Blaž Kavčič Explained

Blaž Kavčič
Residence:Dubai, UAE
Coach:Blaž Trupej
Birth Date:1987 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Ljubljana, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia
Turnedpro:2005
Retired:2022
Plays:Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Website:en.blazkavcic.com
Careerprizemoney:$2,017,578
Singlesrecord:57–89
Singlestitles:0
Highestsinglesranking:No. 68 (6 August 2012)[1]
Australianopenresult:3R (2013)
Frenchopenresult:2R (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Wimbledonresult:2R (2015)
Usopenresult:3R (2014)
Othertournaments:yes
Olympicsresult:2R (2012)
Doublesrecord:13–17
Doublestitles:0
Highestdoublesranking:No. 178 (13 May 2012)
Usopendoublesresult:1R (2011, 2012)
Updated:25 July 2022

Blaž Kavčič (born 5 March 1987) is a Slovenian former professional tennis player. He was the highest ranked Slovenian male player ever, achieving a career-high of World No. 68 in August 2012, until Aljaž Bedene began to play for Slovenia again in January 2018, overtaking him with a career high ranking of 49. He became the first Slovenian ATP singles player to: achieve a Top 100 ranking, win a Grand Slam main draw match and perform at the Summer Olympics. He became the second Slovene ATP player earning over 2 million US dollars in prize money and is the second highest ever paid male Slovene player in history after Aljaž Bedene.

Tennis career

2005–2007: Turning pro, Davis Cup debut

Kavčič turned professional in 2005 playing exclusively on the ATP Futures and ATP Challenger Series circuit for three seasons.

In 2006, Kavčič made his Davis Cup debut for Slovenia.

2008–2009: ATP Challenger debut

In 2008 he qualified for the ATP event in Zagreb, where he lost to Roko Karanušić. In Pörtschach he defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili in the first round before losing to Igor Kunitsyn. He finished the year ranked No. 260.

In 2009 he didn't play in any of ATP Tour main draws. He played in qualifications of three Grand Slams, but lost all of them. He also played in Davis Cup.

2010–2011: Major debut and first wins

In 2010 he reached the second round in Houston on clay, but lost to big serving Sam Querrey.

Kavčič played in the 2010 French Open where he won his first grand slam match by defeating Eduardo Schwank. He became the first Slovenian male player to directly qualify for a Grand Slam tournament without having to go through qualifying rounds.

Together with Slovenia Davis Cup Team he won the 2010 Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group II, ensuring Slovenia to advance to Europe/Africa Zone Group I.

In 2011 in Chennai he reached his first career quarterfinal on the ATP Tour. He lost there against Tomáš Berdych from Czech Republic.[2]

At the 2011 Australian Open he reached the second round for the first time in his career. He was the first Slovenian ATP player ever in the second round of the Major in Australia.

As the first Slovenian player to participate in the ATP Masters 1000 series, he made his debut at 2011 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami and lost in three sets in the first round against Olivier Rochus.

At the 2011 Serbia Open he lost his second quarterfinal match in straight sets against Novak Djokovic.

At the 2011 Swedish Open he lost his third quarterfinal match against Tomáš Berdych.

At the 2011 US Open he played his first tournament where he lost in the first round. He also played his first Grand Slam men's doubles and lost in the first round.

2012: Career high ranking, historic Olympics debut

At the 2012 Australian Open he lost in the second round against Juan Martín del Potro.

At the 2012 French Open he lost in straight sets in the second round against Novak Djokovic.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics he reached second round where he lost against David Ferrer. He was the first Slovenian who competed in the men's singles tennis competition at the Olympic Games.[3]

2013–2014: Two Grand Slam third rounds

At the 2013 Australian Open, Kavcic made it to the third round of a grand slam for the first time in his career, defeating the 29th seed Thomaz Bellucci and local wildcard James Duckworth, before losing to 7th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets.

At the 2013 French Open he lost in five sets in the second round against Andreas Seppi.

At the 2014 US Open he reached the third round for the first time at this Major, defeating Donald Young and 30th seed Jeremy Chardy on the way but withdrew from his third round match with third seed Stan Wawrinka.

