Blaž Rola Explained

Blaž Rola
Country: Slovenia
Residence:Ptuj, Slovenia
Birth Date:1990 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Ptuj, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia
Height:1.930NaN0
College:Ohio State University
Turnedpro:2013
Plays:Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$1,138,429
Singlesrecord:15–23
Singlestitles:0
Highestsinglesranking:No. 78 (5 January 2015)
Currentsinglesranking:No. 444 (15 January 2024)
Australianopenresult:2R (2014)
Frenchopenresult:1R (2019)
Wimbledonresult:2R (2014)
Usopenresult:1R (2014)
Doublesrecord:8–8
Doublestitles:1
Highestdoublesranking:No. 186 (22 August 2016)
Currentdoublesranking:No. 204 (15 January 2024)
Updated:21 January 2024
Medaltemplates-Expand:yes

Blaž Rola (born 5 October 1990) is a Slovenian tennis player.

His highest career ranking is No. 78 in singles and No. 186 in doubles. In his career, he has won one ATP 250 series doubles title, nine singles and six doubles ITF Futures tournaments and five ATP Challenger in singles and eight in doubles. He represents Slovenia on the Slovenia Davis Cup team. In the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey, he won gold in singles and doubles.[1] [2]

Personal life

Rola was born in Ptuj, the oldest Slovenian town, to father Marijan Rola and mother Majda Rola. He was four years old when he started playing tennis and when he was six he joined the Tennis Club Terme Ptuj where he spent the most of his youth. He went to High school in Ptuj.[3] In 2010 he moved to the United States where he studied at and competed in tennis for Ohio State University until 2013. In January 2019 he and his fiancée Slovenian blogger Vanesa Rola, who was his long-term girlfriend, welcomed daughter Izabela. The same year he married Vanesa.

College career

He competed for Ohio State University from 2010 to 2013, winning the NCAA doubles championship in 2012 and the NCAA singles championship in 2013.

Professional career

2008–2013

In 2008 he began his professional career when he performed his first tournaments in ITF Futures and ATP Challenger Tour series.

In 2010 he represented Slovenia for the first time in Davis Cup and moved to study and play tennis in United States.

At 2013 Mediterranean Games he won 2 gold medals and made big progress when he reached Top 200 on ATP rankings for the first time in his career. In this period he won 9 Futures singles and 6 doubles titles and 1 title in doubles in Challenger series.

2014: Grand Slam and top 100 debut

Through qualifications he reached the main draw of Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the 2014 Australian Open. He lost in second round against Martin Kližan. With this result he became the fifth Slovene male player to reach the main draw of any Grand Slam.

In May he reached Top 100 in the ATP rankings and played in the qualifications for the 2014 French Open where her lost in the third round to James Ward.

In June he played his first ATP 250 series tournament on grass. At the 2014 Aegon Championships, London and the 2014 Aegon International, Eastbourne he lost in the first round on both occasions. He played in the main draw of 2014 Wimbledon Championships for the first time in his career and lost 1–6, 1–6, 0–6 in the second round against Andy Murray.[4]

2015: Career-high ranking

He reached a career-high ranking in singles of No. 78 on 5 January 2015.

2021: Fifth Challenger title

At the 2021 Zadar Open he won his seventh Challenger doubles title partnering his good friend Blaž Kavčič.

At the 2021 Split Open he defeated Kavčič to win his fifth Challenger singles title.[5]

2023: Maiden ATP title

At the 2023 Croatia Open Umag he won his first ATP title partnering with Nino Serdarušić.

ATP career finals

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 (0–0)
ATP World Tour 500 Series (0–0)
ATP World Tour 250 Series (1–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Clay (1–0)
Grass (0–0)
Finals by setting
Outdoor (1–0)
Indoor (0–0)

Challenger and Futures finals

Singles: 29 (15–14)

