1. Overview
Mariano Zabaleta (born 28 February 1978) is a retired professional tennis player from Argentina. Known for his distinctive playing style, which included an unusual but effective service motion and a powerful forehand, Zabaleta achieved his best results on clay surfaces. Throughout his career, he secured three ATP Tour singles titles and reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 21 on 3 April 2000. His career highlights include reaching the quarter-finals of the 2001 US Open and the final of the 1999 Hamburg Masters.
2. Early Life and Junior Career
Mariano Zabaleta's early life saw him begin tennis at a young age in Tandil, leading to an exceptional junior career where he achieved the world No. 1 junior ranking in 1995 and won multiple significant junior tournaments.
2.1. Background
Mariano Zabaleta was born on 28 February 1978, in Tandil, Argentina. He began playing tennis at the age of seven, developing the foundation for his professional career in his hometown.
2.2. Junior Career
Zabaleta had an exceptional junior career, culminating in 1995 when he finished the year as the world's No. 1 junior player. During that year, he compiled an impressive junior singles record of 84 wins and only 7 losses. He also achieved a junior doubles ranking as high as No. 10. His only singles loss in 1995 occurred in the quarter-finals of the US Open to Peter Wessels.
In 1995, Zabaleta won three significant junior tournaments:
- The Italian Open juniors, where he did not drop a single set, defeating Martin Lee 6-4, 6-2 in the final.
- The French Open juniors, which he also won without losing a set, overcoming his compatriot Mariano Puerta 6-2, 6-3 in the final. This marked the fifth time in 1995 he had defeated Puerta, each time without dropping a set.
- The Orange Bowl, where he defeated Tommy Haas 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. This was the only set he conceded throughout the entire tournament.
3. Professional Career
Mariano Zabaleta's professional career spanned from his debut in 1996 until his retirement in 2010. He spent much of his career on the ATP Tour, primarily excelling on clay courts, while also competing in Challenger and Futures events.
3.1. Professional Debut and Early Career
Zabaleta turned professional in 1996. He initially faced challenges transitioning from the junior circuit to the senior professional tour. However, in 1996, he secured his first Challenger event title in Birmingham, United States, defeating Bill Behrens 6-4, 6-4. His best performance on the main ATP Tour that year was reaching the quarter-finals in Bournemouth.
In 1997, he reached the final of the Guayaquil Challenger, where he lost to Tomas Nydahl. The year 1998 marked a significant breakthrough for Zabaleta. As a qualifier, he reached the third round of the French Open, notably defeating the then-world No. 2 and reigning Australian Open champion, Petr Korda, with a score of 6-0, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, before ultimately losing to Hicham Arazi. Later that year, Zabaleta reached his first ATP Tour semifinal in Amsterdam (losing to Magnus Norman) and then won his first ATP title as a senior at the Bogotá tournament, defeating Ramón Delgado 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
3.2. ATP Tour Career
Zabaleta's ATP Tour career saw him compete in numerous singles and doubles events, achieving three singles titles and reaching a career-high singles ranking of World No. 21.
3.2.1. Singles Career
In 1999, Zabaleta reached three ATP Tour finals but was unable to secure a title. His most notable performance was at the Hamburg Masters, where as an unseeded player, he reached the final against Marcelo Ríos. Zabaleta held a match point in the fourth set but eventually lost the match 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-5, 6-7(5), 2-6. He also lost to Ríos again in St Pölten and to Younes El Aynaoui in Amsterdam.
The year 2000 saw Zabaleta reach the third round of the Australian Open, his best showing at that event, before being defeated by Andre Agassi. He was also involved in a controversial Davis Cup tie against Chile in Santiago. While Zabaleta was leading 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(1), 3-1, sections of the Chilean crowd, incensed by perceived bad calls against Nicolás Massú, threw various objects including missiles, fruits, coins, bottles, and plastic chairs onto the court. Zabaleta's father sustained an injury requiring 10 stitches, and the Argentine team did not complete the tie after being escorted from the court by police. Zabaleta also participated in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, reaching the third round after defeating Marcelo Ríos and Jeff Tarango, before losing to Max Mirnyi.
