PETE ZIEBRON
One year ago, Alex Bogomolov Jr. started his tune-up for the Australian Open practicing with Mardy Fish. Bogomolov, ranked #166 at the time, would win 2 qualifying matches in Melbourne but fail to qualify for the tournament. This year at age 28, not only is he in the main draw of the 2012 Australian Open, he is the tournament's #32 seed and the top player from Russia.
Last August in Cincinnati following a win over then world #10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Bogomolov recalled the encouragement he received from Mardy Fish in Australia: "Dude, keep playing like this and you'll be top 50 by the end of the year." Fish would turn out to be prophetic in his analysis of Bogomolov's game as Bogie would conclude 2011 as world #34, the same ranking he enjoys today.
In addition to his win over Tsonga, Bogomolov also recorded a win over world #5 Andy Murray at the Masters 1000 event in Miami in March. However it isn't only the wins over the top players that Bogomolov savors: "I have had some wins in Challengers that meant the world to me, as well." The margin between the top ten in the game and the rest of the field can be razor thin as Bogomolov explained after topping Murray: "I don't really necessarily think there is a much bigger difference. You have fights that go beyond words in the Challenger level and on the ATP matches."
Three years ago, in October 2008, Bogomolov was appearing in the Final of a $100,000 Challenger in Korea. In the 2nd set, he fell on his left hand and tore all the ligaments in his left wrist. Bogomolov visited 5 different doctors across the United States and not one wanted to perform the necessary surgery. Finally, in 2009, Bogomolov found a doctor in Philadelphia who repaired his wrist. Next up was a rehab program, taking Bogie off the court until May. He would lose his first 5 matches when he finally returned to action and proceeded to play Challengers for the majority of 2009 and 2010.
In his last tournament of 2010, Bogomolov won the Challenger in Champaign, IL, setting the stage for his rise in 2011. Prior to defeating Andy Murray last March in Miami, Bogomolov won 24 of his previous 30 matches and expounded on the confidence he felt heading into that match: "The wins, I guess, makes you confident. Just playing the bigger points better and just being -- you know, the wins really get you confidence. Once you're in that state, you believe you can do certain things that you weren't able to do before. Once that starts going, it gets you in the better mood mentally. You think you can do pretty much anything. So with a win like this, it sort of multiplies that confidence even more, so... I feel good."
Following the victory over Tsonga in Cincinnati, I asked Bogomolov about how he was currently enjoying his career high ranking at the age of 28: "If you would tell me, you know, you'll be here, like sitting right now, ten years before and tell me I would have to go through the things I have gone through, I would go though them again easy. I'm having a good time, the best time of my life right now. As long as my family is happy, as long as they're healthy, I'm having fun on the court."
In addition to reaching the 3rd round at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2011, Bogomolov also won a Challenger event in Dallas and was a Finalist in 2 other Challengers. Throughout the year, Mardy Fish would continue to support his friend with encouragement. "Gradually, every tournament, every time we've seen each other, we try and practice every week. He's like, Dude, you're getting closer; you're getting closer." Indeed, Alex Bogomolov reached the top 50 in the world following the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati. His ranking continues to improve and today as world #34, he defeated world #21 Viktor Troicki in Sydney - mere days prior to the 2012 Australian Open where he will be a seeded player.
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