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Robbie Koenig

{{short description|South African tennis player}}

{{BLP sources|date=May 2013}}

{{Use South African English|date=January 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox tennis biography

|name = Robbie Koenig

|image =

|caption =

|fullname =

|country = {{RSA}}

|residence = Durban, South Africa

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1971|07|05}}

|birth_place = Durban, South Africa

|height = 5 ft. 8 in.

|turnedpro = 1992

|retired = 2005

|plays = Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

|careerprizemoney = US$944,191

|singlesrecord = 3–11

|singlestitles = 0
0 Challenger, 0 Futures

|highestsinglesranking = No. 262 (9 November 1992)

|FrenchOpenresult = Q1 (1996, 1997)

|Wimbledonresult = Q3 (1992)

|USOpenresult = Q1 (1992, 1996, 1997)

|doublesrecord = 176–210

|doublestitles = 5
3 Challenger, 0 Futures

|highestdoublesranking = No. 28 (19 May 2003)

|AustralianOpenDoublesresult = 3R (1998, 2004)

|FrenchOpenDoublesresult = 2R (1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)

|WimbledonDoublesresult = 3R (1998, 1999)

|USOpenDoublesresult = SF (1998)

|AustralianOpenMixedresult = SF (2001)

|FrenchOpenMixedresult = 1R (1998, 1999, 2003)

|WimbledonMixedresult = SF (2001)

|USOpenMixedresult = SF (2002)

|updated = 29 January 2022

}}

Robert Louis Koenig ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|oʊ|n|ɪ|g}} {{respell|KOH|nig}};{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4vvqaUnMGY&t=9s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/k4vvqaUnMGY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Koenig, Goodall Preview 2013 Miami Final Murray Ferrer|via=YouTube|author=ATPWorldTour|date=2013-03-30|access-date=2018-01-24}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa90XpF18y0&t=10s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/fa90XpF18y0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Nadal Vs Federer in London Final Experts Preview|via=YouTube|author=ATPWorldTour|date=2010-11-27|access-date=2018-01-24}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIkFXj96oXE&t=9s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/xIkFXj96oXE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Experts Debate Nadal Vs Djokovic Indian Wells Final|via=YouTube|author=ATPWorldTour|date=2011-03-20|access-date=2018-01-24}}{{cbignore}} born 5 July 1971) is a retired professional tennis player from South Africa who is now a tennis commentator and analyst. He won five doubles titles and reached the semifinals of the 1998 US Open men's doubles competition. Koenig works as a tennis broadcaster for a host of TV channels around the world, covering most notably the ATP Masters 1000 events, the Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon (Radio) as well as the premier online tennis channel of TennisTV.com

Playing career

Koenig achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 262, notably reaching the third round of Washington in 1992. He had wins early on in his singles career over the likes of Tim Henman, Pat Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Felix Mantilla. Most of his success, however, came in doubles. He won 5 titles (with 6 further finals), reaching a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 28 in May 2003. As well as his US Open doubles semi-finals appearance in 1998, Koenig reached the round-of-16 twice at Wimbledon in 1998 and 1999. He was also a quarter-finalist on 3 other occasions at the US Open in 1997, 2001 and 2004. In Mixed Doubles he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2001 and the US Open in 2002.

He also represented South Africa in Davis Cup on four occasions and was captained by 1985 Wimbledon finalist, Kevin Curren.

Commentating career

Koenig is known for his commentary on the ATP World Tour at their Masters 1000 events matches broadcast on Tennis Channel as well as the online tennis broadcast site TennisTV, often as part of a commentating duo alongside Jason Goodall. Often regarded as “the voice of tennis”, he is a regular at both the Australian Open and US Open. He can also be heard on Amazon Prime UK, Fox Sports in Australia, Star Sports in Asia, ESPN International as well as SuperSport in South Africa where he co-hosts during the Grand Slam events. He started commentating in 2007 for ATP Media.

Koenig co-hosted and commentated on ‘The Match in Africa’ where Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal played in front of the biggest live tennis audience ever at the time.

Netflix used a good deal of his commentary for their “Break Point” docu-series.

ATP career finals

=Doubles: 11 (5 titles, 6 runner-ups)=

valign=top

|

{|class=wikitable style=font-size:97%

!Legend

style="background:#f3e6d7;"

|Grand Slam Tournaments (0–0)

style="background:#ffc;"

|ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)

style="background:#e9e9e9;"

|ATP Masters Series (0–0)

style="background:#d4f1c5;"

|ATP Championship Series (1–1)

ATP World Series (4–5)

|

class=wikitable style=font-size:97%

!Finals by surface

Hard (4–4)
Clay (1–2)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)

|

class=wikitable style=font-size:97%

!Finals by setting

Outdoors (5–5)
Indoors (0–1)

|}

class="sortable wikitable"

