Richard Bloomfield
Encyclopedia
Richard Bloomfield is an English professional male tennis player. He turned professional in 2002 and reached a peak world ranking of 176 in March 2007. 'Bloomers', as he is known to the tennis world, is from the small Norfolk village of Alpington
.
Bloomfield won the 2001 British Junior Tennis Championships, defeating Alex Bogdanovic
in the final. He also won the equivalent doubles title with Ken Skupski
. He played his first senior tennis that year, losing to future French Open finalist Robin Söderling
in the qualifying draw for the Bolton Challenger. He continued to play doubles and singles on the futures and challenger tours. His first full ATP tournament was the 2003 Wimbledon men's singles as a wild card
, in which he lost in the first round to Anthony Dupuis
.
Arguably his most successful season to date came in 2006, when he reached the second round at Wimbledon
, beating Carlos Berlocq
to record his first ATP level victory. Bloomfield's unexpected victory was investigated by ATP officials concerned about betting patterns, but no evidence was found of any wrongdoing. Bloomfield also won two futures tournaments in 2006, reached the semi-final of Rennes Challenger, losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and a further three doubles semi-finals of the Challenger tour. Early 2007 saw him reach his first ever Challenger singles final, losing to Michał Przysiężny in Wrexham
in January. It was shortly after this that Bloomfield achieved his highest ranking to date of 176. Bloomfield also reached two further doubles Challenger finals and, partnering Jonathan Marray
, made the third round of the men's doubles at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships
. In 2008 he recorded his highest doubles ranking, of 172.
Bloomfield's ranking fell over 2008 and 2009, despite qualifying for the 2008 Artois Championships and the 2009 Open 13
, his first successful qualifications for ATP tournaments. Despite putting up a good fight in the Open 13, Bloomfield was eventually knocked out in the first round by Simone Bolelli
of Italy (7-6, 7-6) A series of back injuries saw Bloomfield's ranking fall further, before he achieved a surprise qualification for the 2010 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island. Here, Bloomfield achieved his first wins on the ATP Tour since Wimbledon in 2006, making his way to the semi-finals. This included a win over world number 56, Santiago Giraldo
, before losing to Mardy Fish
by a score of 7-6(5), 6-4. His season finished early, however, when he aggravated his back injury during a tournament in France in September 2010.
In 2011 Bloomfield continued to play in Futures tournaments, as well as qualifying for two tournaments on the Challenger tour. Remarkably, however, Bloomfield qualified once again for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
, defeating Rajeev Ram
to make his first ATP tournament since his previous appearance at the 2010 tournament.
Alpington
Alpington is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated about six miles south-east of Norwich and is closely associated with Yelverton just to the north....
.
Bloomfield won the 2001 British Junior Tennis Championships, defeating Alex Bogdanovic
Alex Bogdanovic
Aleksa Bogdanovic , also known as his British nickname Alex, is a Serbian-British tennis player born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Alex was brought to England by his parents Dušan and Amelija when he was seven and took up tennis as a means of making new friends.Bogdanovic turned professional in 2002...
in the final. He also won the equivalent doubles title with Ken Skupski
Ken Skupski
Ken Skupski is a professional tennis player who lives in Liverpool, England. He is best known as a doubles player, most successfully partnering Colin Fleming. Having played college tennis at the Louisiana State University, he turned professional in 2007...
. He played his first senior tennis that year, losing to future French Open finalist Robin Söderling
Robin Söderling
Robin Bo Carl Söderling is a professional tennis player from Sweden who is currently ranked number 13 in the ATP rankings. Söderling reached successive French Open finals in 2009 and 2010...
in the qualifying draw for the Bolton Challenger. He continued to play doubles and singles on the futures and challenger tours. His first full ATP tournament was the 2003 Wimbledon men's singles as a wild card
Wild card
Wild card may refer to:* Wild card , a playing card that substitutes for any other card in card games* Wild card , a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play...
