History of Mardy Fish in Timeline

Mardy Fish is a retired American tennis player known for his expertise on hard courts. He achieved significant success in the early 2000s, becoming a prominent figure in American tennis during that era.

December 9, 1981: Birth of Mardy Fish

On December 9, 1981, Mardy Fish was born in Edina, Minnesota.

1984: Early Tennis Prodigy

In 1984, at the age of two, Mardy Fish was featured on a Minneapolis TV station hitting tennis balls over the net.

1986: Move to Florida

Fish's family relocated to Vero Beach, Florida, in 1986.

1999: High School Tennis and Friendship with Andy Roddick

Fish attended Boca Prep International School in Florida, where he played tennis and basketball with Andy Roddick. He also lived with Roddick's family during this time.

1999: Junior Tennis Success

In 1999, Mardy Fish achieved a junior ranking of No. 14 in singles and No. 19 in doubles.

2000: Professional Debut

Mardy Fish turned professional in 2000 at the age of 18.

2002: First ATP Tour Title

Fish won his first ATP Tour title in doubles with Andy Roddick at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston, Texas in 2002.

2003: Breakthrough Year and Victory over Carlos Moyà

Fish's career saw significant improvement in 2003 as he won his first ATP singles title and reached the final of the Cincinnati Masters. Notably, he defeated former world No. 1 Carlos Moyà at the Australian Open in a thrilling five-set match.

2003: Fish's Breakthrough Year

In 2003, Mardy Fish reached the final of the Cincinnati Masters Series and won his first ATP singles title at the Stockholm Open, defeating Robin Söderling.

2004: Olympic Silver Medalist

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Fish won a silver medal in men's singles, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero and Fernando González before losing to Nicolás Massú in the final.

2004: Reaching Finals and Olympic Success

In 2004, Fish reached the finals of the SAP Open and the Gerry Weber Open. His most significant achievement was winning the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Athens, where he defeated notable players like Juan Carlos Ferrero and Fernando González before losing to Nicolás Massú in the final.

2004: Mardy Fish debuts in World TeamTennis

In 2004, Mardy Fish made his debut in World TeamTennis with the Hartford FoxForce. This marked the beginning of his nine-season participation in the league.

2005: Wrist Injury and Setback

Fish's promising trajectory was hampered by a left wrist injury in 2005, requiring two surgeries and limiting him to only 17 matches that year.

2005: Mardy Fish joins the Houston Wranglers

In 2005, Mardy Fish joined the Houston Wranglers for his second season in World TeamTennis.

2006: Mardy Fish continues with the Houston Wranglers

In 2006, Mardy Fish continued to play for the Houston Wranglers in World TeamTennis.

2007: Australian Open Quarterfinals and Upset over Ivan Ljubičić

Fish started 2007 strong, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, his best result at a Grand Slam tournament. He notably defeated the fourth seed, Ivan Ljubičić, in the first round.

2007: Australian Open Quarterfinalist

Mardy Fish achieved his best Grand Slam result in 2007 by reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where he lost to Andy Roddick.

September 2008: Fish Marries Stacey Gardner

Mardy Fish married Stacey Gardner, an attorney and former "Briefcase Model" on the game show "Deal or No Deal," in September 2008. The wedding was a Jewish ceremony, reflecting Gardner's faith. Fish's close friend and fellow tennis player, James Blake, served as a groomsman.

2008: Delray Beach Quarterfinals

Fish reached the quarterfinals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in 2008, where he lost to Robby Ginepri.

2008: Hopman Cup Victory with Serena Williams

Fish, partnering with Serena Williams, won the Hopman Cup in 2008, an exhibition event in Perth, Australia.

2008: US Open Quarterfinalist

Mardy Fish reached the quarterfinals of the US Open in 2008.

2009: Early Exits in Clay Court Championships and Rome Masters

Fish had early exits in both the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships and the Rome Masters in 2009.

2009: Withdrawal from US Open

Fish withdrew from the US Open in 2009 due to a rib injury.

2009: BNP Paribas Open and Doubles Success

In the 2009 BNP Paribas Open, Fish was eliminated in the singles second round but won the doubles title with Andy Roddick, his first ATP Masters Series 1000 title.

