Blaž Rola
Country (sports)Slovenia Slovenia
ResidencePtuj, Slovenia
Born (1990-10-05) 5 October 1990
Ptuj, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Turned pro2013
PlaysLeft-handed (two-handed backhand)
CollegeOhio State University
Prize money$1,132,124
Singles
Career record15–23
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 78 (5 January 2015)
Current rankingNo. 478 (31 July 2023)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open2R (2014)
French Open1R (2019)
Wimbledon2R (2014)
US Open1R (2014)
Doubles
Career record8–8
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 186 (22 August 2016)
Current rankingNo. 262 (31 July 2023)
Medal record
Representing  Slovenia
Men's Tennis
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place2013 MersinSingles
Gold medal – first place2013 MersinDoubles
Last updated on: 31 July 2023.

Blaž Rola (born 5 October 1990) is a Slovenian tennis player.

His highest career ranking is No. 78 in singles and No. 186 in doubles. In his career, he has won one ATP 250 series doubles title, nine singles and six doubles ITF Futures tournaments and five ATP Challenger in singles and eight in doubles. He represents Slovenia on the Slovenia Davis Cup team. In the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin, Turkey, he won gold in singles and doubles.[1][2]

Personal life

Rola was born in Ptuj, the oldest Slovenian town, to father Marijan Rola and mother Majda Rola. He was four years old when he started playing tennis and when he was six he joined the Tennis Club Terme Ptuj where he spent the most of his youth. He went to High school in Ptuj.[3] In 2010 he moved to the United States where he studied at and competed in tennis for Ohio State University until 2013. In January 2019 he and his fiancée Slovenian blogger Vanesa Rola, who was his long term girlfriend, welcomed daughter Izabela. The same year he married Vanesa.

College career

He competed for Ohio State University from 2010 to 2013, winning the NCAA doubles championship in 2012 and the NCAA singles championship in 2013.

Professional career

2008–2013

In 2008 he began his professional career when he performed his first tournaments in ITF Futures and ATP Challenger Tour series.

In 2010 he represented Slovenia for the first time in Davis Cup and moved to study and play tennis in United States.

At 2013 Mediterranean Games he won 2 gold medals and made big progress when he reached Top 200 on ATP rankings for the first time in his career. In this period he won 9 Futures singles and 6 doubles titles and 1 title in doubles in Challenger series.

2014: Grand Slam and top 100 debut

Through qualifications he reached the main draw of Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the 2014 Australian Open. He lost in second round against Martin Kližan. With this result he became the fifth Slovene male player to reach the main draw of any Grand Slam.

In May he reached Top 100 in the ATP rankings and played in the qualifications for the 2014 French Open where her lost in the third round to James Ward.

In June he played his first ATP 250 series tournament on grass. At the 2014 Aegon Championships, London and the 2014 Aegon International, Eastbourne he lost in the first round on both occasions. He played in the main draw of 2014 Wimbledon Championships for the first time in his career and lost 1–6, 1–6, 0–6 in the second round against Andy Murray.[4]

2015: Career-high ranking

He reached a career-high ranking in singles of No. 78 on 5 January 2015.

2021: Fifth Challenger title

At the 2021 Zadar Open he won his seventh Challenger doubles title partnering his good friend Blaž Kavčič.

At the 2021 Split Open he defeated Kavčič to win his fifth Challenger singles title.[5]

2023: Maiden ATP title

At the 2023 Croatia Open Umag he won his first ATP title partnering with Nino Serdarušić.

ATP career finals

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 (0–0)
ATP World Tour 500 Series (0-0)
ATP World Tour 250 Series (1–0)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Clay (1–0)
Grass (0–0)
Finals by setting
Outdoor (1–0)
Indoor (0–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Jul 2023 Croatia Open, Umag 250 Series Clay Croatia Nino Serdarušić Italy Simone Bolelli
Italy Andrea Vavassori		 4–6, 7–6(7–2), [15–13]

Challenger and Futures finals

Singles: 27 (14–13)

