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Robbie Koenig

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Robbie Koenig
Country (sports) South Africa
ResidenceDurban, South Africa
Born (1971-07-05) 5 July 1971 (age 53)
Durban, South Africa
Turned pro1992 (first senior event 1989)
Retired2005
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS$ 944,191
Singles
Career record3–11
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 262 (9 November 1992)
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenQ1 (1996, 1997)
WimbledonQ3 (1992)
US OpenQ1 (1992, 1996, 1997)
Doubles
Career record176–210
Career titles5
Highest rankingNo. 28 (19 May 2003)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open3R (1998, 2004)
French Open2R (1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)
Wimbledon3R (1998, 1999)
US OpenSF (1998)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (2001)
French Open1R (1998, 1999, 2003)
WimbledonSF (2001)
US OpenSF (2002)

Robbie Koenig (born 5 July 1971) is a retired professional tennis player from South Africa who is now a tennis commentator and analyst. He won five doubles titles and reached the semifinals of the 1998 US Open men's doubles competition. Koenig works as a tennis broadcaster for a host of channels around the world, most notably the ATP Masters 1000 events.

Playing career

Koenig achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 262, notably reaching the third round of Washington in 1992. He had wins early on in his singles career over the likes of Tim Henman, Pat Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Felix Mantilla. Most of his success, however, came in doubles. He won 5 titles (with 6 further finals), reaching a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 28 in May 2003. As well as his US Open doubles semi-finals appearance in 1998, Koenig reached the round-of-16 twice at Wimbledon in 1998 and 1999. He was also a quarter-finalist on 3 other occasions at the US Open in 1997, 2001 and 2004. In Mixed Doubles he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2001 and the US Open in 2002.

Commentating career

Koenig is known for his commentary on the ATP World Tour at their Masters 1000 events matches broadcast on Tennis Channel and on the online tennis broadcast site Tennis TV, often as part of a commentating duo alongside Jason Goodall. He can also be heard on Fox Sports in Australia, Star Sports in Asia, ESPN International as well as SuperSport in South Africa where he co-hosts during the Grand Slam events. Koenig and Goodall also host exclusive tennis experiences around the world and love to share their tennis stories & knowledge with fans.

ATP Tour finals

Doubles (5 titles, 6 runners-up)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 1. 17 May 1999 St. Pölten, Austria Clay South Africa Brent Haygarth Australia Andrew Florent
Russia Andrei Olhovskiy
7–5, 4–6, 5–7
Runner-up 2. 7 February 2000 Dubai, UAE Hard Australia Peter Tramacchi Czech Republic Jiří Novák
Czech Republic David Rikl
2–6, 5–7
Runner-up 3. 11 September 2000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan Hard South Africa Marius Barnard United States Justin Gimelstob
United States Scott Humphries
3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 4. 17 September 2001 Shanghai, China Hard South Africa John-Laffnie de Jager Zimbabwe Byron Black
Japan Thomas Shimada
2–6, 6–3, 5–7
Runner-up 5. 25 February 2002 San Jose, U.S. Hard South Africa John-Laffnie de Jager Zimbabwe Wayne Black
Zimbabwe Kevin Ullyett
3–6, 6–4, [5–10]
Winner 1. 22 July 2002 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Japan Thomas Shimada Argentina Lucas Arnold Ker
Spain Álex Corretja
7–6(3), 6–4
Winner 2. 9 September 2002 Tashkent, Uzbekistan Hard South Africa David Adams Netherlands Raemon Sluiter
Netherlands Martin Verkerk
6–2, 7–5
Winner 3. 6 January 2003 Auckland, New Zealand Hard South Africa David Adams Czech Republic Tomáš Cibulec
Czech Republic Leoš Friedl
7–6(5), 3–6, 6–3
Runner-up 6. 21 April 2003 Barcelona, Spain Clay South Africa Chris Haggard United States Bob Bryan
United States Mike Bryan
4–6, 3–6
Winner 4. 18 August 2003 Long Island, U.S. Hard Argentina Martín Rodríguez Czech Republic Martin Damm
Czech Republic Cyril Suk
6–3, 7–6(4)
Winner 5. 16 August 2004 Washington, U.S. Hard South Africa Chris Haggard United States Travis Parrott
Russia Dmitry Tursunov
7–6(3), 6–1