Alejandro Falla Ramírez (; born 14 November 1983) is a Colombian former professional tennis player. The left-hander turned professional in 2000 and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 48 in July 2012. At the 2006 Wimbledon tournament, Falla upset ninth seed Nikolay Davydenko and at the 2007 Sony Ericsson Open he beat ninth seed Tommy Haas in straight sets. He reached the semifinals of the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon in 2007, beating players such as the fifth seed Ivan Ljubičić.

Career

The Colombian became the first player from his country to break into the top 100 of the ATP rankings since Mauricio Hadad in 1996. In 2006, Alejandro qualified a career-high five times into the main draw of ATP tournaments. In his second tournament of the year, he reached the final of the Mexico City Challenger. He then went on to earn points for his country in a Davis Cup tie against Paraguay Davis Team. Then later in April, he won the Bogotá Challenger. At Roland Garros, he reached the second round after defeating Justin Gimelstob, though he lost to Roger Federer in the second round. A few weeks later at Wimbledon, he managed to beat Nikolay Davydenko in a four-set thriller. His victory over Davydenko was his first win over a top-10 player, and a first ever for a Colombian player. However, he was then defeated in the second round by Philipp Kohlschreiber in another four-set match. He then reached the second round in the US Open. In the first round, he beat Juan Martín del Potro in four sets, before being defeated by Dmitry Tursunov in straight sets.

Falla almost caused a sensation in the first round of Wimbledon in 2010, winning the first two sets against defending champion Roger Federer and serving for the match at 5–4 in the fourth set (he was three points away from winning), before Federer eventually won 5–7, 4–6, 6–4, 7–6, 6–0.

His best result in a Grand Slam was in 2011 at the French Open. Falla reached the fourth round, where he lost to the unseeded Juan Ignacio Chela.

In the 2014 Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Falla rallied to beat 2011 champion Philipp Kohlschreiber 5–7, 7–6 (5), 6–4 to become the first Colombian to reach the final of a grass-court tournament. He lost to six-time champion Roger Federer in the final.

Juniors Alejandro Falla made it to the semi-finals in the 2001 French Open, giving a big inspiration to Colombian players aspiring to achieve strong results in junior open tennis.

Doubles In junior doubles at the French Open, he and compatriot Carlos Salamanca defeated the German duo Markus Bayer and Philipp Petzschner, the first junior title won by Colombians in a Grand Slam. Tournament20002001Junior Grand Slam tournamentsAustralian OpenAAFrench Open1RWWimbledon1R1RUS OpenA2R

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

ResultYearTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin2001French OpenClay Carlos Salamanca Markus Bayer Philipp Petzschner3–6, 7–5, 6–4

ATP career finals Singles: 2 (2 runner-ups) LegendGrand 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 (0–2)Titles by surfaceHard (0–1)Clay (0–0)Grass (0–1)Titles by settingOutdoor (0–2)Indoor (0–0)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss0–1Colombia Open, Colombia250 SeriesHard Ivo Karlović3–6, 6–7(4–7)Loss0–2Halle Open, Germany250 SeriesGrass Roger Federer6–7(2–7), 6–7(3–7)

Doubles: 1 (1 runner-up) LegendGrand 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 (0–1)Titles by surfaceHard (0–1)Clay (0–0)Grass (0–0)Titles by settingOutdoor (0–1)Indoor (0–0)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss0–1Pacific Coast Championships, United States250 SeriesHard Xavier Malisse Scott Lipsky Rajeev Ram4–6, 6–4, [8–10]

