Nicolas Lapentti

Nicolás Lapentti is an Ecuadorian former professional tennis player who achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 6. He won five singles and three doubles titles on the ATP Tour.

He was a successful junior player, winning the French Open and US Open junior doubles titles, and a dedicated member of the Ecuador Davis Cup team.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Nicolás Alexander Lapentti Gómez was born on August 13, 1976, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He stands 188 cm tall and he plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand.

He comes from a family of tennis players, with his brothers, Giovanni and Leonardo, uncle Andrés, and cousins Roberto and Emilio all having been professional tennis players. His father, also named Nicolás Lapentti, was an accomplished basketball player.

Lapentti began playing tennis at the age of six and currently resides in Miami, Florida. He set up the Nicolás Lapentti Foundation in 2000 to help bring tennis to underprivileged children in Ecuador and to develop future champions.

Early Life and Junior Career

Lapentti was an outstanding junior player who won the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships in Florida in 1994. In that same year, he captured the junior doubles titles at the French Open with Gustavo Kuerten and at the US Open.

Professional Career

Lapentti turned professional in 1995. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 6 in April 2000. He won five singles and three doubles titles on the ATP Tour. His best Grand Slam singles performance was reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open in 1999 and the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships in 2002.

In doubles, he reached a career-high ranking of World No. 32 in May 1999 and reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open three times. Lapentti was a dedicated member of the Ecuador Davis Cup team for many years.

He officially retired from professional tennis in 2011.

Career Record

Singles

• Career record: 321–299
• Career titles: 5
• Highest ranking: No. 6 (April 17, 2000)

Best Grand Slam Singles Performances

• Australian Open – SF (1999)
• French Open – 4R (2000)
• Wimbledon – QF (2002)
• US Open – 3R (2001)

Other tournaments (Singles)

• Tour Finals – RR (1999)
• Grand Slam Cup – QF (1999)
• Olympic Games – 1R (1996, 2004, 2008)

Doubles

• Career record: 153–159
• Career titles: 3
• Highest ranking: No. 32 (May 10, 1999)

Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances

• Australian Open – QF (1999, 2001, 2003)
• French Open – QF (1998)
• Wimbledon – 3R (2003)
• US Open – 3R (2003)