Although Zabaleta did not win any titles in 2001 and 2002, he achieved his best-ever Grand Slam performance at the 2001 US Open. This was a surprising feat given that the US Open is played on a fast hardcourt, a surface where most of his success had not typically occurred. During this run, he defeated then-top 10 player Sébastien Grosjean in the first round, followed by victories over Taylor Dent, Greg Rusedski, and Xavier Malisse, before his run was ended by Marat Safin in the quarter-finals with a score of 4-6, 4-6, 2-6. He also reached the fourth round of the 2002 French Open, defeating top 10 player Yevgeny Kafelnikov before falling to Àlex Corretja.
The year 2003 was Zabaleta's most successful overall, achieving a positive win-loss record of 33-25, including positive records on both hardcourt (12-11) and clay (20-11) for the first time in his career. He reached the semifinals in Auckland (losing to Gustavo Kuerten) and Scottsdale (losing to Mark Philippoussis). He then made his first final since 1999 at Acapulco, where he avenged his earlier defeat to Gustavo Kuerten in the semifinals before losing to Agustín Calleri. Zabaleta matched his fourth-round showing from the previous year at the French Open, where he lost to Guillermo Coria in a grueling five-set match that lasted over 4 hours and 41 minutes. Following this, Zabaleta won his second ATP title at the Båstad tournament, defeating Nicolás Lapentti 6-3, 6-4. During the after-match presentation, organizers played a recording of the ABBA song "Money, Money, Money" that Zabaleta had made with Younes El Aynaoui, which was well-received by the crowd. He then reached the semifinals in Kitzbühel, losing to the reigning French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.
In 2004, Zabaleta successfully defended his title at Båstad, defeating his childhood friend and French Open champion Gastón Gaudio 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(4). He also reached the semifinals of the Italian Open, defeating both Tim Henman and Nicolás Massú (who were both ranked in the top 15 at the time) before losing to Carlos Moyà. He also made quarter-final appearances in Viña del Mar, Buenos Aires, and Kitzbühel.
Zabaleta started 2005 with quarter-final appearances in Viña del Mar, where he lost to Fernando González. He pushed the world No. 1 Roger Federer to three sets at the Miami Masters. In the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters, while leading David Ferrer by a set, Zabaleta suffered a foot injury that required him to be carried off the court. This injury kept him out of competition for two months and forced him to miss the French Open. Upon his return, he played in Båstad, losing in the quarter-finals to Tomáš Berdych, and reached the semifinals in Kitzbühel. Following a series of poor results, he underwent knee surgery.
Knee problems continued to plague Zabaleta in 2006, leading him to finish the year outside the top 100 for the first time since 1997. He began 2007 by winning the La Serena Challenger in Chile, defeating Juan-Pablo Brzezicki, and was a finalist in Florianópolis, Brazil, losing to Óscar Hernández. After successfully qualifying for the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, Zabaleta reached the final without dropping a set, notably defeating both finalists from the 2006 edition, Mardy Fish and Jürgen Melzer, before losing to the Croat Ivo Karlović. He later won the Bermuda Challenger, a victory that propelled him back into the top 100 of the ATP rankings.
In 2008, Zabaleta experienced very poor results, causing his ranking to drop beyond the top 1000. In March 2009, he reached the final of the Challenger de Providencia in Santiago de Chile, where he lost to his countryman Máximo González.
3.2.2. Doubles Career
Mariano Zabaleta did not win any ATP Tour doubles titles during his professional career. His highest doubles ranking was World No. 174, achieved on 7 July 2003. His best Grand Slam doubles performance was reaching the second round of Wimbledon in 2003. He also competed in doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics, losing in the first round on both occasions.