Legend (singles)
ATP Challenger Tour (5–8)
ITF Futures Tour (10–6)
Titles by surface
Hard (4–2)
Clay (11–12)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Slovenia F1, KamnikFuturesClay Marcel Zimmermann6–3, 2–6, 4–6
Win1–1Slovenia F3, MariborFuturesClay György Balázs2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss1–2Italy F18, ModenaFuturesClay Matteo Viola1–6, 6–4, 1–6
Win2–2Austria F3, Bad WaltersdorfFuturesClay Pascal Brunner7–5, 6–3
Win3–2USA F17, InnisbrookFuturesClay Luis David Martínez6–2, 6–1
Loss3–3Austria F1, TelfsFuturesClay Marc Rath6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win4–3Austria F3, Bad WaltersdorfFuturesClay Nicolas Reissig6–3, 6–2
Loss4–4Croatia F7, ČakovecFuturesClay Peter Heller4–6, 0–6
Win5–4Croatia F8, VinkovciFuturesClay Toni Androić6–2, 6–2
Win6–4Austria F9, VogauFuturesClay Andreas Haider-Maurer6–2, 7–6(7–5)
Win7–4Mexico F12, Quintana RooFuturesHard José Pereira7–6(8–6), 6–4
Loss7–5Rio de Janeiro, BrazilChallengerClay Agustín Velotti3–6, 4–6
Win8–5Poland F5, BytomFuturesClay Filip Krajinovićw/o
Win9–5Armenia F2, YerevanFuturesClay Boy Westerhof6–2, 6–4
Loss9–6Croatia F11, DubrovnikFuturesClay Janez Semrajc4–6, 7–5, 3–6
Win10–6Guangzhou, China, P.R.ChallengerHard Yūichi Sugita6–7(4–7), 6–4, 6–3
Loss10–7Panama City, PanamaChallengerClay Pere Riba5–7, 7–5, 2–6
Loss10–8São Paulo, BrazilChallengerClay Rogério Dutra Silva4–6, 2–6
Loss10–9Poznań, PolandChallengerClay David Goffin4–6, 2–6
Win11–9Santos, BrazilChallengerClay Germain Gigounon6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Loss11–10Perugia, ItalyChallengerClay Nicolás Kicker6–2, 3–6, 0–6
Win12–10Tallahassee, USAChallengerClay Ramkumar Ramanathan6–2, 6–7(6–8), 7–5
Loss12–11Quijing, China, P.R.ChallengerHard Malek Jaziri6–7(5–7), 1–6
Loss12–12Panama City, PanamaChallengerClay Carlos Berlocq2–6, 0–6
Loss12–13Las Vegas, USAChallengerHard Thanasi Kokkinakis4–6, 4–6
Win13–13León, MexicoChallengerHard Liam Broady6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Win14–13Split, CroatiaChallengerClay Blaž Kavčič2–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win15–13M15 Monastir, TunisiaWorld Tennis TourHard Adrien Gobat7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss15–14M15 Celje, SloveniaWorld Tennis TourClay Joao Eduardo Schiessl6–4, 6–7(4–7), 1–6

Doubles: 23 (15–8)

Legend (doubles)
ATP Challenger Tour (9–5)
ITF Futures Tour (6–3)
Titles by surface
Hard (4–4)
Clay (10–4)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (1–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–0Croatia F9, DubrovnikFuturesClay Martin Rmuš Morgan Phillips
Antonio Šančić
6–3, 7–6(9–7)
Loss1–1Bosnia & Herzegovina F3, DobojFuturesClay Martin Rmuš Michael Linzer
Herbert Wiltschnig
w/o
Win2–1Slovenia F3, MariborFuturesClay Martin Rmuš Javier Martí
Sergio Pérez Pérez
6–3, 6–3
Loss2–2Croatia F7, VinkovciFuturesClay Mislav Hižak Tomislav Brkić
Marin Franjičević
6–3, 3–6, [7–10]
Win3–2USA F17, InnisbrookFuturesClay Chase Buchanan Keith-Patrick Crowley
Joshua Zavala
6–4, 6–2
Win4–2Austria F1, TelfsFuturesClay Tomislav Ternar Stefan Hirn
Sebastian Stiefelmeyer
6–2, 7–5
Loss4–3Croatia F7, ČakovecFuturesClay Tomislav Ternar Thibault Venturino
Janoš Žibrat
3–6, 4–6
Win5–3Croatia F8, VinkovciFuturesClay Mislav Hižak Tomislav Brkić
Aldin Šetkić
6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Win6–3Austria F9, VogauFuturesClay Ruben Gonzales Lukas Jastraunig
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn
6–2, 6–2
Loss6–4Portorož, SloveniaChallengerHard Aljaž Bedene Marin Draganja
Mate Pavić
3–6, 6–1, [5–10]
Win7–4Toyota, JapanChallengerCarpet (i) Chase Buchanan Marcus Daniell
Artem Sitak
4–6, 6–3, [10–4]
Loss7–5Nouméa, New CaledoniaChallengerHard Ante Pavić Austin Krajicek
Tennys Sandgren
6–7(4–7), 3–6
Loss7–6Chennai, IndiaChallengerHard Sriram Balaji Yuki Bhambri
Michael Venus
4–6, 6–7(3–7)
Win8–6São Paulo, BrazilChallengerClay Chase Buchanan Guido Andreozzi
Sergio Galdós
6–4, 6–4
Win9–6Cary, USAChallengerHard Chase Buchanan Austin Krajicek
Nicholas Monroe
6–4, 6–7(5–7), [10–4]
Win10–6Columbus, USAChallengerHard (i) Chase Buchanan Mitchell Krueger
Eric Quigley
6–4, 4–6, [19–17]
Win11–6Lima, PeruChallengerClay Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela Gonçalo Oliveira
Grzegorz Panfil
7–5, 6–3
Loss11–7Caltanissetta, ItalyChallengerClay Jiří Veselý Federico Gaio
Andrea Pellegrino
6–7(4–7), 6–7(5–7)
Win12–7Charlottesville, USAChallengerHard Mitchell Krueger Sekou Bangoura
Blaz Kavcic
6–4, 6–1
Win13–7Zadar, CroatiaChallengerClay Blaž Kavčič Lukáš Klein
Alex Molčan
2–6, 6–2, [10–3]
Win14–7Knoxville, USAChallengerHard (i) Malek Jaziri Hans Hach Verdugo
Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela
3–6, 6–3, [10–5]
Loss14–8Bendigo, AustraliaChallengerHard Enzo Couacaud Ruben Bemelmans
Daniel Masur
6–7(2–7), 4–6
Win15–8Tulln an der Donau, AustriaChallengerClay Zdenek Kolar Piotr Matuszewski
Kai Wehnelt
6–4, 4–6, [10–6]

