First player to win three Challenger events in three consecutive weeks since 2016, the 25-year-old from France has had a phenomenal 2021, but who are Benjamin Bonzi’s parents?
The Frenchman shone on the biggest stage in his country after he defeated a future Grand Slam winner in Daniil Medvedev, on his tour-level debut in the first round of the French Open in 2017, as a tournament wildcard.
The former world number 27 junior ended his junior career by winning the 2014 Roland Garros boys’ doubles title with countryman Quentin Halys (ATP).
In 2018, he qualified for Wimbledon for the first time and in 2020 he defeated Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round of the French Open, before losing in a second round clash to NextGen star Jannik Sinner.
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Bonzi started 2021 winning his first and second Challenger events of his career. In July, he qualified for the Wimbledon Championships for the first time and broke new ground after reaching the second round, before losing to former US Open winner Marin Cilic in the round of 64.
He made his top 100 debut after winning the Segovia Challenger event. However, after being the top seed in qualifying for the US Open, Bonzi lost in the second round.
But that loss in New York propelled the Frenchman to new heights, as he followed up his defeat with his fourth Challenger title of 2021.
He then won two more back-to-back Challenger events in France, his fifth and sixth in what was vastly becoming a tremendous breakthrough year.
The trio of tournament triumphs meant that Bonzi was the first player to go three consecutive weeks on the tour lifting the trophy, since Mikhail Youzhny in 2016.
The right-hander joined Facundo Bagnis (2016), Juan Ignacio Chela (2001) and Younes El Aynaoui (1998) as the only players to lift six singles trophies in one season in ATP Challenger history.
In November 2021, Bonzi reached a career-high ranking of number 60 in the world, which meant since the start of the year, Bonzi had climbed over 100 places in the ATP Rankings.
He’s secured wins this year against emerging stars like Lorenzo Musetti, Jack Draper, as well as beating his compatriot Lucas Pouille on two occasions.
After announcing himself on the ATP Tour, Bonzi will be looking to go from strength-to-strength in 2022.
Who are Benjamin Bonzi’s parents?
Benjamin Bonzi’s parents are Phillipe, his father, who works for car manufacturer Renault and his mother, Dominique, is an accountant.
Nicknamed ‘La Bonz’, Bonzi began playing tennis at the age of six because he wanted to beat his cousin and he lived three minutes away from a tennis club.
Bonzi started playing tennis at the age of 14 in Nice, then Paris, with the French Tennis Federation (FTF). Bonzi has been with his current coach Lionel Zimbler since October 2019.
Following an incredible and unforgettable 2021, Bonzi will have his eyes set on climbing higher and carrying his Challenger form into the ATP events.
