Dick Norman Explained

Dick Norman
Residence:Waregem, Belgium
Birth Date:1971 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Waregem, Belgium
Turnedpro:1991
Retired:2013
Plays:Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$2,019,581
Singlesrecord:30–69
Singlestitles:0
Highestsinglesranking:No. 85 (6 November 2006)
Australianopenresult:2R (2006)
Frenchopenresult:3R (1997)
Wimbledonresult:4R (1995)
Usopenresult:2R (2002)
Doublesrecord:119–121
Doublestitles:4
Highestdoublesranking:No. 10 (26 April 2010)
Australianopendoublesresult:2R (2006, 2013)
Frenchopendoublesresult:F (2009)
Wimbledondoublesresult:SF (2009, 2010)
Usopendoublesresult:QF (2009, 2010)
Othertournamentsdoubles:yes
Masterscupdoublesresult:RR (2010)
Australianopenmixedresult:QF (2010, 2011)
Frenchopenmixedresult:2R (2011)
Wimbledonmixedresult:3R (1995)
Usopenmixedresult:1R (2010)
Updated:10 April 2022

Dick Norman (born 1 March 1971) is a Belgian former professional tennis player. He achieved a degree of folk popularity among tennis fans due to his height (6 feet 8 inches), his left-handed power game and, in the last few years of his career, his age (between late 2006 and his retirement in June 2013 he was the oldest player on the ATP Tour).

After retirement Norman became involved in coaching and organizing local tennis events. In March 2018, he became the tournament director of the European Open in Antwerp.

Career

Turning professional in 1991, Norman notched up only his 14th Grand Slam appearance at the 2006 Wimbledon, where, at 35, he was the second oldest male competitor, to Andre Agassi. With Agassi's retirement immediately following the 2006 US Open, Norman succeeded him as the oldest active player on the ATP tour.

In 1995, he made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon, despite qualifying out of the lucky loser's draw. He defeated successive but aging former Wimbledon Champions Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg in the first and second rounds respectively, then doubles guru Todd Woodbridge in the third round, before falling to another former champion Boris Becker in the fourth round. At the time, it was the furthest that any player had ever advanced in a Grand Slam Tournament as a lucky loser.

He disappeared from the tennis scene after a few unimpressive seasons, but made a resurgence starting in 2003, at the age of 32, a common retirement age. He qualified for three of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Nine of his 14 Grand Slam appearances have come after his 32nd birthday, although except for a surprise run in doubles at the French Open in 2009, none as successful as his 1995 Wimbledon run. He mostly lost in the first or second round. Still he has exceeded $1 million in career earnings, in large part due to his Grand Slam successes.

In November 2006, at the age of 35 years and eight months, Norman attained his career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 85.

In July 2007, at Newport, Norman made it to his very first ATP semifinal, defeating eighth seed Michael Berrer along the way. His first round win was over fellow "giant", 6'9" wild card John Isner, who was playing in his first-ever ATP match.

As of February 2008, he remained the oldest active player on the ATP Tour at 36 years and 11 months; and although his ranking had dropped back to world No. 169, partly as a result of his having taken a break of several months from the tour over the preceding autumn and winter following the birth of his first child, he appeared to remain committed to continuing his career on the circuit.

While Norman was the oldest player on the tour, Jimmy Connors continued to compete regularly until the week of 10 May 1993, when he was 40 years and 8 months of age and played another six isolated tournaments over the three years to follow, the last of which took place in the week of 29 April 1996, when he was 43 years and 7 months old.

He has won over ten titles on the Challenger circuit, the most recent being at Mexico City in April 2009, at the age of 38. In January 2007, he teamed with countryman Xavier Malisse to win the doubles title at the ATP event in Chennai. In early 2009, he made the conscious decision to focus more on doubles than singles, and in February he joined forces with American James Cerretani to win the doubles title at the ATP World Tour event in Johannesburg.

In 2009, Norman teamed with South African Wesley Moodie and advanced to the final of the French Open. They lost 6–3, 3–6, 2–6 to the third seeded pair of Lukáš Dlouhý and Leander Paes. It is by far the furthest Norman has advanced in a Grand Slam tournament. It was the first time in his 19-year career that Norman had played doubles at the French Open, and only the third tournament in which Moodie (who with Stephen Huss won the Wimbledon doubles title in 2005) and Norman played together.

In the semifinals, Norman-Moodie saved three match points in a come-from-behind 0–6, 7–6, 6–4 victory over the defending champions, Bob and Mike Bryan, the second seeds. The Bryans had won the previous two Grand Slam titles, the 2008 US Open and the 2009 Australian Open. On their way to the final, Norman-Moodie had in the first round upset the seventh seed team of Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram.

In finishing runner-up for the 2009 French Open title, Norman earned 78,000 euros. The finish moved him to a career-high No. 32 in the ATP doubles rankings.

At 38 years and 3 months, Norman became the oldest male to reach a French Open final in the Open Era (since surpassed by Jean-Julien Rojer in winning the title at the 2022 French Open). He became the fifth player aged 38 or older to play in a men's doubles Grand Slam title match: Neale Fraser (39) was runner-up at Wimbledon in 1973, Ken Rosewall (38) lost the US Open final in 1973, Sherwood Stewart (38) won the Australian Open in 1984, and Bob Hewitt (38) won Wimbledon in 1978.

Two weeks later, he won the Ordina Open with his partner Wesley Moodie. It was his first grass-court title.

In November, he won the AXA Belgian Masters, as oldest man in the field.

In another career highlight, Dick (along with partner Moodie) qualified for the 2010 ATP World Tour Finals. This was the first time in his career that Dick qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals. Dick and Wesley entered the final tournament of the season, the 2010 BNP Paribas Masters, seeded eighth. Because Jürgen Melzer and Philipp Petzschner won 2010 Wimbledon, only the top seven ranked pairs qualified for the finals. Due to Dick and Wesley reaching the quarterfinals in Paris and František Čermák and Michal Mertiňák failing to reach the finals in Paris, Dick and Wesley were able to secure qualification.

Norman retired in June 2013, following a first-round defeat in the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, having enjoyed a tennis career of 22 years.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 1 (0–1)

ATP career finals

Doubles: 7 (4 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam Tournaments (0–1)
ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)
ATP Masters 1000 Series (0–0)
ATP 500 Series (0–0)
ATP 250 Series (4–2)
Finals by surface
Hard (3–0)
Clay (0–2)
Grass (1–0)
Carpet (0–1)
Finals by setting
Outdoors (3–2)
Indoors (1–1)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Beijing, ChinaWorld SeriesCarpet Fernon Wibier Tommy Ho
Sébastien Lareau		6–7, 6–7
Win1–1Chennai, IndiaInternational SeriesHard Xavier Malisse Rafael Nadal
Tomeu Salvá		7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–4)
Win2–1Johannesburg, South Africa250 SeriesHard James Cerretani Rik de Voest
Ashley Fisher		6–7(7–9), 6–2, [14–12]
Loss2–2Paris, FranceGrand SlamClay Wesley Moodie Lukáš Dlouhý
Leander Paes		6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Win3–2's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands250 SeriesGrass Wesley Moodie Johan Brunström
Jean-Julien Rojer		7–6(7–3), 6–7(8–10), [10–5]
Win4–2Zagreb, Croatia250 SeriesHard Horia Tecău Marcel Granollers
Marc López		6–3, 6–4
Loss4–3Munich, Germany250 SeriesClay Xavier Malisse František Čermák
Filip Polášek		4–6, 5–7

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 30 (19–11)

Legend
ATP Challenger (13–11)
ITF Futures (6–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (6–5)
Clay (8–2)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (5–4)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0-1Garmisch, GermanyChallengerCarpet Nicolas Kiefer6–7, 6–7
Win1-1Newcastle, United KingdomChallengerHard David Nainkin6–1, 6–4
Win2-1Dresden, GermanyChallengerClay Julian Alonso6–4, 6–4
Win3-1Neumünster, GermanyChallengerCarpet John Van Lottum6–7, 7–6, 7–6
Win4-1Poland F2, ZabrzeFuturesClay Jaroslav Levinský6–3, 7–6(7–2)
Win5-1Poland F3, KatowiceFuturesClay Kim Tiilikainen6–1, 6–4
Win6-1Luxembourg F1, LuxembourgFuturesClay Petr Dezort6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Loss6-2Brașov, RomaniaChallengerClay Alexandre Simoni5–7, 3–6
Win7-2France F19, PlaisirFuturesHard Andrei Chesnokov6–3, 5–7, 6–4
Loss7-3Lübeck, GermanyChallengerCarpet Zbynek Mlynarik6–7(6–8), 7–6(7–4), 4–6
Win8-3France F6, PoitiersFuturesHard Gregory Carraz6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–4
Win9-3France F7, MelunFuturesCarpet Gregory Carraz6–3, 6–2
Win10-3Antwerp, BelgiumChallengerClay Peter Wessels5–3 ret.
Loss10-4Wolfsburg, GermanyChallengerCarpet Jakub Herm-Zahlava4–6, 2–6
Win11-4Magdeburg, GermanyChallengerCarpet Axel Pretzsch7–6(8–6), 3–6, 6–4
Win12-4San Luis Potosí, MexicoChallengerClay Paul-Henri Mathieu2–6, 6–2, 6–4
Win13-4Andorra la Vella, AndorraChallengerHard Ivo Karlović6–4, 6–4
Win14-4Quito, EcuadorChallengerClay Giovanni Lapentti6–4, 6–3
Loss14-5Sarajevo, Bosnia & HerzegovinaChallengerHard Richard Gasquet1–6, 6–7(7–9)
Win15-5San Luis Potosí, MexicoChallengerClay Federico Browne7–5, 0–6, 6–4
Loss15-6Prague, Czech RepublicChallengerCarpet Marc Rosset6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–1), 6–7(3–7)
Loss15-7Andrezieux, FranceChallengerHard Julien Benneteau7–6(10–8), 6–7(5–7), 6–7(5–7)
Win16-7Ischgl, AustriaChallengerCarpet Daniele Bracciali6–1, 3–6, 6–1
Win17-7Belgrade, SerbiaChallengerCarpet Jeroen Masson6–2, 6–3
Loss17-8San Luis Potosí, MexicoChallengerClay Fernando Vicente4–6, 4–6
Win18-8Dnepropetrovsk, UkraineChallengerHard Raemon Sluiter7–6(7–2), 6–7(2–7), 6–3
Loss18-9León, MexicoChallengerHard Phillip Simmonds6–3, 6–7(4–7), 2–6
Loss18-10Donetsk, UkraineChallengerHard Roko Karanušić4–6, 4–6
Loss18-11Córdoba, SpainChallengerHard Iván Navarro7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–7(10–12)
Win19-11Mexico City, MexicoChallengerHard Marcel Felder6–4, 6–7(6–8), 7–5

