase played two singles matches. At the ATP tournament of Casablanca Haase was seeded 6th, but lost in the first round to Algerian Lamine Ouahab, ranked 752, with 3–6, 2–6. In the next week, Haase played the Monte-Carlo Masters. In the first round his opponent Juan Monaco retired in the third set at 7–5, 0–6, 1–3. In the second round, Haase faced Fabio Fognini, defeating him in straight sets. The third round facing Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who defeated 5th seed David Ferrer the previous round, Haase won 6–2, 6–3. In the quarterfinals, playing the #1 seed Novak Djokovic, who defeated him in straight sets, despite Haase breaking his serve 4 times, 6–4, 6–2. Robin Haase was the first Dutch player in 9 years reaching a Masters Tournament quarterfinals, the last being Martin Verkerk. Robin has won the tournament in Kitzbuhel for the second year in a row, beating Philipp Kohlschreiber. He then lost in the first round of the London olympics in both singles and doubles.

Style of play
Haase has a powerful serve which often exceeds 200 kph. It is also very accurate. He can both attack and defend with his forehand and backhand. When he hits the ball very flat, he is a threat to top players, as he led Nadal by two sets to one in Wimbledon before losing in 5 sets, and holding a two sets to love lead against four-time Grand Slam finalist Andy Murray in the US Open and eventually losing in 5 sets. He is capable of producing spectacular shots, such as powerful forehands down the line on the run à la Sampras or backhand winners while taking the ball on the rise.

Singles Performance Timeline
''Current through 2012 US Open (tennis).

Doubles Performance Timeline
''Current through 2012 US Open (tennis).