Legend (singles)
ATP Challenger Tour (5–8)
ITF Futures Tour (9–5)
Titles by surface
Hard (3–2)
Clay (11–11)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 May 2010 Slovenia F1, Kamnik Futures Clay Germany Marcel Zimmermann 6–3, 2–6, 4–6
Win 1–1 Jun 2010 Slovenia F3, Maribor Futures Clay Hungary György Balázs 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 1–2 Jul 2010 Italy F18, Modena Futures Clay Italy Matteo Viola 1–6, 6–4, 1–6
Win 2–2 Aug 2010 Austria F3, Bad Waltersdorf Futures Clay Austria Pascal Brunner 7–5, 6–3
Win 3–2 Jul 2012 USA F17, Innisbrook Futures Clay Venezuela Luis David Martínez 6–2, 6–1
Loss 3–3 Jul 2012 Austria F1, Telfs Futures Clay Austria Marc Rath 6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win 4–3 Jul 2012 Austria F3, Bad Waltersdorf Futures Clay Austria Nicolas Reissig 6–3, 6–2
Loss 4–4 Aug 2012 Croatia F7, Čakovec Futures Clay Germany Peter Heller 4–6, 0–6
Win 5–4 Aug 2012 Croatia F8, Vinkovci Futures Clay Croatia Toni Androić 6–2, 6–2
Win 6–4 Sep 2012 Austria F9, Vogau Futures Clay Austria Andreas Haider-Maurer 6–2, 7–6(7–5)
Win 7–4 Jun 2013 Mexico F12, Quintana Roo Futures Hard Brazil José Pereira 7–6(8–6), 6–4
Loss 7–5 Aug 2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Challenger Clay Argentina Agustín Velotti 3–6, 4–6
Win 8–5 Aug 2013 Poland F5, Bytom Futures Clay Serbia Filip Krajinović w/o
Win 9–5 Oct 2013 Armenia F2, Yerevan Futures Clay Netherlands Boy Westerhof 6–2, 6–4
Loss 9–6 Oct 2013 Croatia F11, Dubrovnik Futures Clay Slovenia Janez Semrajc 4–6, 7–5, 3–6
Win 10–6 Mar 2014 Guangzhou, China, P.R. Challenger Hard Japan Yūichi Sugita 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 6–3
Loss 10–7 Mar 2014 Panama City, Panama Challenger Clay Spain Pere Riba 5–7, 7–5, 2–6
Loss 10–8 Apr 2014 São Paulo, Brazil Challenger Clay Brazil Rogério Dutra Silva 4–6, 2–6
Loss 10–9 Jul 2014 Poznań, Poland Challenger Clay Belgium David Goffin 4–6, 2–6
Win 11–9 Apr 2015 Santos, Brazil Challenger Clay Belgium Germain Gigounon 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 11–10 Jun 2016 Perugia, Italy Challenger Clay Argentina Nicolás Kicker 6–2, 3–6, 0–6
Win 12–10 Apr 2017 Tallahassee, USA Challenger Clay India Ramkumar Ramanathan 6–2, 6–7(6–8), 7–5
Loss 12–11 Mar 2018 Quijing, China, P.R. Challenger Hard Tunisia Malek Jaziri 6–7(5–7), 1–6
Loss 12–12 Apr 2018 Panama City, Panama Challenger Clay Argentina Carlos Berlocq 2–6, 0–6
Loss 12–13 Oct 2018 Las Vegas, USA Challenger Hard Australia Thanasi Kokkinakis 4–6, 4–6
Win 13–13 Apr 2019 León, Mexico Challenger Hard United Kingdom Liam Broady 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Win 14–13 Apr 2021 Split, Croatia Challenger Clay Slovenia Blaž Kavčič 2–6, 6–3, 6–2

Doubles: 23 (15–8)