2020–2021: Thirty Challenger finals and third doubles title

At the 2021 Zadar Open he won his third Challenger doubles title partnering his good friend Blaž Rola.At the 2021 Split Open he lost to Rola in his 31st Challenger singles final.[4]

2022: Retirement

He officially announced his retirement in April at the end of the season in September after the Davis Cup.[5] [6] [7]

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 36 (19–17)

Legend (singles)
ATP Challenger Tour (17–14)
ITF Futures Tour (2–3)
Finals by surface
Hard (10–10)
Clay (9–7)
Grass (0–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Croatia F4, ČakovecFuturesClay Predrag Rusevski6–3, 6–3
Win2–0Croatia F6, ZagrebFuturesClay Rok Jark6–4, 7–5
Loss2–1Tunisia F7, MégrineFuturesHard Malek Jaziri6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Loss2–2Bosnia and Herzegovina F4, PrijedorFuturesClay Predrag Rusevski3–6, 4–6
Loss2–3Slovenia F3, KoperFuturesClay Grega Žemlja6–2, 1–6, 2–6
Loss2–4Sanremo, ItalyChallengerClay Kevin Anderson6–2, 2–6, 5–7
Loss2–5Busan, South KoreaChallengerHard Danai Udomchoke2–6, 2–6
Win3–5Alessandria, ItalyChallengerClay Jesse Levine7–5, 6–3
Win4–5Constanța, RomaniaChallengerClay Julian Reister3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss4–6Rijeka, CroatiaChallengerClay Paolo Lorenzi3–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win5–6Qarshi, UzbekistanChallengerHard Michael Venus7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5)
Win6–6Rijeka, CroatiaChallengerClay Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo6–4, 3–6, 7–6(7–5)
Win7–6Ljubljana, SloveniaChallengerClay David Goffin6–2, 4–6, 7–5
Loss7–7Qarshi, UzbekistanChallengerHard Denis Istomin3–6, 6–1, 1–6
Win8–7Banja Luka, Bosnia and HerzegovinaChallengerClay Pere Riba6–4, 6–1
Loss8–8Florianópolis, BrazilChallengerClay Simone Bolelli3–6, 4–6
Win9–8São Paulo, BrazilChallengerClay Júlio Silva6–3, 7–5
Win10–8Fürth, GermanyChallengerClay Sergiy Stakhovsky6–3, 2–6, 6–2
Win11–8Bangkok, ThailandChallengerHard Suk-Young Jeong6–3, 6–1
Win12–8Fergana, UzbekistanChallengerHard Alexander Kudryavtsev6–4, 7–6(10–8)
Win13–8Tianjin, ChinaChallengerHard Alexander Kudryavtsev6–2, 3–6, 7–5
Loss13–9Nanchang, ChinaChallengerHard Go Soeda3–6, 6–2, 6–7(3–7)
Win14–9Portorož, SloveniaChallengerHard Gilles Müller7–5, 6–7(4–7), 6–1
Win15–9Shenzhen, ChinaChallengerHard André Ghem7–5, 6–4
Loss15–10Batman, TurkeyChallengerHard Dudi Sela7–6(7–5), 3–6, 3–6
Loss15–11Winnipeg, CanadaChallengerHard Go Soeda7–6(7–4), 4–6, 2–6
Win16–11Bangkok, ThailandChallengerHard Go Soeda6–0, 1–0 ret.
Loss16–12Bangkok, ThailandChallengerHard Janko Tipsarević3–6, 6–7(1–7)
Loss16–13Kyoto, JapanChallengerHard Yasutaka Uchiyama3–6, 4–6
Loss16–14Shenzhen, ChinaChallengerHard Yūichi Sugita6–7(6–8), 4–6
Win17–14Winnipeg, CanadaChallengerHard Peter Polansky7–5, 3–6, 7–5
Win18–14Granby, CanadaChallengerHard Peter Polansky6–3, 2–6, 7–5
Win19–14Shanghai, ChinaChallengerHard Hiroki Moriya6–1, 7–6(7–1)
Loss19–15Shenzhen, ChinaChallengerHard Miomir Kecmanović2–6, 6–2, 3–6
Loss19–16Biella, ItalyChallengerClay Facundo Bagnis7–6(7–4), 4–6 ret.
Loss19–17Split, CroatiaChallengerClay Blaž Rola6–2, 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 15 (5–9)

