Ricardo Mello

Last updated
Ricardo Mello
Ricardo Mello.jpg
Country (sports)Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
Residence Campinas, Brazil
Born (1980-12-21) 21 December 1980 (age 44)
Campinas, Brazil
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro1999
Retired2013
PlaysLeft-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,484,044
Singles
Career record60–94 (at ATP Tour-level, Grand Slam-level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 50 (25 July 2005)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 2R (2005, 2012)
French Open 1R (2004, 2005, 2010, 2011)
Wimbledon 2R (2011)
US Open 3R (2004)
Doubles
Career record11–25 (at ATP Tour-level, Grand Slam-level, and in Davis Cup)
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 118 (11 July 2005)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 3R (2012)
French Open 2R (2005)
Wimbledon 1R (2005, 2011)

Ricardo Mello (born 21 December 1980) is a Brazilian retired tennis player. His preference is for clay courts. He has had the occasional win in hard court tournaments. His best singles rank was No. 50 in 2005. He won one singles tournament (Delray Beach in 2004) and reached the semifinals three times at the Brasil Open. He played most of his tennis in Challenger tournaments, where he won 15 singles titles and three doubles titles.

Contents

Career

Early days

Ricardo was born in Campinas, Brazil and started to play tennis at the age of three. At 15, he drew a wild card into a tournament in his hometown. He lost to veteran and French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten. However, he gained his first ATP career points. In 1999, Ricardo won his first Futures events in Uruguay and Paraguay.

2004

Mello won his lone ATP title at Delray Beach, defeating Vincent Spadea in the final. One of his first major feats was qualifying for the main singles draw in the Australian Open that year, his first participation in a Grand Slam tournament; he lost to #8 seed David Nalbandian in the first round.

2006

At the Campbell's Hall of Fame Championships, Mello played top seed Andy Murray. Murray was in control of the first set, winning 6–1, but Mello won the second set 6–1. Mello took the third and final to a tiebreak, after having three match points. He lost in the tiebreak 5–7.

At the RCA Championships in Indianapolis, Mello faced Jean-René Lisnard in the first round and won in straight sets. In the second round, he faced 14th seed Vincent Spadea and lost.

Sponsorship

The sponsor for his clothes, shoes and racquets was Babolat.

ATP Tour Career Finals

Singles: 1 (1 title)

Legend
Grand 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 (1–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–0)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Finals by setting
Outdoor (1–0)
Indoor (0–0)
ResultW–L   Date   TournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0 Sep 2004 Delray Beach, United States250 SeriesHard Flag of the United States.svg Vincent Spadea 7–6(7–2), 6–3

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 30 (21–9)

Legend
ATP Challenger (15–8)
ITF Futures (6–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (14–7)
Clay (7–2)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW–L   Date   TournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Aug 1999Uruguay F2, Jose-Ignacio FuturesClay Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Daniel 6–7, 7–5, 6–3
Win2–0Oct 1999Paraguay F3, Asunción FuturesClay Flag of Hungary.svg Gergely Kisgyörgy 7–5, 6–1
Win3–0Jun 2000Mexico F3, Merida FuturesHard Flag of Argentina.svg Ignacio Hirigoyen 6–4, 1–6, 6–4
Win4–0Sep 2000Brazil F1, Vitoria FuturesClay Flag of Brazil.svg Júlio Silva 6–4, 6–3
Loss4–1Feb 2001USA F4, Corpus Christi FuturesHard Flag of South Africa.svg Damien Roberts 4–6, 2–6
Win5–1Apr 2001Brazil F2, Teresopolis FuturesClay Flag of Argentina.svg Rodrigo Cerdera6–2, 6–4
Win6–1May 2001USA F11, Vero Beach FuturesClay Flag of France.svg Thomas Dupre 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Win7–1Jul 2001 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Alexandre Simoni 7–6(8–6), 4–6, 7–6(7–5)
Loss7–2Dec 2001 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Denmark.svg Kristian Pless 1–6, 1–6
Loss7–3Mar 2002 Salinas, EcuadorChallengerHard Flag of Peru.svg Iván Miranda 3–6, 4–6
Win8–3Jul 2002 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Germany.svg Maximilian Abel 7–6(7–2), 6–3
Win9–3Aug 2002 Belo Horizonte, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Alexandre Simoni 6–3, 6–3
Loss9–4Oct 2003 Quito, EcuadorChallengerClay Flag of Ecuador.svg Giovanni Lapentti 3–6, 7–6(10–8), 3–6
Win10–4Nov 2003 Puebla, MexicoChallengerHard Flag of Germany.svg Markus Hantschk 7–6(7–5), 6–4
Loss10–5Aug 2004 Belo Horizonte, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg Janko Tipsarević 4–6, 7–5, 4–6
Win11–5Aug 2004 Gramado, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg Janko Tipsarević 2–6, 7–5, 6–4
Win12–5Jan 2005 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Ecuador.svg Giovanni Lapentti 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–0)
Win13–5Apr 2006 Florianópolis, BrazilChallengerClay Flag of Argentina.svg Diego Junqueira 6–3, 5–7, 7–6(7–4)
Win14–5Jul 2006 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Germany.svg Ivo Klec 6–3, 6–4
Loss14–6Mar 2008 Leon, MexicoChallengerHard Flag of Mexico.svg Bruno Echagaray 0–6, 6–3, 6–7(6–8)
Loss14–7Jul 2008 Manta, EcuadorChallengerHard Flag of Ecuador.svg Giovanni Lapentti 2–6, 4–6
Win15–7Jan 2009 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Chile.svg Paul Capdeville 6–2, 6–4
Win16–7Aug 2009 Brasília, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Argentina.svg Juan Ignacio Chela 7–6(7–2), 6–4
Win17–7Jan 2010 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Argentina.svg Eduardo Schwank 6–3, 6–1
Loss17–8Apr 2010 Curitiba, BrazilChallengerClay Flag of Germany.svg Dominik Meffert 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 2–6
Loss17–9Aug 2010 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of South Africa.svg Izak van der Merwe 6–7(6–8), 3–6
Win18–9Aug 2010 Salvador, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Thiago Alves 5–7, 6–4, 6–4
Win19–9Jan 2011 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael Camilo6–2, 6–1
Win20–9Oct 2011 Recife, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Rogério Dutra Silva 7–6(7–5), 6–3
Win21–9Oct 2011 São José do Rio Preto, BrazilChallengerClay Flag of Argentina.svg Eduardo Schwank 6–4, 6–2

