Mikhail Mikhailovich Youzhny is a professional Russian tennis player, famous for his consistency and all-court play style. He is one of the few active players to have reached the quarter-finals or further in all 4 Grand Slam tournaments. Youzhny employs a unique backhand technique with an ample dose good court sense. He turned professional in 1999, capturing four titles on the Futures tour. In 2002, Youzhny captured his first ATP title in Stuttgart leading Russia to its first Davis Cup title. In 2006, he went on to win the BNP Paribas Open by defeating Mardy Fish which was to be his first and only ATP 1000 title. After a couple of uninspiring matches, he finally clinched another title at the 2009 Kremlin Cup where he defeated Janko Tipsarevic. A lesser known fact about Youzhny is that he has a degree with a specialisation in the philosophy and attitudes of tennis.