Legend (doubles)
ATP Challenger Tour (3–5)
ITF Futures Tour (3–4)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–3)
Clay (4–6)
Grass (0–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–0Tunisia F4, SfaxFuturesHard Rok Jarc Gordan Peranec
Carlos Rexach-Itoiz
7–6(10–8), 6–1
Loss1–1Portugal F4, AlbufeiraFuturesHard Grega Žemlja Vjekoslav Skenderovic
Joško Topić
3–6, 0–6
Loss1–2Croatia F5, RovinjFuturesClay Jaroslav Pospíšil Nikola Martinovic
Joško Topić
3–6, 3–6
Loss1–3Italy F11, PadovaFuturesClay Grega Žemlja Alejandro Fabbri
Gabriel Trujillo Soler
6–7(5–7), 2–6
Loss1–4Bosnia and Herzegovina F3, BrčkoFuturesClay Daniel Danilović Lazar Magdinchev
Predrag Rusevski
4–6, 2–6
Win2–4Slovenia F2, MariborFuturesClay Luka Ocvirk Ante Nakic-Alfirevic
Antonio Veić
6–3, 6–0
Win3–4Bosnia and Herzegovina F5, MostarFuturesClay Jaroslav Pospíšil Matwé Middelkoop
Francesco Piccari
4–6, 6–3, [10–5]
Win4–4Florianópolis, BrazilChallengerClay Antonio Velc Javier Martí
Leonardo Tavares
6–3, 6–3
Loss4–5Blumenau, BrazilChallengerClay Antonio Velc Marin Draganja
Dino Marcan
2–6, 0–6
Loss4–6Montevideo, UruguayChallengerClay Franko Škugor Nikola Mektić
Antonio Velc
2–6, 7–5, [7–10]
Win5–6Sacramento, USAChallengerHard Grega Žemlja Daniel Brands
Dustin Brown
6–1, 3–6, [10–3]
Loss5–7Budapest, HungaryChallengerHard Franko Škugor Dino Marcan
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn
3–6, 6–3, [14–16]
Loss5–8Anning, ChinaChallengerClay Steven de Waard Dino Marcan
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn
7–5, 3–6, [7–10]
Loss5–9Charlottesville, USAChallengerHard Sekou Bangoura Mitchell Krueger
Blaž Rola
4–6, 2–6
Win6-9Zadar, CroatiaChallengerClay Blaž Rola Lukáš Klein
Alex Molčan
2–6, 6–2, [10–3]

Singles performance timeline

Tournament2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021SRW–LWin%
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenQ21R2R2R3R2R1RAQ21RAQ2Astyle=background:#efefef0 / 7style=background:#efefef5–7style=background:#efefef
French OpenA2R2R2R2RQ21RAQ2Q1AQ1Q2style=background:#efefef0 / 5style=background:#efefef4–5style=background:#efefef
WimbledonQ31R1R1R1RA2RQ1Q1AQ2style=color:#767676NHQ1style=background:#efefef0 / 5style=background:#efefef1–5style=background:#efefef
US OpenQ3A1R1RQ23R*AQ21RAQ2AQ1style=background:#efefef0 / 4style=background:#efefef2–3style=background:#efefef
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–01–32–42–43–33–11–30–00–10–10–00–00–00 / 2112–20style=background:#efefef
ATP Tour Masters 1000
Miami OpenAA1RA1RAAAAAAstyle=color:#767676NHAstyle=background:#efefef0 / 2style=background:#efefef0–2style=background:#efefef
Monte-Carlo MastersAAAAQ2AAAAAAstyle=color:#767676NHAstyle=background:#efefef0 / 0style=background:#efefef0–0style=background:#efefef
Italian OpenAAQ21RQ2AQ1AAAAAAstyle=background:#efefef0 / 1style=background:#efefef0–1style=background:#efefef
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–00–10–10–10–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–0style=background:#efefef0 / 3style=background:#efefef0–3style=background:#efefef
Olympic Games
Summer OlympicsNot Held2RNot HeldANHAstyle=background:#efefef0 / 1style=background:#efefef1–1style=background:#efefef
Career statistics
style=text-align:leftOverall win–loss3–27–813–186–15 11–157–73–100–01–22–80–00–10–0style=background:#efefef0 / 90style=background:#efefef57–89style=background:#efefef
style=text-align:leftYear-end ranking125112929210210515121797206345269293N/A

Davis Cup

Singles performances (17–9)