2010: Fish Improves Fitness and Form

In 2010, Mardy Fish made significant changes to his physique and game. He lost over 30 pounds, going from 203 to 170, resulting in improved fitness, speed, and stamina on the court. This period also saw him focus on his forehand, leading to greater consistency in his shots.

2010: Cincinnati Masters Series Finalist

Mardy Fish reached the final of the Cincinnati Masters Series for the second time in 2010.

2010: Victories, Controversies, and a Final Appearance

The year 2010 saw Fish win the SAP Open in San Jose with Sam Querrey, defeat Andy Murray in straight sets at the Sony Ericsson Open, and engage in a controversial match with Murray at the Queen's tournament. Despite the controversy, Fish reached the final of the Queen's tournament, losing to Sam Querrey.

April 2011: American No. 1 Ranking

In April 2011, Fish became the top-ranked American tennis player, surpassing Andy Roddick.

July 31, 2011: Mardy Fish finishes runner-up at the 2011 Farmers Classic

On July 31, 2011, Mardy Fish reached the finals of the 2011 Farmers Classic, where he faced Ernests Gulbis. After defeating Ryan Harrison in the semifinals, Fish lost to Gulbis in the final with set scores of 7–5, 4–6, 4–6. He subsequently withdrew from Washington, D.C., due to a heel injury sustained during the final.

August 2011: Career-High Ranking

Fish reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 7 in August 2011.

2011: Semifinal Runs in Delray Beach and Memphis

Fish reached the semifinals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships and the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in 2011, losing to Juan Martín del Potro and Milos Raonic, respectively.

2011: Early Exits in Australia

Fish started 2011 with early exits at the Brisbane International and the Australian Open.

2011: Mardy Fish reaches third round of the French Open

In 2011, Mardy Fish achieved his best result at the French Open by reaching the third round. He was defeated by Gilles Simon with set scores of 3–6, 4–6, 2–6.

2011: Mardy Fish reaches quarterfinals and semifinals in major tournaments

In 2011, Mardy Fish advanced to the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open by defeating notable players like Juan Martín del Potro. His performance allowed him to overtake Andy Roddick as the highest-ranked American player on the tour. He subsequently entered the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic. On April 18, 2011, Fish entered the top 10 rankings for the first time.

2011: Mardy Fish's performances in the Western & Southern Open and US Open

In 2011, Mardy Fish had a notable run in the Western & Southern Open, defeating Rafael Nadal for the first time and advancing to the semifinals. At the US Open, he made it to the fourth round before being eliminated by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

2011: Wimbledon Quarterfinalist and Montreal Masters Series Finalist

In 2011, Mardy Fish reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the final of the Montreal Masters Series.

2011: Mardy Fish reaches Masters series final at Rogers Cup

In August 2011, Mardy Fish reached his fourth Masters series final at the Rogers Cup. He defeated several top players, including Feliciano López and Stanislas Wawrinka, before facing Novak Djokovic in the final. Fish lost to Djokovic with set scores of 2–6, 6–3, 4–6, but rose to a career-high ranking of no. 7.

2012: Mardy Fish competes at the Citi Open

In 2012, Mardy Fish chose to compete at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., instead of the Summer Olympics. He was the top seed and reached the semifinals of the tournament.

2012: Mardy Fish's return at Wimbledon

In 2012, Mardy Fish made a comeback at Wimbledon, where he was seeded 10th. His run was cut short in the fourth round when he lost to fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets.

2012: Mardy Fish plays for the Sacramento Capitals

In 2012, Mardy Fish played for the Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis.

2012: Mardy Fish battles cardiac arrhythmia and undergoes surgery

In 2012, Mardy Fish reached the quarterfinals in Miami but was defeated by Juan Mónaco. After the match, he was hospitalized for severe cardiac arrhythmia. On May 23, he underwent a cardiac catheter ablation in Los Angeles to correct the condition. The arrhythmia caused significant mental and emotional difficulties for Fish, impacting his ability to sleep and be alone.

2012: Mardy Fish's challenges in the 2012 Australian Open and Indian Wells

In 2012, Mardy Fish was defeated in the second round of the Australian Open by Alejandro Falla. He reached the third round at Indian Wells before losing to Matthew Ebden.