Singles performance timeline

Tournament200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAAAAAA2R1RQ1AQ1Q2Q1Q2Q11–2
French OpenAAAAAAQ3Q2Q1Q1Q11RQ1Q20–1
WimbledonAAAAAA2R1RAAQ2Q1style=color:#767676NHQ11–2
US OpenAAAAAA1RQ1Q1Q2Q1Q1AQ30–1
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–02–30–20–00–00–00–10–00–00–02–6
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
Monte-Carlo MastersAAAAAAAQ1AAAAstyle=color:#767676NHA0–0
Italian OpenAAAAAAQ2AAAAAAA0–0
Canadian OpenAAAAAAQ1AAAAstyle=color:#767676NHA0–0
Cincinnati MastersAAAAAA1RQ1AAAAAA0–1
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–00–10–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–1
National representation
bgcolor=EFEFEF align=leftDavis CupAAZ2AAZ1Z1Z1Z1AZ2Z2AA6–5
Career statistics
style=text-align:leftOverall win–loss0–00–01–00–00–01–15–96–62–20–00–10–20–00–10–115–23
style=text-align:leftWin %100%50%36%50%50%0%0%0%41%
bgcolor=EFEFEF align=leftYear-end ranking1465933423721307201801442552061881451551811118

Record against other players

Rola's match record against those who have been ranked in the top 10. Players who have been No. 1 are in boldface

Davis Cup

Davis Cup results
Rubber outcomeNo.RubberMatch type (partner if any)Opponent nationOpponent player(s)Score
5–0; 9–11 July 2010; TK Krka Otočec, Otočec, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group II Second Round; Clay
Victory 1.IV (dead rubber)Singles BulgariaValentin Dimov6–0, 6–1
4–1; 13–15 Sep 2013; Park Tivoli, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I First Round Play-Off; Clay
Victory 2.ISingles South AfricaRik de Voest6–1, 6–1, 6–4
Victory 3.III7–5, 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
Defeat 4.V (dead rubber)SinglesNicolaas Scholtz3–2 ret.
1–3; 4–6 Apr 2014; ŠRC Marina Portorož, Portorož, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I Second Round; Clay
Victory 5.IISingles IsraelDudi Sela6–3, 6–4, 6–4
Defeat 6.III6–7(7–9), 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 3–6
5–0; 30 Oct – 1 Nov 2015; Teniski klub Triglav Kranj, Kranj, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I Second Round Play-Off; Hard (i)
Victory 7.IISingles LithuaniaLaurynas Grigelis7–6(8–6), 6–2, 6–2
Victory 8.III6–4, 7–6(7–1), 6–4
Victory 9.IV (dead rubber)SinglesLukas Mugevičius6–2, 6–2
1–4; 4–6 Mar 2016; Sala Sporturilor, Arad, Romania; Europe/Africa Group I First Round; Hard (i)
Defeat 10.ISingles RomaniaMarius Copil5–7, 3–6, 6–7(5–7)
Defeat 11.III3–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(3–7)
Defeat 12.IISinglesAdrian Ungur6–3, 6–4
2–3; 3–4 Feb 2018; Lukna Sports Hall, Maribor, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group II First Round; Hard (i)
Victory 13.IISingles PolandKamil Majchrzak4–6, 2–6
Defeat 14.III7–5, 6–7(5–7), 4–6
3–1; 13–14 Sep 2019; Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo, Egypt; Europe/Africa Group I First Round; Clay
Defeat 15.IISingles EgyptMohamed Safwat4–6, 6–1, 6–7(4–7)
Victory 16.III7–5, 6–3

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mersin 2013 Tennis Men's Singles Final. 29 June 2013. mersin2013.gov.tr. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714132714/http://info.mersin2013.gov.tr/pdf/TE/TEM001101..C73A.ENG.1.0.pdf. 14 July 2014.
  2. Web site: Mersin 2013 Tennis Men's Doubles Final. 28 June 2013. mersin2013.gov.tr. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714154442/http://info.mersin2013.gov.tr/pdf/TE/TEM002101..C73B.ENG.1.0.pdf. 14 July 2014.
  3. Web site: Interview: Caffe Invitation, guest: Blaž Rola (Slovene). 10 August 2011. Ptuj television PeTV.
  4. Web site: Andy Murray demolishes Blaz Rola for loss of two games to reach third round of Wimbledon 2014. 25 June 2014. The Daily Telegraph. London.
  5. 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 .