EditionRoundDateAgainstSurfaceOpponentResultOutcome
2006 Europe/Africa Zone Group II7-Apr-2006 AlgeriaClayRachid Baba-Aisa6–0, 6–1Win
2008 Europe/Africa Zone Group II1R11-Apr-2008 CyprusHardMarcos Baghdatis4–6, 3–6, 4–6Lose
13-Apr-2008Photos Kallias6–1, 6–1Win
20-Jul-2008 TunisiaClayHaithem Abid6–3, 3–6, 3–6, 7–5, 6–2Win
2009 Europe/Africa Zone Group II1R6-Mar-2009 EgyptCarpetKarim Maamoun6–0, 6–2, 6–2Win
8-Mar-2009Mahmoud Ezz3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–4Win
10-Jul-2009 LithuaniaClayGvidas Sabeckis6–2, 6–3, 6–1Win
20-Sep-2009 LatviaCarpetAndis Juška3–6, 4–6, 2–6Lose
2010 Europe/Africa Zone Group II5-Mar-2010 NorwayHardStian Boretti6–2, 6–4, 6–2Win
QF9-Jul-2010 BulgariaClayGrigor Dimitrov1–6, 6–1, 6–0, 6–3Win
11-Jul-2010Todor Enev6–2, 6–1Win
SF17-Sep-2010 LithuaniaHardRičardas Berankis6–3, 2–6, 6–7(9–11), 4–6Lose
19-Sep-2010Laurynas Grigelis6–4, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–5)Win
2011 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R4-Mar-2011 FinlandClayHarri Heliövaara4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–4Win
6-Mar-2011Jarkko Nieminen3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 4–6Lose
2R8-Jul-2011 ItalyClayPotito Starace6–3, 3–6, 2–6, 4–6Lose
2012 Europe/Africa Zone Group I10-Feb-2012 DenmarkHardFrederik Nielsen6–2, 6–4, 6–4Win
2R6-Apr-2012 South AfricaHardRuan Roalofse6–7(5–7), 6–1, 6–1, 6–3Win
8-Apr-2012Izak van der Merwe6–7(3–7), 4–6, 4–6Lose
2013 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R1-Feb-2013 PolandHard (I)Jerzy Janowicz3–6, 3–6, 5–7Lose
PO13-Sep-2013ClayRuan Roalofse6–1, 6–3, 6–4Win
2014 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R31-Jan-2014 PortugalHard (I)Gastão Elias7–6(16–14), 6–1, 6–4Win
2-Feb-2014João Sousa7–5, 7–5, 6–2Win
4-Apr-2014 IsraelClayAmir Weintraub6–4, 5–7, 3–6, 6–3, 4–6Lose
2017 Europe/Africa Zone Group II5-Feb-2017 MonacoHardLucas Catarina6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4Win
2020 World Group I Play-offs7-Mar-2020 PakistanGrassAqeel Khan6–0, 6–7(6–8), 4–6Lose

Doubles performances (5–4)

EditionRoundDatePartneringAgainstSurfaceOpponentResultOutcome
2011 Europe/Africa Zone Group I2R9-Jul-2011Grega Žemlja ItalyClayPotito Starace
Daniele Bracciali
6–7(3–7), 6–7(4–7), 2–6Lose
2012 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R11-Feb-2012Grega Žemlja DenmarkHardThomas Kromann
Frederik Nielsen
6–4, 6–7(7–5), 6–4, 7–5Win
2R7-Apr-2012Grega Žemlja South AfricaHardRaven Klaasen
Izak van der Merwe
7–6(7–5), 6–7(4–7), 1–6, 4–6Lose
2013 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R2-Feb-2013Grega Žemlja PolandHard (I)Mariusz Fyrstenberg
Marcin Matkowski
6–3, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6, 13–11Win
PO13-Sep-2013Blaž Rola South AfricaClay Raven Klaasen
Nikala Scholtz
7–5, 6–1, 7–6(7–4)Win
2014 Europe/Africa Zone Group I1R1-Feb-2014Grega Žemlja PortugalHard (I)Gastão Elias
João Sousa
6–3, 7–5, 7–6(7–5)Win
2015 Europe/Africa Zone Group IRPO1-Nov-2015Blaž Rola LithuaniaHard (I)Laurynas Grigelis
Lukas Mugevicius
6–4, 7–6(7–1), 6–4Win
2017 Europe/Africa Zone Group II1R5-Feb-2017Grega Žemlja MonacoHardRomain Arneodo
Benjamin Balleret
2–6, 4–6, 3–6Lose
2020 World Group I Play-offs7-Mar-2020Tom Kočevar-Dešman PakistanGrassAqeel Khan
Aisam Qureshi
3–6, 6–7(7–9)Lose

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/blaz-kavcic/k834/overview ATP Profile
  2. Web site: Tomas Berdych destroys Blaz Kavcic; moves into the semi-finals – SkiStar Swedish Open 2011. 7 January 2011. blogs.bettor.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717191306/http://blogs.bettor.com/Tomas-Berdych-destroys-Blaz-Kavcic-moves-into-the-semi-finals-SkiStar-Swedish-Open-2011-a83594. 17 July 2011.
  3. Web site: Tomas Result: David Ferrer races past Blaž Kavčič. 31 July 2012. sportsmole.co.uk.
  4. Web site: Blaž Rola Wins ATP Challenger Split Open Title! . 26 July 2022 . 16 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016062403/https://www.total-croatia-news.com/sport/52066-blaz-rola . dead .
  5. 1517992245839998977. Markohrastar. (THREAD) Blaž Kavčič gave a long interview pending his retirement in September, so I decided to share some answer…. 23 April 2022.
  6. Web site: Konec je kariere enega najbolj prepoznavnih obrazov slovenskega tenisa .
  7. Web site: Former Slovenian tennis player Blaž Kavčič recalls the time he beat Roger Federer in practice, says the Swiss demanded an immediate rematch .