2011 Sony Ericsson Open - ATP Seeds Part XXIII: Albert Montanes
World Number 22 Albert Montanes
Currently ranked World Number 22, tennis player Albert Montanes is the fifth-highest ranked Spanish pro on the Association of Tennis Professionals. Montanes is a right-handed pro, and has been part of the ATP Tour circuit since 1999.
Albert Montanes is 30 years old, making him one the oldest pros in the Top 25 ATP players. He began playing tennis at the age of six, and has been competing professionally since 1999. He is coached by Narcis Pelach, who has been his mentor for over two years.
Montanes has won a total of five ATP career titles over the course of his career, and his career-high ranking is World Number 22. He first reached this position in 2010, and has returned to it after climbing four spots on the ATP rankings since last week.
The Spanish pro made his debut at the Miami Masters in 2002, when he was ranked World Number 54. He was not ranked high enough to receive a bye, and took part in the first round against Attila Savolt of Hungary. Savolt was ranked World Number 78 at the time,
but put up a good fight before losing the match in three sets. In the next round, Montanes took on compatriot and then-World Number 34 Felix Mantilla, only to be defeated in straight sets.
One of Montanes’s more recent showings at the tournament was in 2008, when he was ranked World Number 56. His first round match was against Japanese player Kei Nishikori, whom he defeated in straight sets. This led him to a second round conflict against
compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was ranked World Number 23 at the time. Ferrero defeated him in easy straight sets.
Montanes took part in the event again in 2009, when he was World Number 35. He missed out on being seeded by just two spots, and drew Austrian pro Stefan Koubek in the first round of the event. Although he defeated Koubek, Montanes succumbed to injuries
in the second round against German pro Bjorn Phau and retired from the match.
His latest showing at the tournament was in 2010, which marks the first time that he took part in the Miami Masters as a seed. He received a bye into the second round, but was ousted by Frenchman Florent Serra in his opening match.
Albert Montanes has participated in this tournament seven times, and has only been seeded once. He has never made it past the second round. However, he posted great results at the Indian Wells tournament last week, and is expected to do the same at this
event. The player is also at his highest ranking yet, and has plenty of incentive to perform even better.
Tags: