Philip Bester
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US$272,057 | |||||||||||||||
Singles | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Career record | 2–8 (20.0%) | ||||||||||||||
Career titles | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 225 (July 27, 2015) | ||||||||||||||
Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||||||
Australian Open | Q1 (2011) | ||||||||||||||
US Open | Q1 (2015) | ||||||||||||||
Doubles | |||||||||||||||
Career record | 1–8 (11.1%) | ||||||||||||||
Career titles | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 140 (October 3, 2016) | ||||||||||||||
Team competitions | |||||||||||||||
Davis Cup | 1R (2016) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Philip Bester (born October 6, 1988) is a Canadian former professional tennis player from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1] Bester was a finalist at the 2006 junior French Open. In doing so he became the first Canadian male to reach a Grand Slam final in singles.
As a junior
Bester was coached by his dad Alek Bester from age 5 when he started. Alek, a long time P.E. teacher at York House School in Vancouver, was the core of Philip's physical and tennis development till around the age of 16. Rufus Nel a high performance coach from South Africa was also a big part of Philip's early development, contributing his tennis knowledge and expertise on the game of tennis. At age 13, still coached by his dad, Philip moved down to Florida to attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. There he spent 4 years, before teaming up with Jon Sorbo for the 2006 year. He was a member of the 2005
Bester's best junior result was in the Boys' singles section of the 2006 French Open. He had a remarkable run for a natural serve-and-volleyer in becoming the first Canadian male junior to play in a Grand Slam final. (Later that year at the U.S. Open, Peter Polansky duplicated the feat.) Bester lost his final to Martin Kližan, 3–6, 1–6.
On the professional tour
2004, 2005
While still a junior, Bester competed in Canada F1 and F2
2006
In 2006, Bester competed in Canada's tie versus
2007
Bester began the year going 1 win and 1 loss at both Panama F1 and Costa Rica F1. He lost in the first round of his next two Futures events before again going 1 and 1 at this next two, Canada F2 and F3. Bester next reached the semi-finals of U.S.A. F7, and the quarter-finals of U.S.A. F8. He reached a new career high ranking in singles in May 2007 at World No. 589.
Bester went 1 and 1 in each of his next two events, but again failed at the challenger and ATP level, losing in the first round as a wildcard at Granby, Vancouver, and the Rogers Cup. He went 5 and 4 in his next four Futures events, including a semi-finals result at U.S.A. F24. He again, however, failed to win in a Challenger, losing in the first round in
2008
Bester began the year going 1 win and 1 loss at both New Zealand F1 and F2, in February–March. He then lost in the first round of his next six events, Canada F2, U.S.A. F9, F10, F12, F13, and the Granby Challenger. He finally reached the second round of a challenger event, Moncton, defeating Satoshi Iwabuchi before falling to Nicholas Monroe. He lost in the first round at the next three Challengers that he contested before reaching the second round at U.S.A. F26 and the semi-finals of U.S.A. F27. Bester finished the year losing in the first round of the Rimouski Challenger. For 2008, in singles, he went 1 and 7 in Challenger events and 6 and 9 in Futures.
2009
For 2009, as of May 17, Bester had 12 wins and 8 losses in singles after eight tournaments - Mexico F1, F2, U.S.A. F4, Canada F1 and F2, and U.S.A. F7, F8, F9, F10, and F11. His best result was winning U.S.A. F11 at Harbour Island, Florida without dropping a set, where he beat unseeded Barbadian Haydn Lewis in the final, 6–2, 7–6. This result, securing him 17 ATP points, saw his ranking soar by exactly 100 places.
In doubles, Bester and compatriot Vasek Pospisil reached the quarter-finals of U.S.A. F5. The following week he and another Canadian, Kamil Pajkowski, also reached the quarters, this time of Canada F1. The week after, Bester again reached the quarter-finals, of Canada F2, partnering Portuguese player Gastão Elias. His contract with coach Ellis Ferreira expired in March.
In early April, Bester and partner, compatriot
In doubles, Bester partnered American Greg Ouellette for U.S.A. F10, F12, F13, and F14, with the tandem reaching the finals of the first these tourneys, the semi-finals of the next, followed by ad quarter-finals appearance, and then a second finals.