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 24 (14–10) LegendATP Challenger (11–8)ITF Futures (3–2)Finals by surfaceHard (3–4)Clay (11–6)Grass (0–0)Carpet (0–0)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss0–1Jun 2002Bogotá, ColombiaFuturesClay Pablo González6–7(6–8), 6–7(2–7)Loss0–2Jun 2002Bogotá, ColombiaFuturesClay Eduardo Bohrer6–7(3–7), 6–7(1–7)Win1–2Jan 2003San Salvador, El SalvadorFuturesClay Jorge Aguilar6–4, 6–4Win2–2May 2003Pereira, ColombiaFuturesClay Thiago Alves7–5, 6–3Win3–2Oct 2003Bogotá, ColombiaFuturesClay Marco Mirnegg7–5, 6–3Loss3–3Feb 2004Waikoloa, United StatesChallengerClay Dmitry Tursunov5–7, 6–7(4–7)Win4–3Mar 2004Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay Adrián García4–6, 6–1, 6–2Win5–3Mar 2004Salinas, EcuadorChallengerHard Gilles Müller6–7, 6–2, 6–2Loss5–4Jul 2005Pozoblanco, SpainChallengerHard Marcos Baghdatis3–6, 3–6Loss5–5Jul 2005Binghamton, United StatesChallengerHard Andy Murray6–7(3–7), 3–6Loss5–6Apr 2006Mexico City, MexicoChallengerClay Ramón Delgado3–6, 6–4, 4–6Win6–6Apr 2006Bogotá, Colombia (2)ChallengerClay André Sá6–4, 6–2Loss6–7Nov 2007Bratislava, SlovakiaChallengerHard Simone Bolelli6–4, 6–7(7–9), 1–6Win7–7May 2009Pereira, ColombiaChallengerClay Horacio Zeballos6–4, 4–6, 6–2Win8–7Sep 2009Cali, ColombiaChallengerClay Horacio Zeballos6–3, 6–4Win9–7Oct 2009Rennes, FranceChallengerHard Thierry Ascione6–3, 6–2Loss9–8Apr 2010Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay João Souza6–4, 4–6, 1–6Win10–8Sep 2011Cali, Colombia (2)ChallengerClay Eduardo Schwank6–4, 6–3Loss10–9Oct 2011Medellín, ColombiaChallengerClay Víctor Estrella Burgos7–6(7–2), 4–6, 4–6Win11–9Apr 2012Barranquilla, ColombiaChallengerClay Horacio Zeballos6–4, 6–1Win12–9Jul 2012Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay Santiago Giraldo7–5, 6–3Win13–9Jan 2014Nouméa, New CaledoniaChallengerHard Steven Diez6–2, 6–2Win14–9Jan 2014Bucaramanga, ColombiaChallengerClay Paolo Lorenzi7–5, 6–1Loss14–10Jan 2016Nouméa, New Caledonia ChallengerHard Adrian Mannarino7–5, 2–6, 2–6