Doubles: 26 (11–15)

Legend
ATP Challenger (10–15)
ITF Futures (1–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (3–7)
Clay (6–4)
Grass (1–2)
Carpet (1–2)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–0Poznań, PolandChallengerClay Tomasz Iwanski Sergio Cortés
Vicente Solves		4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Loss1–1Jerusalem, IsraelChallengerHard Filip Dewulf Ellis Ferreira
Kevin Ullyett		6–7, 3–6
Loss1–2Bristol, United KingdomChallengerGrass Massimo Bertolini Pietro Pennisi
Alexandru Radulescu		4–6, 5–7
Loss1–3Ponte Vedra, United StatesChallengerHard Ross Matheson Paul Annacone
Kelly Jones		7–6, 4–6, 3—6
Loss1–4Nantes, FranceChallengerHard Greg Rusedski Olivier Delaître
Guillaume Raoux		4–6, 6–7
Win2–4Adelaide, AustraliaChallengerGrass Mahesh Bhupathi Scott Draper
Peter Tramacchi		7–6, 7–6
Loss2–5Garmisch, GermanyChallengerCarpet Mathias Huning Lionel Barthez
Nuno Marques		6–7, 6–7
Loss2–6Manchester, United KingdomChallengerGrass Fernon Wibier Max Mirnyi
Lior Mor		5–7, 6–7
Win3–6Luxembourg F1, LuxembourgFuturesClay Christopher Kas Rik de Voest
Willem-Petrus Meyer		6–1, 7–6(7–2)
Loss3–7Brașov, RomaniaChallengerClay Wolfgang Schranz Ionuț Moldovan
Yuri Schukin		4–6, 1–6
Loss3–8Magdeburg, GermanyChallengerCarpet Djalmar Sistermans Franz Stauder
Orest Tereshchuk		4–6, 3–6
Win4–8San Luis Potosí, MexicoChallengerClay Orlin Stanoytchev Ignacio Hirigoyen
Sebastián Prieto		walkover
Win5–8Zagreb, CroatiaChallengerClay Tom Vanhoudt Jordan Kerr
Grant Silcock		6–3, 4–6, 6–3
Win6–8Orléans, FranceChallengerHard Gregory Carraz Jérôme Haehnel
Jean-Rene Lisnard		7–6(8–6), 6–1
Loss6–9Cherbourg, FranceChallengerHard Łukasz Kubot Michal Mertiňák
Robin Vik		2–6, 4–6
Loss6–10Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay Fred Gil Martin Garcia
Diego Hartfield		4–6, 6–3, [5–10]
Loss6–11Istanbul, TurkeyChallengerHard Kristof Vliegen James Auckland
Ross Hutchins		7–5, 6–7(5–7), [7–10]
Loss6–12Salinas, EcuadorChallengerHard Sebastián Decoud Júlio Silva
Caio Zampieri		6–7(6–8), 2–6
Loss6–13Rijeka, CroatiaChallengerClay Alex Kuznetsov Dušan Karol
Jaroslav Pospíšil		4–6, 4–6
Loss6–14Córdoba, SpainChallengerHard James Cerretani Johan Brunström
Jean-Julien Rojer		4–6, 3–6
Win7–14Freudenstadt, GermanyChallengerClay Kristof Vliegen Rainer Eitzinger
Armin Sandbichler		6–3, 6–3
Win8–14Donetsk, UkraineChallengerHard Xavier Malisse Harel Levy
Noam Okun		4–6, 6–1, [13—11]
Loss8–15Grenoble, FranceChallengerHard Niels Desein Martin Fischer
Philipp Oswald		7–6(7–5), 5–7, [7–10]
Win9–15Rennes, FranceChallengerCarpet James Auckland Yves Allegro
Horia Tecău		6–3, 6–4
Win10–15Barletta, ItalyChallengerClay Johan Brunström Jonathan Marray
Igor Zelenay		6–4, 7–5
Win11–15Pétange, LuxembourgChallengerHard Christopher Kas Jamie Murray
André Sá		2–6, 6–2, [10—8]

Performance timelines

Singles

Tournament19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010SRW–LWin %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAAstyle=background:#afeeee1RAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1AAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ3style=background:#afeeee1RAAstyle=background:#afeeee2RAAAA0 / 31–3
French OpenAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee3Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1AAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ1A0 / 54–5
WimbledonAstyle=background:#afeeee4Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#ecf2ffQ2style=background:#ecf2ffQ1AAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1RAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1AA0 / 43–4
US OpenAstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2Astyle=background:#ecf2ffQ3AAAAstyle=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ1AAA0 / 21–2
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–03–10–22–10–00–00–00–01–10–30–01–32–30–00–00–00–00 / 149–14
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
bgcolor=efefef align=leftIndian Wells MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ10 / 00–0
bgcolor=efefef align=leftMiami MastersAAAA1RAAAQ1AAQ1AQ1AAA0 / 10–1
bgcolor=efefef align=leftRome MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAQ2AAAA0 / 00–0
bgcolor=efefef align=leftCanada MastersAAAAAAAAAAQ1AAAAAA0 / 00–0
bgcolor=efefef align=leftCincinnati MastersAAAAAAAAAA1RAAAAAA0 / 10–1
bgcolor=efefef align=leftStuttgart MastersAQ1AAAAAANot Held0 / 00–0
bgcolor=efefef align=leftParis MastersQ2AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA0 / 00–0
bgcolor=efefef align=leftShanghai MastersNot Masters SeriesQ2A0 / 00–0
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–00–00–00–10–00–00–00–00–00–10–00–00–00–00–00–00 / 20–2

Doubles

Tournament1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013SRW–LWin %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAstyle=background:#afeeee1RAAAAAAAAAstyle=background:#afeeee2RAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee2R0 / 62–6
French OpenAAAAAAAAAAAAAAstyle=background:thistleFstyle=background:yellowSFstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1RA0 / 49–4
Wimbledonstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ1style=background:#ecf2ffQ3AAAAAAAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:yellowSFstyle=background:yellowSFstyle=background:#afeeee3Rstyle=background:#afeeee1RA0 / 711–7
US Openstyle=background:#ecf2ffQ2AAAAAAAAAAAAAstyle=background:#ffebcdQFstyle=background:#ffebcdQFstyle=background:#afeeee3Rstyle=background:#afeeee1RA0 / 48–4
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–10–10–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–01–10–11–112–311–44–40–41–10 / 2130–21
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
bgcolor=efefef align=leftIndian Wells MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1RAAA0 / 10–1
bgcolor=efefef align=leftMiami MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1R1RAA0 / 21–2
bgcolor=efefef align=leftMonte Carlo MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAbgcolor=yellowSF1RAA0 / 22–2
bgcolor=efefef align=leftRome MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA2R2RAA0 / 20–2
bgcolor=efefef align=leftMadridNot HeldAAAAAAAA2RQFAA0 / 21–2
bgcolor=efefef align=leftCanada MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF2R1RAA0 / 31–3
bgcolor=efefef align=leftCincinnati MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQFbgcolor=yellowSF1RAA0 / 34–3
bgcolor=efefef align=leftParis MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAA2RQF1RAA0 / 32–3
bgcolor=efefef align=leftShanghai MastersNot Masters SeriesQF2RAAA0 / 21–2
style=text-align:leftWin–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–03–47–92–70–00–00 / 2012–20

Mixed doubles

Tournament19951996–20082009201020112012SRW–LWin %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAAAstyle=background:#ffebcdQFstyle=background:#ffebcdQFA0 / 24–2
French OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee2RA0 / 21–2
Wimbledonstyle=background:#afeeee3RAstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee1Rstyle=background:#afeeee2Rstyle=background:#afeeee1R0 / 52–5
US OpenAAAstyle=background:#afeeee1RAA0 / 10–1
style=text-align:leftWin–loss2–10–00–12–43–30–10 / 107–10

External links

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