Bester, in mid-July, has lost in the second round of singles qualifying for the
As a wild card entrant, Bester reached the quarter-finals of his hometown
The week before the U.S. Open, Bester reached the qualifying round of the
Bester lost in the first round of qualifying at the
2010
Bester launched his 2010 campaign at Canada F1 ITF event in Gatineau where, as the number 5 seed, he easily defeated Canadian veteran and qualifier Jean-François Berard 6–2, 6–2 before falling to another qualifier, American Robbye Poole, 6–7, 3–6. In doubles, he and partner Kamil Pajkowski, unseeded, lost in the second round. Bester did not compete in Canada F2 the following week.
In March Bester reached the second round of Canada F3 (in
In April Bester qualified for the main singles draw of the
In May–June Bester put together a nice little winning streak. At the 2010 Weil Tennis Academy Challenger, he won all three of his qualifying matches in three sets, twice coming back from a set down. In the main draw Bester opened by knocking off No. 6 Robert Kendrick, who was runner-up at the LA Tennis Open the week before, 2–6, 6–3, 7–6(2). He next lost soundly, however, to Tim Smyczek, 3–6, 1–6. Bester did not play doubles. After a couple of weeks off, Bester then continued his good play in reaching the final of France F9, as the tournament's No. 8 seed. He fell to No. 5 seed Augustin Gensse 1–6, 4–6. And Bester and up-and-coming French player Jonathan Eysseric won the doubles event. The resulting rankings points earned saw Bester reach a new career high in singles, as he became World No. 470. The following week at France F10, again as the No. 8 seed, reached the quarter-finals in singles while repeating as doubles champions playing with Eysseric, this time the No. 1 seeds. The week after in singles Bester fell however in the first round of France F11. Unseeded, he lost to No. 7 seed Romain Jouan in straight sets, a player he defeated in straight sets in fact, two weeks earlier. Again playing doubles with Eysseric, the pair, the No. 2 seeds this time, failed to win a third straight title in losing their first match. His singles ranking rose to another new career best, World No. 456.
The following week Bester won his second career ITF title, France F12, as the No. 7 seed. En route he beat No. 3 seed and World No. 286 Laurent Rochette 7–6, 2–6, 6–2 in the quarters, unseeded, former junior U.S. Open doubles champion, Jérôme Inzerillo, 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 in semis, and No. 4 seed Augustin Gensse in the final, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2. In doubles, Philip and Rochette lost the finals, as the No. 2 seeded pair, to the top seeds, Jouan and Inzerillo. The very next week Bester was home to compete in a Tennis British Columbia event, the Stanley Park Open, and won it, defeating BC Tennis No. 3 ranked Henry Choi in the final, 6–4, 6–4. Bester was right back in action the next week at the 2010 Challenger Banque Nationale de Granby. The new World No. 380, a wild-card entrant, lost to compatriot and eventual finalist Milos Raonic in the first round, 4–6, 5–7. He did not play doubles. The following week too Bester had a wild card in a Challenger, his hometown Odlum Brown Vancouver Open. He again lost in the first round, however, to Nick Lindahl, 6–4, 6–7(5), 4–6. In doubles, he and partner Kamil Pajkowski lost in the final qualifying round.
The following week Bester defeated No. 6 seed
After a week off, Bester began a stint in Europe by reaching the semi-finals in singles at ITF Spain F32, in
After two weeks off from tour action, Bester again lost in Monroe in singles, this time in the qualifying round of the 2010 Calabasas Pro Tennis Championships and in three sets. In doubles he and partner Ashwin Kumar reached the second round. This result saw his doubles ranking reach a new career-high, at World No. 368. During the last week of October at U.S.A. F28, in Birmingham, Alabama (on clay), Bester, as the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 1 seed James Lemke 0–6, 6–2, 6–0 to capture the singles finals. In doubles he and Pajkowski, the No. 2 seeds, took the title. After a week off from tour events Bester tour event Bester, as the No. 2 seed in singles at U.S.A. F30 in Pensacola, Florida, lost in the second round, to eventual finalist Phillip Simmonds , 4–6, 3–6. In doubles he and partner Pajkowski, the No. 1 seeds, also lost in the second round (semi-finals), again to Simmonds, and his partner Mark Oljaca.
The following week Bester was the top seed at U.S.A. F31, again in Florida (Amelia Island) and on clay. He defeated World No. 765 Devin Britton in straight sets, the player he lost to last week, Phillip Simmonds, 6–3, 6–3, Bulgarian Davis Cupper Dimitar Kutrovsky, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2, Haitian Davis Cupper Olivier Sajous 6–2, 7–5, and Hungarian Davis Cupper Ádám Kellner in the final Sunday, 7–6(2), 6–4 to capture his third Futures title of the year. He and Pajkowski, the No. 1 seeds in doubles, lost in the semi-finals. This result saw he achieve yet another career high singles ranking, World No. 275.