!Result

!class="unsortable"|W–L

!Date

!Tournament

!Tier

!Surface

!Partner

!Opponents

!class="unsortable"|Score

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–1

|Hypo Group Tennis International

|St. Pölten, Austria

|International Series

|Clay

|{{flagicon|RSA}} Brent Haygarth

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Andrew Florent
{{flagicon|RUS}} Andrei Olhovskiy

|7–5, 4–6, 5–7

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–2

|2000 Dubai Tennis Championships – Doubles

|Dubai, United Arab Emirates

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Peter Tramacchi

|{{flagicon|CZE}} Jiří Novák
{{flagicon|CZE}} David Rikl

|2–6, 5–7

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–3

|2000 President's Cup – Doubles

|Tashkent, Uzbekistan

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} Marius Barnard

|{{flagicon|USA}} Justin Gimelstob
{{flagicon|USA}} Scott Humphries

|3–6, 2–6

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–4

|2001 Heineken Open Shanghai – Doubles

|Shanghai, China

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} John-Laffnie de Jager

|{{flagicon|ZIM}} Byron Black
{{flagicon|JPN}} Thomas Shimada

|2–6, 6–3, 5–7

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–5

|2002 Siebel Open – Doubles

|San Jose, United States

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} John-Laffnie de Jager

|{{flagicon|ZIM}} Wayne Black
{{flagicon|ZIM}} Kevin Ullyett

|3–6, 6–4, [5–10]

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|1–5

|2002 Generali Open – Doubles

|style="background:#d4f1c5;"|Kitzbühel, Austria

|style="background:#d4f1c5;"|Championship Series

|Clay

|{{flagicon|JPN}} Thomas Shimada

|{{flagicon|ARG}} Lucas Arnold Ker
{{flagicon|ESP}} Álex Corretja

|7–6(7–3), 6–4

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|2–5

|2002 President's Cup – Doubles

|Tashkent, Uzbekistan

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} David Adams

|{{flagicon|NED}} Raemon Sluiter
{{flagicon|NED}} Martin Verkerk

|6–2, 7–5

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|3–5

|2003 Heineken Open – Doubles

|Auckland, New Zealand

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} David Adams

|{{flagicon|CZE}} Tomáš Cibulec
{{flagicon|CZE}} Leoš Friedl

|7–6(7–5), 3–6, 6–3

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|3–6

|2003 Torneo Godó – Doubles

|style="background:#d4f1c5;"|Barcelona, Spain

|style="background:#d4f1c5;"|Championship Series

|Clay

|{{flagicon|RSA}} Chris Haggard

|{{flagicon|USA}} Bob Bryan
{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Bryan

|4–6, 3–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|4–6

|2003 TD Waterhouse Cup – Doubles

|Long Island, United States

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|ARG}} Martín Rodríguez

|{{flagicon|CZE}} Martin Damm
{{flagicon|CZE}} Cyril Suk

|6–3, 7–6(7–4)

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|5–6

|2004 Legg Mason Tennis Classic – Doubles

|Washington, United States

|International Series

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} Chris Haggard

|{{flagicon|USA}} Travis Parrott
{{flagicon|RUS}} Dmitry Tursunov

|7–6(7–3), 6–1

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

=Doubles: 5 (3–2)=

valign=top

|

{|class=wikitable style=font-size:97%

!Legend

bgcolor=moccasin

|ATP Challenger (3–2)

bgcolor=cffcff

|ITF Futures (0–0)

|

class=wikitable style=font-size:97%

!Finals by surface

Hard (3–1)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–1)

|}

class="sortable wikitable"

!Result

!class="unsortable"|W–L

!Date

!Tournament

!Tier

!Surface

!Partner

!Opponents

!class="unsortable"|Score

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|0–1

|{{dts|Oct 1992}}

|style="background:moccasin;"|Dublin, Ireland

|style="background:moccasin;"|Challenger

|Carpet

|{{flagicon|SWE}} Douglas Geiwald

|{{flagicon|NED}} Sander Groen
{{flagicon|GER}} Arne Thoms

|7–5, 4–6, 3–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|1–1

|{{dts|Nov 1996}}

|style="background:moccasin;"|Aachen, Germany

|style="background:moccasin;"|Challenger

|Hard

|{{flagicon|UZB}} Oleg Ogorodov

|{{flagicon|USA}} Dave Randall
{{flagicon|USA}} Chris Woodruff

|6–4, 3–6, 6–3

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|2–1

|{{dts|Oct 1997}}

|style="background:moccasin;"|Sedona, United States

|style="background:moccasin;"|Challenger

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} John-Laffnie De Jager

|{{flagicon|USA}} Eric Taino
{{flagicon|USA}} Adam Peterson

|6–2, 6–2

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

|2–2

|{{dts|Oct 1997}}

|style="background:moccasin;"|Brest, France

|style="background:moccasin;"|Challenger

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} John-Laffnie De Jager

|{{flagicon|USA}} Dave Randall
{{flagicon|USA}} Jack Waite

|6–3, 6–7, 4–6

style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

|3–2

|{{dts|Aug 2001}}

|style="background:moccasin;"|Lexington, United States

|style="background:moccasin;"|Challenger

|Hard

|{{flagicon|RSA}} John-Laffnie De Jager

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Paul Kilderry
{{flagicon|USA}} Jack Waite

