12 Facts About Sjeng Schalken

Sjeng Schalken is a former professional tennis player from the Netherlands.

Sjeng Schalken is known for his placid on-court demeanour, seemingly reacting in the same manner whether trailing or leading.

Sjeng Schalken was an outstanding junior, winning the US Open junior event in 1994, turning professional the same year.

Sjeng Schalken won his first career title on clay in Valencia at the age of 19, defeating Gilbert Schaller in the final.

Sjeng Schalken was the youngest winner on tour for that year, 1995, and the next year as well when he defeated Younes El Aynaoui in the final in Jakarta for his second title.

Sjeng Schalken managed to win at least one ATP tournament eight out of nine years from 1995 to 2003, the sole exception being 1998.

Sjeng Schalken won his fourth title against Tommy Haas in Auckland in January 1999, exactly three years after his younger brother died of cancer, and dedicated the victory to him.

Sjeng Schalken overcame Marcelo Rios to win the event in Boston in 1997.

Sjeng Schalken came into Wimbledon on the back of an outstanding grass-court season, in which he had made the semifinals at Queen's Club losing to eventual champion and world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt before going on to win the title the following week in 's-Hertogenbosch, his first title on home soil and his first trophy on grass.

Sjeng Schalken moved through to the second week beating Ivan Ljubicic and Sargis Sargsian, where on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, he bested former world No 1 Gustavo Kuerten in the last 16 and Fernando Gonzalez in the quarters.

Only when Sjeng Schalken had to pull out of Roland Garros, ending a sequence of 35 straight majors played, did it become clear that something was wrong physically.

Sjeng Schalken injured his right Achilles tendon in the spring and was forced off the tour in July, since then his only tournament at any level to date has been a semifinal showing in the Bergamo Challenger in Italy in February 2006.