Bester finished 2010 ranked World No. 278 in singles and No. 369 in doubles.
2011
Bester began the year by reaching the second round of singles qualifying for the
The following week Bester reached the second round of the 2011 Honolulu Challenger, defeating No. 5 seed Grega Žemlja 7–5, 6–1 before losing to Alex Kuznetsov 6–4, 4–6, 4–6. In doubles, he and partner Kamil Pajkowski reached the semi-finals. A week later, Bester won his second career Challenger title in doubles, partnering Peter Polansky to victory at the 2011 McDonald's Burnie International. The tandem only gained entry into the tournament as last-day alternates. In singles, Bester upset No. 1 seed Marinko Matosevic in the first round but lost to World No. 207, and eventual champion, Flavio Cipolla in the second round 3–6, 4–6. His ranking improved to World No. 268 in singles and No. 242 in doubles, both new career highs. Continuing play on the Australian Pro Tour, Bester came back from a set down to defeat British No. 2 and World No. 209 James Ward in the first round of the 2011 Caloundra International. He next lost however a rematch of two weeks earlier against Grega Žemlja, 6–7, 6–7. Žemlja went on to win the tournament. In doubles, Bester and Polansky lost in the first round.
In late February – early March, Bester began a three-week stint in the
April and early May saw Bester in the Southern states, on clay for all but one tournament. In Houston, at the
After a month off tour play, Bester returned to action by taking a wild card for U.S.A. F13 Futures event, held in
Missing singles No. 1 Milos Raonic and No. 2 Frank Dancevic, seeing his first Davis Cup action since 2006, Bester capped off a love-two match deficit to see Canada advance to the World Group play-off round. It was his last match action of the year however, due to a fracture of his left hand.
ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Futures finals
Singles: 19 (9 titles, 10 runners-up)
Legend |
---|
ATP Challenger Tour (0–1) |
ITF Futures (9–9) |
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | May 2009 | USA F11, Tampa | Futures | Clay | Haydn Lewis | 6–2, 7–6(9–7) |
Loss | 1–1 | Jun 2010 | France F9, Toulon | Futures | Clay | Augustin Gensse | 1–6, 4–6 |
Win | 2–1 | Jul 2010 | France F12, Saint-Gervais | Futures | Clay | Augustin Gensse | 6–2, 2–6, 6–2 |
Loss | 2–2 | Sep 2010 | Spain F33, Móstoles | Futures | Clay | Roberto Bautista-Agut
|
7–6(7–4), 4–6, 2–6 |
Win | 3–2 | Oct 2010 | USA F28, Birmingham | Futures | Clay | James Lemke | 0–6, 6–2, 6–0 |
Win | 4–2 | Nov 2010 | USA F31, Amelia Island | Futures | Clay | Ádám Kellner | 7–6(7–2), 6–4 |
Win | 5–2 | Jun 2011 | USA F14, Chico | Futures | Hard | Blake Strode | 6–4, 6–2 |
Win | 6–2 | Jul 2013 | Canada F3, Kelowna | Futures | Hard | Brayden Schnur | 6–7(9–11), 7–6(8–6), 6–3 |
Loss | 6–3 | Aug 2013 | Canada F5, Calgary | Futures | Hard | Brayden Schnur | 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–7(4–7) |
Loss | 6–4 | Sep 2013 | Canada F9, Markham | Futures | Hard (i) | Filip Peliwo | Walkover |
Loss | 6–5 | Sep 2014 | Canada F11, Markham | Futures | Hard (i) | Farris Fathi Gosea | 6–7(8–10), 6–3, 4–6 |
Loss | 6–6 | Dec 2014 | Mexico F15, Mérida | Futures | Hard | Dennis Novikov | 4–6, 4–6 |
Win | 7–6 | Mar 2015 | Italy F2, Trento | Futures | Carpet (i) | Quentin Halys | 3–6, 7–5, 6–3 |
Loss | 7–7 | Mar 2015 | Canada F1, Gatineau | Futures | Hard (i) | Tennys Sandgren | 3–6, 6–7(7–9) |
Win | 8–7 | Jun 2015 | Canada F3, Richmond | Futures | Hard | Brayden Schnur | 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–4) |
