Mikhail Kukushkin

While already 29, the name of Mikhail Kukushkin has only become prominent in the eyes of many mainstream tennis fans in the last year or so. Having been pro since the age of 18, though, Kukushkin has been on the circuit for longer than most. With an impressive right-handed playstyle, and under the tutelage of the excellent Anastasia Kukushkina, who is also his wife since 2011, the impressive Kazakh has become a real standard-bearer back home. Born in Volgograd, Russia, he represents Kazakhstan and even resides in Astana.

Having been playing tennis since the tender age of 6, the experienced Kukushkin was coached by his father, Alexander, until he hit the tender age of 17. At this point, he started to move towards the pro circuit and leave behind his amateur teachings. Raised in a loving household by mother Tatiana and father Alexander, alongside sister Ekaterina, Mikhail exudes a level of calmness and focus on the court that would be near-impossible to expect.

While many players suffer from short temperaments, Kukushkin is lauded for his mature play style as well as his ability to stay calm even in the most challenging of moments on the court. When playing, he tends to prefer playing on a harder, more challenging surface than a softer surface. This fits with a dedicated and determined playstyle.

Arguably his finest shot would be his groundstrokes, which are famed for their accuracy and precision most of the time. With a career-high ranking of 46, reached in 2015, he’s engaged in a very impressive career so far that has seen him come back from struggle with injury to succeed. At one stage, at the peak of a hip injury, he fell down to as low as #324 on the rankings. However, he shot up the rankings once again and got himself back into the Top 100.

He’s reached 3 ATP World Tour Finals, too, and won his first title in 2010 when he won at St. Petersburg. He was runner-up in Moscow in 2013, and also got to the 2015 Sydney final as a qualifier. Indeed, he lost to another qualifier – the first time in history that an ATP event seen two qualifiers reach the final!

With 13 ATP Challenger Tour titles, too, he’s a decorated man and can point to an impressive career record at the highest level. At Grand Slam level, his best showing is the Fourth Round of the Australian Open, with the Third Round of Wimbledon & the US Open as well.