Legend (doubles)
ATP Challenger Tour (9–5)
ITF Futures Tour (6–3)
Titles by surface
Hard (4–4)
Clay (10–4)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (1–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Oct 2009 Croatia F9, Dubrovnik Futures Clay Slovenia Martin Rmuš United Kingdom Morgan Phillips
Croatia Antonio Šančić		 6–3, 7–6(9–7)
Loss 1–1 May 2010 Bosnia & Herzegovina F3, Doboj Futures Clay Slovenia Martin Rmuš Austria Michael Linzer
Austria Herbert Wiltschnig		 w/o
Win 2–1 Jun 2010 Slovenia F3, Maribor Futures Clay Slovenia Martin Rmuš Spain Javier Martí
Spain Sergio Pérez Pérez		 6–3, 6–3
Loss 2–2 Aug 2011 Croatia F7, Vinkovci Futures Clay Croatia Mislav Hižak Bosnia and Herzegovina Tomislav Brkić
Croatia Marin Franjičević		 6–3, 3–6, [7–10]
Win 3–2 Jul 2012 USA F17, Innisbrook Futures Clay United States Chase Buchanan South Africa Keith-Patrick Crowley
United States Joshua Zavala		 6–4, 6–2
Win 4–2 Jul 2012 Austria F1, Telfs Futures Clay Slovenia Tomislav Ternar Austria Stefan Hirn
Austria Sebastian Stiefelmeyer		 6–2, 7–5
Loss 4–3 Aug 2012 Croatia F7, Čakovec Futures Clay Slovenia Tomislav Ternar France Thibault Venturino
Slovenia Janoš Žibrat		 3–6, 4–6
Win 5–3 Aug 2012 Croatia F8, Vinkovci Futures Clay Croatia Mislav Hižak Bosnia and Herzegovina Tomislav Brkić
Bosnia and Herzegovina Aldin Šetkić		 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Win 6–3 Sep 2012 Austria F9, Vogau Futures Clay Philippines Ruben Gonzales Austria Lukas Jastraunig
Austria Tristan-Samuel Weissborn		 6–2, 6–2
Loss 6–4 Jul 2013 Portorož, Slovenia Challenger Hard Slovenia Aljaž Bedene Croatia Marin Draganja
Croatia Mate Pavić		 3–6, 6–1, [5–10]
Win 7–4 Nov 2013 Toyota, Japan Challenger Carpet (i) United States Chase Buchanan New Zealand Marcus Daniell
New Zealand Artem Sitak		 4–6, 6–3, [10–4]
Loss 7–5 Jan 2014 Nouméa, New Caledonia Challenger Hard Croatia Ante Pavić United States Austin Krajicek
United States Tennys Sandgren		 6–7(4–7), 3–6
Loss 7–6 Feb 2014 Chennai, India Challenger Hard India Sriram Balaji India Yuki Bhambri
New Zealand Michael Venus		 4–6, 6–7(3–7)
Win 8–6 May 2015 São Paulo, Brazil Challenger Clay United States Chase Buchanan Argentina Guido Andreozzi
Peru Sergio Galdós		 6–4, 6–4
Win 9–6 Sep 2015 Cary, USA Challenger Hard United States Chase Buchanan United States Austin Krajicek
United States Nicholas Monroe		 6–4, 6–7(5–7), [10–4]
Win 10–6 Sep 2015 Columbus, USA Challenger Hard (i) United States Chase Buchanan United States Mitchell Krueger
United States Eric Quigley		 6–4, 4–6, [19–17]
Win 11–6 Oct 2017 Lima, Peru Challenger Clay Mexico Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela Portugal Gonçalo Oliveira
Poland Grzegorz Panfil		 7–5, 6–3
Loss 11–7 Jun 2018 Caltanissetta, Italy Challenger Clay Czech Republic Jiří Veselý Italy Federico Gaio
Italy Andrea Pellegrino		 6–7(4–7), 6–7(5–7)
Win 12–7 Nov 2019 Charlottesville, USA Challenger Hard United States Mitchell Krueger United States Sekou Bangoura
Slovenia Blaz Kavcic		 6-4, 6–1
Win 13–7 Mar 2021 Zadar, Croatia Challenger Clay Slovenia Blaž Kavčič Slovakia Lukáš Klein
Slovakia Alex Molčan		 2–6, 6–2, [10–3]
Win 14–7 Nov 2021 Knoxville, USA Challenger Hard (i) Tunisia Malek Jaziri Mexico Hans Hach Verdugo
Mexico Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela		 3–6, 6–3, [10–5]
Loss 14–8 Jan 2022 Bendigo, Australia Challenger Hard France Enzo Couacaud Belgium Ruben Bemelmans
Germany Daniel Masur		 6-7(2-7), 4-6
Win 15-8 Sep 2023 Tulln an der Donau, Austria Challenger Clay Czech Republic Zdenek Kolar Poland Piotr Matuszewski
Germany Kai Wehnelt		 6–4, 4–6, [10–6]