Loss | 8–8 | Jul 2015 | Granby , Canada
|
Challenger | Hard | Vincent Millot | 4–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 8–9 | Jan 2016 | USA F1, Los Angeles | Futures | Hard | Stefan Kozlov | 6–7(7–9), 7–6(7–3), 3–6 |
Win | 9–9 | Jul 2016 | Canada F5, Saskatoon | Futures | Hard | Peter Polansky | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 9–10 | Apr 2017 | USA F13, Little Rock | Futures | Hard | Brayden Schnur | 6–7(4–7), 1–6 |
ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Futures doubles titles (20)
Legend |
---|
ATP Challenger Tour (7) |
ITF Futures (13) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nov 2007 | Mexico F12, Mazatlán | Futures | Hard | Glenn Weiner | Fernando Cabrera Carlos Palencia |
6–3, 6–2 |
2. | Jul 2008 | Granby , Canada
|
Challenger | Hard | Peter Polansky | Alberto Francis Nicholas Monroe |
2–6, 6–1, [10–5] |
3. | Apr 2009 | USA F7, Mobile | Futures | Hard | Milos Raonic | Treat Conrad Huey
|
6–3, 1–6, [10–5] |
4. | Oct 2009 | USA F26, Mansfield | Futures | Hard | Jonathan Eysseric | Brett Joelson Todd Paul |
6–4, 6–7(3–7), [10–7] |
5. | Jun 2010 | France F9, Toulon | Futures | Clay | Jonathan Eysseric | Ashwin Kumar Rupesh Roy |
6–3, 6–4 |
6. | Jul 2010 | France F10, Montauban | Futures | Clay | Jonathan Eysseric | Julien Obry Albano Olivetti |
Walkover |
7. | Sep 2010 | Spain F33, Móstoles | Futures | Hard | Kamil Pajkowski | Óscar Burrieza Javier Martí |
7–6(7–5), 4–6, [13–11] |
8. | Oct 2010 | USA F28, Birmingham | Futures | Clay | Kamil Pajkowski | Dennis Blömke James Lemke |
6–7(4–7), 6–4, [10–5] |
9. | Feb 2011 | Burnie, Australia | Challenger | Hard | Peter Polansky | Rubin Jose Statham
|
6–4, 3–6, [14–12] |
10. | May 2012 | USA F13, Tampa | Futures | Clay | Kamil Pajkowski | Haydn Lewis Olivier Sajous |
7–6(8–6), 6–1 |
11. | Jul 2012 | Granby, Canada | Challenger | Hard | Vasek Pospisil | Yuichi Ito Takuto Niki |
6–1, 6–2 |
12. | Nov 2014 | Italy F39, Santa Margherita di Pula | Futures | Clay | Matteo Volante | Gastón-Arturo Grimolizzi Giorgio Portaluri |
6–2, 6–4 |
13. | Dec 2014 | Mexico F15, Mérida | Futures | Hard | Eric Quigley | Dean O'Brien Juan Carlos Spir |
4–6, 7–6(7–5), [12–10] |
14. | Mar 2015 | Drummondville, Canada | Challenger | Hard (i) | Chris Guccione | Frank Dancevic Frank Moser |
6–4, 7–6(8–6) |
15. | Jul 2015 | Canada F4, Kelowna | Futures | Hard | Matt Seeberger | Hunter Nicholas Raymond Sarmiento |
7–6(8–6), 6–4 |
16. | Jul 2015 | Granby, Canada | Challenger | Hard | Peter Polansky | Enzo Couacaud Luke Saville |
6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2), [10–7] |
17. | Feb 2016 | Cuernavaca, Mexico | Challenger | Hard | Peter Polansky | Marcelo Arévalo Sergio Galdós |
6–4, 3–6, [10–6] |
18. | Jun 2016 | Canada F3, Richmond | Futures | Hard | Peter Polansky | Farris Fathi Gosea Tim Kopinski |
7–6(7–2), 6–2 |
19. | Jul 2016 | Canada F5, Saskatoon | Futures | Hard | Peter Polansky | Christian Lakoseljac David Volfson |
6–3, 6–2 |
20. | Sep 2016 | Cary, United States | Challenger | Hard | Peter Polansky | Stefan Kozlov Austin Krajicek |
6–2, 6–2 |
Junior Grand Slam finals
Boys' singles: 1 (1 runner–up)
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 2006 | French Open | Clay | Martin Klizan
|
3–6, 1–6 |
References
- ^ Prest, Andy (August 1, 2010). "Bester faces new tests". North Shore News. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
Sources
- ATP.com Bester 'Playing Activity' page for tour career in singles
- ATP.com Bester 'Playing Activity' page for tour career in doubles