3.2.3. Grand Slam Singles Performance
Zabaleta competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments throughout his career. His best performance was reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open in 2001. He also reached the fourth round of the French Open twice, in 2002 and 2003. His performance at the Australian Open saw him reach the third round in 2000. Notably, Zabaleta struggled at Wimbledon, where he participated in five main draws (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007) but lost in the first round on all occasions, failing to record a single win at the tournament.
| Tournament | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | Win-loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | 2R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 5-8 |
| French Open | Q2 | 1R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 4R | 4R | 2R | A | Q2 | 2R | A | Q1 | 11-9 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | 0-5 |
| US Open | A | A | A | 1R | A | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | 4-8 |
| Win-loss | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2-1 | 1-3 | 3-3 | 5-4 | 3-4 | 3-4 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 20-30 |
3.2.4. Olympic Participation
Mariano Zabaleta represented Argentina in the Olympic Games on two occasions. He competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, reaching the third round in singles before losing to Max Mirnyi. He also participated in the doubles event at the Sydney Games, losing in the first round. Zabaleta also competed in the doubles event at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he again exited in the first round.
3.2.5. Masters Series Performance
Zabaleta competed regularly in the ATP Masters Series tournaments. His most significant achievement in this tier was reaching the final of the Hamburg Masters in 1999, where he was a runner-up to Marcelo Ríos. He also reached the semifinals of the Italian Open in 2004 and the quarter-finals of the Hamburg Masters in 2000 and the Cincinnati Masters in 2003, and the Eurocard Open (now Madrid Masters) in 1999.
| Tournament | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | SR | W-L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Masters Series | |||||||||||||||||
| Indian Wells | A | 1R | A | 1R | 3R | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 7 | 3-7 | |
| Miami | A | 1R | A | 1R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 3R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 8 | 4-8 | |
| Monte Carlo | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | Q1 | 1R | 1R | 1R | 3R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 6 | 3-6 | |
| Hamburg | A | A | A | F | QF | Q2 | 3R | 3R | 2R | A | A | Q1 | A | NM1 | 0 / 5 | 13-5 | |
| Rome | 1R | Q1 | A | 1R | 2R | Q2 | A | 2R | SF | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 5 | 6-5 | |
| Canada | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 2-4 | |
| Cincinnati | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | 1R | QF | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 4-4 | |
| Madrid | A | A | A | QF | A | A | 1R | 1R | Q1 | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 3-3 | |
| Paris | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 0-4 | |
| Win-loss | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 8-7 | 8-7 | 0-1 | 3-8 | 8-9 | 7-8 | 4-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 / 46 | 38-46 | |
3.3. ATP Challenger and ITF Futures Tournaments
Mariano Zabaleta achieved success on the ATP Challenger circuit, winning three singles titles and reaching four finals. All of his Challenger and Futures finals appearances were on clay courts.
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1-0 | April 1996 | Birmingham, United States | Challenger | Clay | Bill Behrens | 6-4, 6-4 |
| Loss | 1-1 | October 1997 | Guayaquil, Ecuador | Challenger | Clay | Tomas Nydahl | 0-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 1-2 | November 2006 | Guayaquil, Ecuador | Challenger | Clay | Sergio Roitman | 3-6, 6-4, 1-6 |
| Win | 2-2 | January 2007 | La Serena, Chile | Challenger | Clay | Juan-Pablo Brzezicki | 6-2, 6-4 |
| Loss | 2-3 | February 2007 | Florianopolis, Brazil | Challenger | Clay | Óscar Hernández | 5-7, 6-7(6-8) |
| Win | 3-3 | April 2007 | Paget, Bermuda | Challenger | Clay | Frank Dancevic | 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 |
| Loss | 3-4 | March 2009 | Santiago, Chile | Challenger | Clay | Máximo González | 4-6, 3-6 |
3.4. Retirement
After competing primarily on the Challenger circuit in 2009, Mariano Zabaleta officially retired from professional tennis in 2010. His last competitive appearance was at a Challenger tournament in Lima, Peru in November 2009. Following his retirement, Zabaleta transitioned into media, taking part in a television show on ESPN.
4. Playing Style and Characteristics
Mariano Zabaleta was known for his distinctive and effective playing style. He employed an unusual, yet highly effective, service motion. His most potent weapon on the court was his powerful forehand. Zabaleta's preferred playing surface was clay, where he achieved the majority of his professional success, with all eight of his ATP Tour singles finals appearances occurring on clay. He played right-handed and utilized a double-handed backhand. He stands at 6.0 ft (1.82 m) and weighed approximately 170 lb (77 kg) during his career.