|7–6(7–1), 7–5

Performance timelines

{{Performance key|short=yes|active=no}}

=Singles=

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:97%

!Tournament!!1992!!1993!!1994!!1995!!1996!!1997!!SR!!W–L!!Win %

colspan=23 align=left|Grand Slam tournaments
align=left|Australian Open

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

align=left|French Open

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

align=left|Wimbledon

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q3

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

align=left|US Open

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

style=text-align:left|Win–loss

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

colspan=23 align=left|ATP Masters Series
align=left|Miami

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

!0 / 1

!0–1

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=1|integer=yes}}

align=left|Canada

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

!0 / 0

!0–0

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}}

align=left|Cincinnati

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q3

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

!0 / 1

!0–1

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=1|integer=yes}}

style=text-align:left|Win–loss

!0–1

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–1

!0–0

!0 / 2

!0–2

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=2|integer=yes}}

=Doubles=

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:97%

!Tournament!!1992!!1993!!1994!!1995!!1996!!1997!!1998!!1999!!2000!!2001!!2002!!2003!!2004!!2005!!SR!!W–L!!Win %

colspan=23 align=left|Grand Slam tournaments
align=left|Australian Open

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

!0 / 7

!7–7

!{{tennis win percentage|won=7|lost=7|integer=yes}}

align=left|French Open

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

!0 / 7

!5–7

!{{tennis win percentage|won=5|lost=7|integer=yes}}

align=left|Wimbledon

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

!0 / 9

!6–9

!{{tennis win percentage|won=6|lost=9|integer=yes}}

align=left|US Open

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=yellow|SF

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

!0 / 9

!20–9

!{{tennis win percentage|won=20|lost=9|integer=yes}}

style=text-align:left|Win–loss

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!3–2

!9–4

!2–3

!4–3

!4–4

!3–4

!3–4

!6–4

!4–4

!0 / 32

!38–32

!{{tennis win percentage|won=38|lost=32|integer=yes}}

colspan=25 style=text-align:left|ATP Tour Masters 1000
align=left|Indian Wells

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

!0 / 5

!2–5

!{{tennis win percentage|won=2|lost=5|integer=yes}}

align=left|Miami

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

!0 / 7

!2–7

!{{tennis win percentage|won=2|lost=7|integer=yes}}

align=left|Monte Carlo

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

!0 / 6

!3–6

!{{tennis win percentage|won=3|lost=6|integer=yes}}

align=left|Hamburg

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

!0 / 5

!1–5

!{{tennis win percentage|won=1|lost=5|integer=yes}}

align=left|Rome

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

|A

!0 / 4

!2–4

!{{tennis win percentage|won=2|lost=4|integer=yes}}

align=left|Canada

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=yellow|2R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 4

!3–4

!{{tennis win percentage|won=3|lost=4|integer=yes}}

align=left|Cincinnati

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

!0 / 5

!3–5

!{{tennis win percentage|won=3|lost=5|integer=yes}}

align=left|Paris

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 3

!1–3

!{{tennis win percentage|won=1|lost=3|integer=yes}}

align=left|Madrid

|colspan=10 style=color:#cccccc|Not Held

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 1

!0–1

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=1|integer=yes}}

align=left|Stuttgart

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

|bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1

|A

|A

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 1

!1–1

!{{tennis win percentage|won=1|lost=1|integer=yes}}

style=text-align:left|Win–loss

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!0–0

!3–7

!6–7

!2–8

!0–2

!3–8

!2–6

!2–3

!0–0

!0 / 41

!18–41

!{{tennis win percentage|won=18|lost=41|integer=yes}}

=Mixed doubles=

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:97%

!Tournament!!1998!!1999!!2000!!2001!!2002!!2003!!2004!!2005!!SR!!W–L!!Win %

colspan=23 align=left|Grand Slam tournaments
align=left|Australian Open

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|bgcolor=yellow|SF

|A

|bgcolor=ffebcd|QF

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

!0 / 4

!6–4

!{{tennis win percentage|won=6|lost=4|integer=yes}}

align=left|French Open

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

|A

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|A

|A

!0 / 3

!0–3

!{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=3|integer=yes}}

align=left|Wimbledon

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=yellow|SF

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|3R

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

!0 / 8

!10–8

!{{tennis win percentage|won=10|lost=8|integer=yes}}

align=left|US Open

|bgcolor=afeeee|1R

|bgcolor=afeeee|2R

|A

|A

|bgcolor=yellow|SF

|A

|A

|A

!0 / 3

!4–3

!{{tennis win percentage|won=4|lost=3|integer=yes}}

style=text-align:left|Win–loss

!2–3

!1–3

!1–2

!3–2

!7–2

!4–3

!2–2

!0–1

!0 / 18

!20–18

!{{tennis win percentage|won=20|lost=18|integer=yes}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{ATP}}
  • {{ITF}}
  • {{Davis Cup player}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koenig, Robbie}}

Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:South African people of British descent

Category:Tennis players from Durban

Category:South African expatriates in the United States

Category:South African male tennis players

Category:Tennis commentators