Rudolf Molleker
{{short description|German tennis player}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name = Rudolf Molleker
|image = Molleker RGQ19 (44) (48002619507).jpg
|caption = Molleker at the 2019 French Open
|fullname =
|country = {{GER}}
|residence = Oranienburg, Germany
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2000|10|26}}
|birth_place = Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine
|height = 1.85 m
|turnedpro = 2017
|plays = Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
|coach = Benjamin Thiele
|careerprizemoney = $718,444
|singlesrecord = 5–13
|singlestitles = 0
|highestsinglesranking = No. 146 (29 July 2019)
|currentsinglesranking = No. 323 (17 March 2025)
|AustralianOpenresult = 1R (2019)
|FrenchOpenresult = 1R (2019)
|Wimbledonresult = Q2 (2024)
|USOpenresult = Q1 (2019, 2024)
|doublesrecord = 1–8
|doublestitles = 0
|highestdoublesranking = No. 376 (21 March 2022)
|currentdoublesranking = No. 633 (17 March 2025)
|updated = 17 March 2025
}}
Rudolf Molleker (born 26 October 2000) is a German tennis player. Molleker achieved a career high ATP singles ranking of world No. 146 on 29 July 2019 and a doubles ranking of world No. 376 on 21 March 2022.
Personal information
He was born in Sieverodonetsk in Ukraine to Roman and Tanja Molleker and moved to Oranienburg in Germany when he was three years old. He is of Russian–German descent.{{cite web|url=http://www.bz-berlin.de/berlin-sport/mehr-berlin-sport/rudi-molleker-16-erfuellt-in-wimbledon-einen-kindheitstraum|title=Rudi Molleker (16) erfüllt sich in Wimbledon seinen Kindheitstraum|publisher=B.Z.|language=German}}{{cite web|url=http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/sport/tennistalent-rudolf-molleker-aus-oranienburg-ist-das-der-neue-boris-becker--22423500|title=Tennistalent Rudolf Molleker aus Oranienburg: Ist das der neue Boris Becker?|first=Anja|last=Reich|publisher=Berliner Zeitung|language=German}}
He trained at Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Sophia Antipolis (France) starting in 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/tennis/article/2019/05/28/roland-garros-les-dessous-de-l-usine-a-champions-mouratoglou_5468444_1616659.html|title = Roland-Garros : Les dessous de l'" usine à champions " Mouratoglou|newspaper = Le Monde.fr|date = 28 May 2019}}
Career
=2017: ATP debut=
Molleker made his ATP main draw debut at the German Open in Hamburg after defeating Casper Ruud and Leonardo Mayer, who later won the tournament as a lucky loser, in the qualifying rounds.
=2018: First Challenger title & ATP and top-10 wins=
Molleker won his first ATP Challenger Tour title as a wildcard at the Heilbronner Neckarcup, defeating Jiří Veselý in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/challenger-first-time-winner-2018-molleker-heilbronn|title=At 17, Molleker Joins Exclusive Club With Maiden Title|date=21 May 2018|work=ATP World Tour}}
He won his first match at ATP-level at the Stuttgart Open, defeating compatriot Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.{{cite web|url=https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/On_the_ATP_results_with/56261/atp-stuttgart-zverev-sets-federer-clash-first-atp-win-for-rudolf-molleker/|title=ATP Stuttgart: Zverev sets Federer clash. First ATP win for Rudolf Molleker|date=12 June 2018|work=Tennis World USA}}
At the German Open in Hamburg, as a wildcard, he beat former world No. 3 David Ferrer in the first round.{{Cite news|url=https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/molleker-carreno-busta-hamburg-2018-monday/|title=17-Year-Old Molleker Stuns Ferrer In Hamburg|work=ATP World Tour|date=23 July 2018}}
=2019: Grand Slam and top 150 debut=
Molleker made his Grand Slam debut at the 2019 Australian Open, battling through three qualifying rounds before falling to world No. 16 Diego Schwartzman in four sets.{{cite web|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rudolf-molleker/m0ac/player-activity?year=2019&tournament=gs&matchType=singles|title=Rudolf Molleker Player Activity|website=ATP Tour|access-date=7 March 2023}}
At the 2019 BMW Open he recorded his third ATP win over Marius Copil. He also entered the doubles event with Andre Begemann as an alternate pair.
At the 2019 French Open, he performed a similar feat to the Australian Open, twice coming back from a set down to qualify for the main draw. He again lost in four sets in the first round, this time to Alexander Bublik.
He received a wildcard in singles and in doubles for the main draw of the 2019 Hamburg European Open. He defeated Leonardo Mayer to record his fourth ATP singles win.
=2021–2024=
In 2021, he received a wildcard in Stuttgart but lost to Marin Čilić.
He received a wildcard in doubles at the 2021 Hamburg European Open partnering Daniel Altmaier.
He received a wildcard for the main draw at the 2023 Hamburg European Open but lost to compatriot and wildcard Maximilian Marterer.
Ranked No. 179, he also received a wildcard for the main draw at the 2024 BMW Open and defeated qualifier Francesco Passaro for his fifth ATP win.
Singles performance timeline
{{Performance key|short=yes}}
Current through the 2024 ATP Tour.