Doubles: 20 (10–10) LegendATP Challenger (6–5)ITF Futures (4–5)Finals by surfaceHard (1–3)Clay (9–6)Grass (0–1)Carpet (0–0)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss0–1Colombia F2, BogotáFuturesClay Pablo Gonzalez Leonardo Azzaro Eyal Ran2–6, 2–6Win1–1Spain F4, DeniaFuturesClay Pablo Gonzalez J. Fernandez-Rubio A-J Martin-Arroyo2–6, 6–2, 6–2Win2–1Colombia F2, BogotáFuturesClay Carlos Salamanca Eduardo Bohrer Fernando Araujo3–0 ret.Loss2–2Spain F11, IrunFuturesClay Carlos Salamanca Marc Fornell Mestres F. Ventura-Martell6–7(3–7), 1–6Loss2–3Spain F14, MadridFuturesHard Carlos Salamanca Gabriel Trujillo Soler A-J Martin-Arroyo4–6, 4–6Loss2–4El Salvador F2, La LibertadFuturesHard Carlos Salamanca Juan Pablo Brzezicki Bruno Soares6–4, 4–6, 6–7(3–7)Win3–4Mexico F4, AguascalientesFuturesHard Bruno Soares Ronaldo Carvalho Gabriel Pitta4–6, 6–4, 6–3Loss3–5Colombia F1A, CaliFuturesClay Carlos Salamanca Mirko Pehar Michael Quintero3–6, 4–6Win4–5Colombia F2, BogotáFuturesClay Carlos Salamanca Ronaldo Carvalho Carlos Berlocq6–5, 5–7, 6–4Loss4–6Surbiton, Great BritainChallengerGrass Glenn Weiner Nathan Healey Jim Thomas3–6, 6–7(9–11)Win5–6Cali, ColombiaChallengerClay Juan Sebastián Cabal Brian Dabul Horacio Zeballos7–6(8–6), 6–3Win6–6Bogotá 3, ColombiaChallengerClay Juan Sebastián Cabal Alejandro Fabbri Horacio Zeballos3–6, 7–6(9–7), [10–8]Win7–6Medellín, ColombiaChallengerClay Juan Sebastián Cabal Juan-Pablo Amado Víctor Estrella Burgos3–4 ret.Loss7–7Pereira, ColombiaChallengerClay Juan Sebastián Cabal João Souza Víctor Estrella Burgos4–6, 4–6Win8–7Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay Alejandro González Diego Álvarez Sebastián Decoud5–7, 6–4, [10–8]Loss8–8Mons, BelgiumChallengerHard Teymuraz Gabashvili Denis Istomin Evgeny Korolev7–6(7–4), 6–7(4–7), [9–11]Loss8–9Barranquilla, ColombiaChallengerClay Eduardo Struvay Flavio Cipolla Paolo Lorenzi3–6, 4–6Loss8–10Pereira, ColombiaChallengerClay Eduardo Struvay Marcel Felder Carlos Salamanca6–7(5–7), 4–6Win9–10Barranquilla, ColombiaChallengerClay Eduardo Struvay Gonzalo Escobar Roberto Quiroz6–4, 7–5Win10–10Medellín, ColombiaChallengerClay Eduardo Struvay André Ghem Juan Lizariturry6–3, 6–2

Performance timelines

Singles Tournament20012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017SRW–LGrand Slam tournaments Australian OpenAAAQ1AAQ22RA3R1R3R2R2R1RQ2A0 / 77–7French OpenAAA2RQ12R1R2RQ12R4R1R1R1R1RQ1A0 / 107–10WimbledonAAA2RQ32R2R1R1R1R1R3R1R1R1RQ2A0 / 115–11US OpenAAAQ2Q12RQ2Q11R1R2R1RA1RQ3AA0 / 62–6Win–loss0–00–00–02–20–03–31–22–30–23–44–44–41–31–40–30–00–00 / 3421–34ATP World Tour Masters 1000Indian Wells MastersAAAAAA2RAA1RA1R1R3RQ1AA0 / 53–5 Miami MastersAAAAAA3RAA2RQ12R3R1R3RQ1A0 / 68–6Monte Carlo MastersAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA0 / 00–0 Rome MastersAAAAAAAAAAAQ1A1RQ1AA0 / 10–1 Madrid MastersNHAAAA1R1RAAA1R2RQ1Q11RAA0 / 51–5 Canada MastersAAAAA1R1RA2R1R1RAA1RQ2Q1A0 / 61–6 Cincinnati MastersAAAAAA1RAA2RQ11RA1RAAA0 / 41–4 Shanghai MastersNot Masters SeriesAAA1R1RAAAA0 / 20–2 Paris MastersAAAAAAAA1RAA2RQ1AAAA0 / 21–2Win–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–23–50–01–22–40–23–62–32–52–20–00–00 / 3115–31National representationOlympicsNot HeldANot HeldANot Held1RNot HeldANH0 / 10–1Davis CupZ2Z2AZ3Z2Z2Z1Z1Z1POZ1Z1POZ1POAPO0 / 022–10Win–loss1–01–00–05–02–04–02–12–01–10–11–20–22–21–00–20–00–00 / 122–11Career statisticsTitles / Finals0 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 10 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 2Year-end ranking1383566275127231108811808110574549988122273397

Doubles Tournament20102011201220132014W–LGrand Slam tournaments Australian Open1RA1R1RA0–3 French Open1RA1RA2R1–3 Wimbledon1RAAA1R0–2 US Open1RAAA1R0–2Win–loss0–40–00–20–11-31–10

References

External links

Falla world ranking history