Ronald Agenor
Encyclopedia
Ronald Jean-Martin Agénor (born November 13, 1964 in Rabat
, Morocco
) is a former professional tennis
player who represented Haïti
during his playing career. He is known as the only Haitian to have ever earned a top-25 world ranking.
The son of a diplomat, Agénor was born in Morocco and lived there for ten years. He then lived in Zaïre
for four years, before moving to Bordeaux
, France at the age of 14. He was ranked the World No. 8 junior tennis player in 1982. He turned professional in 1983.
In 1989, Agénor reached the quarter-finals of the French Open (where he was knocked-out by eventual-champion Michael Chang
), and won his first top-level singles title at Athens
. He reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 22 that year. In 1990, Agénor won two further tour singles titles at Berlin and Genoa
.
In 1999, Agénor finished the year ranked World No. 98 and became the first player aged over 35 to finish in the top-100 since Jimmy Connors
in 1992.
Agenor's father is Frédéric Agénor, who was a United Nations
diplomat for over 20 years before becoming Haïti's Minister of Agriculture in the 1980s. Ronald has two sisters and three brothers, including Pierre-Richard Agenor, an economist and professor of International Macroeconomics and Development Economics
at the University of Manchester, and Patrick Agenor, a cardiologist living in France.
Agénor last competed in an ATP-sanctioned tour event in July 2006 at the Aptos
Futures event after a four-year layoff from tour tennis, losing 3–6, 4–6 in the first round.
Agénor has also recorded music as a rock musician http://www.thestivs.com/Rock/Progressive_Rock/album_RONALD_AGENOR_Waves_Of_Love.html. He is married to former model Tonya Williams, they have two daughters, Sascha Lourdes Agenor and Chloe Iman Agenor. The family lives in Beverly Hills.
Agénor is today a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Monaco-based international organization Peace and Sport.
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
) is a former professional tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player who represented Haïti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
during his playing career. He is known as the only Haitian to have ever earned a top-25 world ranking.
The son of a diplomat, Agénor was born in Morocco and lived there for ten years. He then lived in Zaïre
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
for four years, before moving to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, France at the age of 14. He was ranked the World No. 8 junior tennis player in 1982. He turned professional in 1983.
In 1989, Agénor reached the quarter-finals of the French Open (where he was knocked-out by eventual-champion Michael Chang
Michael Chang
Michael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
), and won his first top-level singles title at Athens
ATP Athens Open
The ATP Athens Open is a defunct Grand Prix and ATP Tour affiliated tennis tournament held annually in Athens in Greece from 1986 to 1994 and played on outdoor clay courts. In 2008 the tournament was renewed under the new name of the Athens Status Open on the ATP Challenger Series, awarding $75,000...
. He reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 22 that year. In 1990, Agénor won two further tour singles titles at Berlin and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
.
In 1999, Agénor finished the year ranked World No. 98 and became the first player aged over 35 to finish in the top-100 since Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors
James Scott "Jimmy" Connors is an American former world no. 1 tennis player....
in 1992.
Agenor's father is Frédéric Agénor, who was a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
diplomat for over 20 years before becoming Haïti's Minister of Agriculture in the 1980s. Ronald has two sisters and three brothers, including Pierre-Richard Agenor, an economist and professor of International Macroeconomics and Development Economics
at the University of Manchester, and Patrick Agenor, a cardiologist living in France.
Agénor last competed in an ATP-sanctioned tour event in July 2006 at the Aptos
Aptos, California
Aptos is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 6,220 at the 2010 census.Aptos is an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz county, consisting of several small communities...
Futures event after a four-year layoff from tour tennis, losing 3–6, 4–6 in the first round.
Agénor has also recorded music as a rock musician http://www.thestivs.com/Rock/Progressive_Rock/album_RONALD_AGENOR_Waves_Of_Love.html. He is married to former model Tonya Williams, they have two daughters, Sascha Lourdes Agenor and Chloe Iman Agenor. The family lives in Beverly Hills.
Agénor is today a member of the ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Monaco-based international organization Peace and Sport.