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:97%
!Tournament!!2017!!2018!!2019!!2020!!2021!!2022!!2023!!2024!!2025!!SR!!W–L!!Win% |
| colspan="13" align="left" |Grand Slam tournaments |
| align=left| Australian Open
|A |A |bgcolor=afeeee|1R |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1 |A |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2 |A |0 / 1 |0–1 |{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=1|integer=yes}} |
| align=left| French Open
|A |A |bgcolor=afeeee|1R |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1 |A |A |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1 | |0 / 1 |0–1 |{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=1|integer=yes}} |
| align=left| Wimbledon
|A |A |A |style="color:#767676"|NH |A |A |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q2 | |0 / 0 |0–0 |{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}} |
| align=left| US Open
|A |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1 |A |A |A |A |bgcolor=ecf2ff|Q1 | |0 / 0 |0–0 |{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=0|integer=yes}} |
| style="font-weight:bold; background:#efefef;"
|style=text-align:left|Win–loss |0–0 |0–0 |0–2 |0–0 |0–0 |0–0 |0–0 |0–0 |0–0 |0 / 2 |0–2 |{{tennis win percentage|won=0|lost=2|integer=yes}} |
| colspan="13" align="left" |Career statistics |
| bgcolor=efefef
|align=left|Tournaments |1 |3 |5 |0 |1 |0 |1 |2 |0 |colspan="3"|Career total: 13 |
| style="font-weight:bold; background:#efefef;"
|style=text-align:left|Overall win–loss |0–1 |2–3 |2–5 |0–0 |0–1 |0–0 |0–1 |1–2 |0–0 |0 / 13 |5–13 |{{tennis win percentage|won=5|lost=13|integer=yes}} |
| bgcolor=efefef
|align=left|Year-end ranking |566 |207 |164 |217 |379 |333 |201 |268 | |colspan="3"| |
ATP Challenger finals
=Singles: 3 (2–1)=
| class=wikitable style=font-size:90%
!Finals by surface |
| Hard (0–0) |
| Clay (2–1) |
| class="sortable wikitable nowrap"
!Result !class="unsortable"|W–L !{{ns}}Date{{ns}} !Tournament !Surface !Opponent !class="unsortable"|Score |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|1–0 |2018 Heilbronner Neckarcup – Singles |bgcolor="moccasin"|Heilbronn, Germany |Clay |{{flagicon|CZE}} Jiří Veselý |4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|1–1 |bgcolor="moccasin"|Poznan, Poland |Clay |{{flagicon|ESP}} Tommy Robredo |7–5, 4–6, 1–6 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|2–1 |2023 IBG Prague Open – Singles |style="background:moccasin;"|Prague, Czech Republic |Clay |{{flagicon|FRA}} Gabriel Debru |6–2, 6–2 |
ITF Futures/World Tennis Tour finals
=Singles: 9 (4–5)=
| class=wikitable style=font-size:90%
!Finals by surface |
| Hard (0–1) |
| Clay (4–4) |
| class="sortable wikitable nowrap"
!Result !class="unsortable"|W–L !{{ns}}Date{{ns}} !Tournament !Surface !Opponent !class="unsortable"|Score |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|0–1 |{{dts|Sep 2017}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|Tunisia F25, Hammamet |Clay |{{flagicon|FRA}} Elliot Benchetrit |4–6, 0–2 ret. |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|0–2 |{{dts|Apr 2018}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|Turkey F15, Antalya |Clay |{{flagicon|CRO}} Nino Serdarušić |5–7, 2–6 |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|0–3 |{{dts|May 2022}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M25 Split, Croatia |Clay |{{flagicon|UKR}} Viacheslav Bielinskyi |2–6, 3–6 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|1–3 |{{dts|Jun 2022}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M15 Kamen, Germany |Clay |{{flagicon|AUT}} David Pichler |6–1, 6–4 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|2–3 |{{dts|Aug 2022}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M25 Wetzlar, Germany |Clay |{{flagicon|DOM}} Nick Hardt |7–6(7–3), 6–1 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|3–3 |{{dts|Dec 2022}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M15 Antalya, Turkey |Clay |{{flagicon|BUL}} Yanaki Milev |6–3, 6–4 |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|3–4 |{{dts|Feb 2023}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M15 Oberhaching, Germany |Hard (i) |{{flagicon|GER}} Daniel Masur |6–7(3–7), 6–7(4–7) |
| bgcolor=ffa07a|Loss
|3–5 |{{dts|Mar 2023}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M25 Palma Nova, Spain |Clay |{{flagicon|ESP}} Pablo Llamas Ruiz |3–6, 2–6 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|4–5 |{{dts|May 2023}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M25 Bodrum, Turkey |Clay |{{flagicon|GBR}} George Loffhagen |6–1, 7–6(7–4) |
=Doubles: 2 (2–0)=
| class=wikitable style=font-size:90%
!Finals by surface |
| Hard (0–0) |
| Clay (2–0) |
| class="sortable wikitable nowrap"
!Result !class="unsortable"|W–L !{{ns}}Date{{ns}} !Tournament !Surface !Partner !Opponents !class="unsortable"|Score |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|1–0 |{{dts|Sep 2017}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|Tunisia F25, Hammamet |Clay |{{flagicon|FRA}} Elliot Benchetrit |{{flagicon|TUN}} Aziz Dougaz |7–5, 6–3 |
| bgcolor=98FB98|Win
|2–0 |{{dts|Mar 2025}} |style="background:#cffcff;"|M25 Tarragona, Spain |Clay |{{flagicon|AUT}} Sandro Kopp |{{flagicon|BEL}} Michael Geerts |7–5, 4–6, [10–8] |
Junior Grand Slam finals
=Doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)=
| class="sortable wikitable"
!Result !Year !Tournament !Surface !Partner !Opponent !class="unsortable"|Score |
| bgcolor=ffffcc
| bgcolor=FFA07A|Loss | 2018 | Hard | {{flagicon|GER}} Henri Squire | {{flagicon|FRA}} Hugo Gaston | 2–6, 2–6 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{ATP}}
- {{ITF}}
- {{official website|http://www.rudi-molleker.de/}} (in German)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Molleker, Rudolf}}
Category:German male tennis players
Category:Sportspeople from Sievierodonetsk
Category:People from Oranienburg