Singles performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# P# DNQ A Z# PO G S B NMS NTI P NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.
Tournament20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021 2022W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A A A A A A 2R 1R Q1 A Q1 Q2 Q1 Q2 Q1 1–2
French Open A A A A A A Q3 Q2 Q1 Q1 Q1 1R Q1 Q2 0–1
Wimbledon A A A A A A 2R 1R A A Q2 Q1 NH Q1 1–2
US Open A A A A A A 1R Q1 Q1 Q2 Q1 Q1 A Q3 0–1
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–3 0–2 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–6
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
Monte-Carlo Masters A A A A A A A Q1 A A A A NH A 0–0
Italian Open A A A A A A Q2 A A A A A A A 0–0
Canadian Open A A A A A A Q1 A A A A NH A 0–0
Cincinnati Masters A A A A A A 1R Q1 A A A A A A 0–1
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1
National representation
Davis Cup A A Z2 A A Z1 Z1 Z1 Z1 A Z2 Z2 A A 6–5
Career statistics
Overall win–loss 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–1 5–9 6–6 2–2 0–0 0–1 0–2 0–0 0–1 0–1 15–23
Win % – – 100% – – 50% 36% 50% 50% – 0% 0% – 0% 41%
Year-end ranking 1465 933 423 721 307 201 80 144 255 206 188 145 155 181 1118 –
* As of 26 May 2022

Record against other players

Rola's match record against those who have been ranked in the top 10. Players who have been No. 1 are in boldface

* As of 26 May 2021.

Davis Cup

Davis Cup results
Rubber outcome No. Rubber Match type (partner if any) Opponent nation Opponent player(s) Score
Increase5–0; Jul 9 – 11, 2010; TK Krka Otočec, Otočec, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group II Second Round; Clay
Victory 1. IV (dead rubber) Singles Bulgaria Bulgaria Valentin Dimov 6–0, 6–1
Increase4–1; Sep 13 – 15, 2013; Park Tivoli, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I First Round Play-Off; Clay
Victory 2. I Singles South Africa South Africa Rik de Voest 6–1, 6–1, 6–4
Victory 3. III Doubles (with Blaž Kavčič) Raven Klaasen / Nicolaas Scholtz 7–5, 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
Defeat 4. V (dead rubber) Singles Nicolaas Scholtz 3–2 ret.
Decrease1–3; Apr 4 – 6, 2014; ŠRC Marina Portorož, Portorož, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I Second Round; Clay
Victory 5. II Singles Israel Israel Dudi Sela 6–3, 6–4, 6–4
Defeat 6. III Doubles (with Grega Žemlja) Jonathan Erlich / Andy Ram 6–7(7–9), 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 3–6
Increase5–0; Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2015; Teniski klub Triglav Kranj, Kranj, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group I Second Round Play-Off; Hard (i)
Victory 7. II Singles Lithuania Lithuania Laurynas Grigelis 7–6(8–6), 6–2, 6–2
Victory 8. III Doubles (with Blaž Kavčič) Laurynas Grigelis / Lukas Mugevičius 6–4, 7–6(7–1), 6–4
Victory 9. IV (dead rubber) Singles Lukas Mugevičius 6–2, 6–2
Decrease1–4; Mar 4 – 6, 2016; Sala Sporturilor, Arad, Romania; Europe/Africa Group I First Round; Hard (i)
Defeat 10. I Singles Romania Romania Marius Copil 5–7, 3–6, 6–7(5–7)
Defeat 11. III Doubles (with Grega Žemlja) Florin Mergea / Horia Tecău 3–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(3–7)
Defeat 12. II Singles Adrian Ungur 6–3, 6–4
Decrease2–3; Feb 3 – 4, 2018; Lukna Sports Hall, Maribor, Slovenia; Europe/Africa Group II First Round; Hard (i)
Victory 13. II Singles Poland Poland Kamil Majchrzak 4–6, 2–6
Defeat 14. III Doubles (with Aljaž Bedene) Mateusz Kowalczyk / Marcin Matkowski 7–5, 6–7(5–7), 4–6
Increase3–1; Sep 13 – 14, 2019; Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo, Egypt; Europe/Africa Group I First Round; Clay
Defeat 15. II Singles Egypt Egypt Mohamed Safwat 4–6, 6–1, 6–7(4–7)
Victory 16. III Doubles (with Aljaž Bedene) Sherif Sabry / Mohamed Safwat 7–5, 6–3

References

  1. ↑ "Mersin 2013 Tennis Men's Singles Final" (PDF). mersin2013.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Mersin 2013 Tennis Men's Doubles Final" (PDF). mersin2013.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Interview: Caffe Invitation, guest: Blaž Rola (Slovene)". Ptuj television PeTV. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  4. ↑ "Andy Murray demolishes Blaz Rola for loss of two games to reach third round of Wimbledon 2014". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "Blaž Rola Wins ATP Challenger Split Open Title!". Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
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