2011 Sony Ericsson Open - ATP Seeds Part XIII: Mikhail Youzhny
World Number 13 Mikhail Youzhny
At World Number 13, Mikhail Youzhny is currently the highest-ranked Russian player on the Association of Tennis Professionals. The player has been playing in a professional capacity for over twelve years, having joined the ATP
Tour circuit in 1999. The player has been seeded thirteenth at the upcoming 2011 Sony Ericsson Open, which will take place next week.
The right-handed player is one of the few Top 20 players who have played tennis professionally for such a long period of time. He peaked in 2008, achieving his career-high ranking of World Number 8. Youzhny has won a total of seven
career titles over the course of his ATP career. His fitness trainer is Oleg Mosiakov, and he has been coached by Boris Sobkin since he was ten years old. His trademark move is the military salute which he performs after big wins, holding his racket in the
left hand while he salutes with his right hand.
The 28-year-old player made his first appearance in Miami in 2003, when he was ranked World Number 26. He could not make it past the first round, where he was upset by Czech pro Radek Stepanek. His performance in 2004 was worse,
as he was unseeded and suffered a straight-sets defeat at the hands of local player Taylor Dent.
Youzhny had immense trouble making it past his second match at the Miami tournament until 2008, when he was ranked World Number 11. He was seeded at the tournament and defeated American pro Bobby Reynolds in the second round, after
which he went on to defeat Spanish pro Nicolas Almagro. The Russian pro was defeated in the fourth round by Serbian pro Janko Tipsarevic.
Although his 2009 appearance resulted in a second round defeat once again, Youzhny proved himself once again at the 2010 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami. He was ranked World Number 15 at the time, and participated in the main
draw as a seeded player. He played against Columbian pro Santiago Giraldo in the first round, defeating the player with a bagel and a fry. His next match was against Stanislas Wawrinka, whom he ousted in three sets in the third round. He proceeded to the next
round against Mardy Fish, who retired from the match after losing the first set. Youzhny fell in the quarterfinals of the tournament, conceding the match to Robin Soderling in straight sets.
Apart from the fact that Youzhny lost the last match which he played, the player has always been a bit of a dark horse where the Miami Masters are concerned. He may be able to perform well this year, keeping in mind that his performance
in 2010 was quite satisfactory.
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