Doubles: 16 (3–13)

Legend
ATP Challenger (3–12)
ITF Futures (0–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–6)
Clay (2–7)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW–L   Date   TournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Jun 2001Brazil F3, São Paulo FuturesClay Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Daniel Flag of Argentina.svg Diego Veronelli
Flag of Brazil.svg Adriano Ferreira
3–6, 4–6
Loss0–2Jul 2001 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Schlachter Flag of Mexico.svg Alejandro Hernández
Flag of Brazil.svg André Sá
7–6(8–6), 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Loss0–3Sep 2001 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Daniel Flag of Brazil.svg Adriano Ferreira
Flag of Argentina.svg Edgardo Massa
walkover
Loss0–4Jun 2002 Andorra Challenger, AndorraChallengerHard Flag of Chile.svg Hermes Gamonal Flag of South Africa.svg Shaun Rudman
Flag of South Africa.svg Wesley Moodie
2–6, 1–6
Loss0–5Jun 2003 Andorra Challenger, AndorraChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Alexandre Simoni Flag of South Africa.svg Rik de Voest
Flag of Finland.svg Tuomas Ketola
4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win1–5Oct 2003 Quito, EcuadorChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Alexandre Simoni Flag of Brazil.svg Ricardo Schlachter
Flag of the United States.svg Hugo Armando
6–3, 6–4
Loss1–6Jul 2004 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Henrique Mello Flag of Mexico.svg Alejandro Hernández
Flag of Brazil.svg André Sá
4–6, 4–6
Win2–6Jul 2004 Campos do Jordão, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Peru.svg Iván Miranda Flag of Mexico.svg Alejandro Hernández
Flag of Brazil.svg André Sá
6–3, 6–4
Loss2–7Jul 2005 Biella, ItalyChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos Berlocq Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Tom Vanhoudt
Flag of Romania.svg Gabriel Trifu
4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Loss2–8May 2006 Tunica Resorts, United StatesChallengerClay Flag of the United States.svg Hugo Armando Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Morrison
Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Reynolds
6–3, 6–7)5-7), [9–11]
Loss2–9Oct 2007 Quito, EcuadorChallengerClay Flag of the United States.svg Hugo Armando Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Dabul
Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Daniel
6–4, 5–7, [7–10]
Loss2–10Sep 2008 Quito, EcuadorChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Caio Zampieri Flag of Argentina.svg Leonardo Mayer
Flag of the United States.svg Hugo Armando
5–7, 2–6
Loss2–11Jul 2009 Bogotá, ColombiaChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Daniel Flag of Argentina.svg Sebastián Prieto
Flag of Argentina.svg Horacio Zeballos
4–6, 5–7
Loss2–12Aug 2009 Brasília, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Caio Zampieri Flag of Brazil.svg Rodrigo Guidolin
Flag of Brazil.svg Marcelo Demoliner
4–6, 2–6
Win3–12Nov 2001 São Paulo, BrazilChallengerClay Flag of Brazil.svg Franco Ferreiro Flag of Argentina.svg Diego Junqueira
Flag of Spain.svg David Marrero
6–3, 6–3
Loss3–13Aug 2010 Brasília, BrazilChallengerHard Flag of Brazil.svg Caio Zampieri Flag of Brazil.svg Franco Ferreiro
Flag of Brazil.svg André Sá
6–7(5–7), 3–6

Grand Slam performance timeline

Key
W F SFQF#RRRQ#DNQANH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 SRW–LWin %
Australian Open AA Q2 1R 2R 1R AAAA 1R 2R 0 / 52–529%
French Open A Q2 Q1 1R 1R Q1 Q1 A Q1 1R 1R A0 / 40–40%
Wimbledon A Q2 Q2 Q1 1R A Q2 Q2 Q1 1R 2R A0 / 31–325%
US Open Q3 Q2 Q3 3R 2R Q2 Q1 Q1 Q3 2R 1R 1R 0 / 54–544%
Win–loss0–00–00–02–32–40–10–00–00–01–31–41–20 / 177–1729%
Year-end ranking133144128711111342571981517685286
ATP Tour Masters 1000
Indian Wells Masters AAA Q1 1R AAA Q2 2R 2R Q1 0 / 32–340%
Miami Open A Q1 Q1 2R 2R Q2 2R A 1R 1R 1R Q1 0 / 63–633%
Madrid AAA Q1 Q1 AAAAAAA0 / 00–0  
Toronto/Montreal AAAA 2R AAAAAAA0 / 11–150%
Cincinnati AAAA 1R AAAAAAA0 / 10–10%
Win–loss0–00–00–01–12–40–01–10–00–11–21–20–00 / 116–1135%