Status: #41 ATP ranking. Winner of one ATP singles title (d. Monfils in Vienna in 2008) and one doubles. Career high ranking is #35 in 2009.
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 154
DOB: March 24, 1984 in Bayreuth, Germany.
Tennis Inspirations: “My father used to play, so we had our own tennis center back in Germany. So it was pretty clear from the beginning that I start playing tennis. And I kind of liked it. So I made my hobby into a job. I enjoy it very much so it was also my inspiration.”
Nicknames: “Some call me Petszchy and the rest normally call me Picasso. (Why?) Because I’m pretty close between being a genius on the court and completely nut. That’s what they say [smiles].”
Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “I like to, for sure, golf. I love to play golf. The rest, just hanging around, normally take walks through the parks. I’m normally the relaxed kind of guy.”
Favorite Movie: “Mean Machine.”
Favorite TV Shows: “I will go for How I Met Your Mother and Prison Break.”
Musical Tastes: “All kinds, but right now I’m into the German rock  Totenhosen.”
Last Book Read: “Was actually ‘Complete Idiot.’ About a guy in his mid-thirties just making bullshit for his whole life. And just trying to build something.”
First Tennis Memory: “I would go for my first junior tournament I played back in Austria and I won it with my older sister (Isabel) in mixed.”
First Car: “Was a Honda Civic.”
Current Car: “A BMW.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “(Think about?) about what to eat in the evening [smiles]. I’m kidding. We talk before the match, with my coach. But right before the match we are normally talking about soccer or something, for sure not the tennis.”
Favorite Meal: “I would go for sushi and pizza.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Vanilla.”
Favorite Web Site: “It’s kicker.de, it’s German, about the bundesliga.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “I think it was…good question…my first ATP title in Vienna. And I think when I qualified and I won my first round on the Grand Slam level against Benjamin Becker (at the US Open, 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 in 2007). And then I was allowed to play on the Grand Stand against Tommy Haas. Had a great match, it was crowded, people went nuts in the fourth set. That was one of the best experiences I had; lost 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 5-7 in the fourth. And oh, of course, my first Davis Cup experience in Moscow in the doubles, that was also a great moment.”
Most Painful Moment: “I would go for the singles the day after, Moscow Davis Cup, semifinals lost to Youzhny, four sets. We lost the match 2-3 so we couldn’t advance to finals.”
Favorite Tournaments: “Wimbledon and US Open.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “Alexander Peya and Christopher Kas.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Dimitry Tursunov of course. Gael Monfils.”
Toughest Competitors: “I would say for me it would be Fabrice Santoro. Because we have a similar kind of game. But he plays maybe a little bit smarter from time to time. I think the toughest one at the moment is Rafa for sure.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “I played doubles with Peya in Bensancon, France. And I was with Peya (vs. Tecau/Allegro). I was playing the return at the feet and he was crossing at the net. And they straight hit him to the head and he was heading the ball like to cross-court short angle. It was a winner, we broke them with this point. And he was just lying on the floor, laughing. Nobody knew if he was hitting with the racquet or the head. He was lying on the floor, the referee was asking him, How did you do that? You played it with the racquet? He just kept on laughing. He couldn’t say a word. That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in my life [smiles]. (So you won the point?) We won the point. We win this game. We were down 1-3 and we win the match 6-3, 6-1. So that was like the complete turnaround in the whole match [smiles].”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “There were none so far, I remember at least.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “Federer. He’s just a genius, with him it looks so elegant. So relaxed. Greatest player of all time, for me. Back then, I loved to watch Ivanisevic going crazy. And the way Edberg played, I enjoyed that also.”
Best You Ever Felt On Court: “The match against Tommy Haas second round US Open. I didn’t play my best tennis. It was just such a great experience. Such a great fight. And afterwards we turned out to be friends. So much fun on the court as well. I lost but it was an amazing experience to be out there.”
Last Vacation: “Was Maldives.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty and humor. The most important is for sure the honesty but I couldn’t spend time with people who don’t have a sense of humor.”
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Petzschy fan · March 7, 2011 at 9:17 am
Excellent interview. Thank you. Smart questions and very honest answers, thoroughly enjoyable. I guess the greatest tennis moment should be winning Wimbledon double championship and again, winning the fifth decisive rubber against Ivo Karlovic! hopefully, many many more championship wins to come. Be aggressive, be the next tennis champion for Germany! Petzschy, you are the ONE!
Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Yes this could be the kind of win that give him the fuel and confidence to win something really big. He showed last year vs. Nadal at Wimbledon how close he is, he had Nadal in trouble, then Nadal, I believe, faked that knee injury timeout and Petzchner lost his momentum. He has to learn how to deal with stunts like that. Fantastic player to watch.