, in which he lost in the first round to Anthony Dupuis
Anthony Dupuis
Antony Dupuis is a French tennis player. In 2006 he tested positive for the banned drug Salbutamol, and was suspended for two and a half months.-Personal life:...
.
Arguably his most successful season to date came in 2006, when he reached the second round at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, beating Carlos Berlocq
Carlos Berlocq
Carlos Alberto Berlocq is an Argentine professional male tennis player. He is nicknamed Charly. Berlocq's favourite surface is clay and he is currently coached by Jorge Gerosi.-Career:...
to record his first ATP level victory. Bloomfield's unexpected victory was investigated by ATP officials concerned about betting patterns, but no evidence was found of any wrongdoing. Bloomfield also won two futures tournaments in 2006, reached the semi-final of Rennes Challenger, losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and a further three doubles semi-finals of the Challenger tour. Early 2007 saw him reach his first ever Challenger singles final, losing to Michał Przysiężny in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
in January. It was shortly after this that Bloomfield achieved his highest ranking to date of 176. Bloomfield also reached two further doubles Challenger finals and, partnering Jonathan Marray
Jonathan Marray
Jonny Marray is a British tennis player who represents Yorkshire. As of June 2009 he is the 9th highest ranked player in Britain....
, made the third round of the men's doubles at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships
2007 Wimbledon Championships
The 2007 Wimbledon Championships were held between 25 June and 8 July 2007. For the first time there was equal prize money for the men's and women's singles champions. Reconstruction work on Centre Court was in progress and thus it had no roof....
. In 2008 he recorded his highest doubles ranking, of 172.
Bloomfield's ranking fell over 2008 and 2009, despite qualifying for the 2008 Artois Championships and the 2009 Open 13
2009 Open 13
The 2009 Open 13 was a tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the 17th edition of the Open 13, and was part of the International Series of the 2009 ATP World Tour...
, his first successful qualifications for ATP tournaments. Despite putting up a good fight in the Open 13, Bloomfield was eventually knocked out in the first round by Simone Bolelli
Simone Bolelli
Simone Bolelli is a professional Italian tennis player.- 2003 :In 2003, Bolelli reached his first ITF Futures tournament semifinal at Egypt F1, losing to 485th-ranked Jaroslav Pospíšil. He played entirely Futures events except for one Challenger tournament in Brindisi, losing to Galo Blanco in the...
of Italy (7-6, 7-6) A series of back injuries saw Bloomfield's ranking fall further, before he achieved a surprise qualification for the 2010 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island. Here, Bloomfield achieved his first wins on the ATP Tour since Wimbledon in 2006, making his way to the semi-finals. This included a win over world number 56, Santiago Giraldo
Santiago Giraldo
Santiago Giraldo Salazar is a Colombian male tennis player from Pereira in Colombia. He plays on the ATP tour and represents Colombia in the Davis Cup competition.-ATP Tour:...
, before losing to Mardy Fish
Mardy Fish
Mardy Simpson Fish is an American professional tennis player, and Olympic silver medalist. He is a hardcourt specialist...
by a score of 7-6(5), 6-4. His season finished early, however, when he aggravated his back injury during a tournament in France in September 2010.
In 2011 Bloomfield continued to play in Futures tournaments, as well as qualifying for two tournaments on the Challenger tour. Remarkably, however, Bloomfield qualified once again for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
The Hall of Fame Championships is an international tennis tournament that has been held every year in July since 1976 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island...
, defeating Rajeev Ram
Rajeev Ram
Rajeev Ram is an American professional tennis player on the ATP Tour. Rajeev is a tall, lanky player with a serve-and-volley style who is known best as a doubles specialist. He has advanced as far as the quarter-finals in doubles at three Grand Slams, most recently with Scott Lipsky at the 2011...
to make his first ATP tournament since his previous appearance at the 2010 tournament.