5. Personal Life and Miscellaneous
In 2004, Mariano Zabaleta launched his own television show titled Tenis Pro. The show featured Zabaleta carrying a video camera to various tournaments, offering a light-hearted look at life on the professional tennis tour. He frequently conducted interviews with other players and participated in various skits, often alongside fellow Argentine player Juan Ignacio Chela.
Despite sharing a surname, Mariano Zabaleta has no direct relation to the former West Ham United and Manchester City footballer Pablo Zabaleta. However, Mariano Zabaleta did interview Pablo Zabaleta for a football website, highlighting a connection between the two prominent Argentine sports figures.
6. Records and Statistics
This section provides an overview of Mariano Zabaleta's professional career statistics, including his overall win-loss records, prize money, highest rankings, and detailed results from ATP Tour and Challenger/Futures singles finals.
6.1. Career Statistics Summary
Mariano Zabaleta's professional career spanned from 1996 to 2010. Over this period, he compiled a singles record of 202 wins and 213 losses, and a doubles record of 12 wins and 35 losses, for a combined career win-loss record of 214 wins and 248 losses. He earned a total of 3.20 M USD in career prize money. His highest singles ranking was World No. 21, achieved on 3 April 2000, and his highest doubles ranking was World No. 174, achieved on 7 July 2003. He won 3 ATP Tour singles titles.
6.2. ATP Tour Singles Finals
Mariano Zabaleta reached eight singles finals on the ATP Tour, winning three titles and finishing as runner-up five times. All of his ATP Tour finals were contested on clay courts.
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1-0 | November 1998 | Bogotá, Colombia | International Series | Clay | Ramón Delgado | 6-4, 6-4 |
| Loss | 1-1 | May 1999 | Hamburg, Germany | Masters Series | Clay | Marcelo Ríos | 7-6(7-5), 5-7, 7-5, 6-7(5-7), 2-6 |
| Loss | 1-2 | May 1999 | St Pölten, Austria | International Series | Clay | Marcelo Ríos | 4-4 ret. |
| Loss | 1-3 | August 1999 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | World Series | Clay | Younes El Aynaoui | 0-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 1-4 | February 2003 | Acapulco, Mexico | Championship Series | Clay | Agustín Calleri | 5-7, 6-3, 3-6 |
| Win | 2-4 | July 2003 | Båstad, Sweden | International Series | Clay | Nicolás Lapentti | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Win | 3-4 | July 2004 | Båstad, Sweden | International Series | Clay | Gastón Gaudio | 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(7-4) |
| Loss | 3-5 | April 2007 | Houston, United States | International Series | Clay | Ivo Karlović | 4-6, 1-6 |
6.3. ATP Challenger and Futures Singles Finals
Mariano Zabaleta reached seven singles finals on the ATP Challenger and ITF Futures circuits, winning three titles and finishing as runner-up four times. All of these finals were played on clay courts.
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1-0 | April 1996 | Birmingham, United States | Challenger | Clay | Bill Behrens | 6-4, 6-4 |
| Loss | 1-1 | October 1997 | Guayaquil, Ecuador | Challenger | Clay | Tomas Nydahl | 0-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 1-2 | November 2006 | Guayaquil, Ecuador | Challenger | Clay | Sergio Roitman | 3-6, 6-4, 1-6 |
| Win | 2-2 | January 2007 | La Serena, Chile | Challenger | Clay | Juan-Pablo Brzezicki | 6-2, 6-4 |
| Loss | 2-3 | February 2007 | Florianopolis, Brazil | Challenger | Clay | Óscar Hernández | 5-7, 6-7(6-8) |
| Win | 3-3 | April 2007 | Paget, Bermuda | Challenger | Clay | Frank Dancevic | 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 |
| Loss | 3-4 | March 2009 | Santiago, Chile | Challenger | Clay | Máximo González | 4-6, 3-6 |