2012: Mardy Fish withdraws from the US Open due to health issues

In the 2012 US Open, Mardy Fish, seeded 23rd, defeated Go Soeda, Nikolay Davydenko, and Gilles Simon. He withdrew before his fourth-round match with top seed Roger Federer due to health reasons, later revealing that anxiety was the cause.

2012: Fish Withdraws from US Open

Prior to his fourth-round match at the 2012 US Open, Mardy Fish withdrew from the tournament. This withdrawal, though not counted as a loss, marked a difficult moment in his tennis career.

2013: Mardy Fish continues with the Sacramento Capitals

In 2013, Mardy Fish continued to play for the Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis.

2013: Mardy Fish's doubles performance in Washington, D.C.

In 2013, Mardy Fish played doubles at the Washington, D.C. event, teaming with Radek Štěpánek. They made it to the final, but lost to Julien Benneteau and Nenad Zimonjić.

2013: Mardy Fish's 2013 season and withdrawal from the US Open

In 2013, Mardy Fish returned to the ATP tour at Indian Wells and Atlanta, but struggled with performance issues. After retiring in the third set against Jarkko Nieminen in Winston-Salem due to heat stroke, he announced he would not be playing in the US Open.

June 2014: Mardy Fish undergoes second cardiac catheter ablation

In June 2014, Mardy Fish underwent a second cardiac catheter ablation to correct misfiring electrical pulses in his heart. This procedure was part of his ongoing battle with cardiac arrhythmia.

February 2015: Mardy Fish returns to competitive tennis

In February 2015, Mardy Fish returned to competitive tennis at the Tennis Championship of Dallas, playing doubles with Mark Knowles. He also participated in the Indian Wells Masters but lost in the first round to Ryan Harrison.

July 2015: Mardy Fish's performance in Atlanta and Cincinnati

In July 2015, Mardy Fish returned to the tour in Atlanta, where he lost in the first round of singles but won his first-round doubles match with Andy Roddick. In Cincinnati, he won his first singles match since 2013 against Victor Troicki but lost to Andy Murray in the second round.

2015: Mardy Fish reveals struggle with anxiety

In 2015, Mardy Fish disclosed that his withdrawal from the 2012 US Open was due to anxiety. This revelation highlighted the mental health challenges he faced during his career.

2015: Retirement from Professional Tennis

Mardy Fish retired from professional tennis after the 2015 US Open.

2016: Mardy Fish joins the Washington Kastles

In 2016, Mardy Fish played for the Washington Kastles in World TeamTennis.

2016: Fish Wins Diamond Resorts Invitational

Mardy Fish emerged victorious at the Diamond Resorts Invitational in Orlando in 2016.

2017: Mardy Fish joins the New York Empire

In 2017, Mardy Fish played for the New York Empire in World TeamTennis.

2018: Mardy Fish continues with the New York Empire

In 2018, Mardy Fish continued to play for the New York Empire in World TeamTennis.

2018: Fish Wins Second Diamond Resorts Invitational

Mardy Fish secured his second victory at the Diamond Resorts Invitational in Orlando in 2018.

January 2019: Davis Cup Captaincy

Fish was appointed captain of the United States Davis Cup team in January 2019, succeeding Jim Courier.

2019: Mardy Fish continues with the New York Empire

In 2019, Mardy Fish continued to play for the New York Empire in World TeamTennis.

2020: Mardy Fish to join New York Empire in 2020 WTT season

In 2020, it was announced that Mardy Fish would join the New York Empire for the 2020 World TeamTennis season, starting on July 12 at The Greenbrier.

2020: Fish Wins American Century Championship

Mardy Fish won the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament held annually in Lake Tahoe, in 2020.

2021: Fish Opens Up About Mental Health in "Untold: Breaking Point"

In 2021, the Netflix docuseries "Untold: Breaking Point" featured Mardy Fish sharing his personal experiences with anxiety and depression. This appearance offered insights into the challenges faced by athletes and helped destigmatize mental health issues.

2022: Fish Receives Sponsor Exemption for 3M Open

In 2022, Mardy Fish was granted a sponsor exemption to compete in the 3M Open. This PGA Tour event held in his home state of Minnesota marked a significant opportunity for Fish in professional golf.