JL De Jager CV & BIO 1
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JL DE JAGER CV JL DE JAGER Playing Highlights Coaching Highlights • South African Davis Cup Captain, 2005-2015 • Best ATP Doubles Team World Ranking: #4 • South African Fed Cup Captain, 2012 & 2013 • Best ATP Individual World Ranking: #11 • South African Olympic Team Tennis Coach, 2008 • Played in 45 Grand Slam Tournaments • 1994 World Team Tennis Champions/ New Jersey Stars (w/ • Coach the Springfield Lasers in World Team Tennis 2007-now Martina Navratilova) • World Team Tennis Coach of the years 2007, 2009 & 2010 • Coach of the Dubai Royals in the IPTL since 2014 As a Davis Cup Player: Won 5 & Lost 1 - Wesley Moodie when he won his Wimbledon Doubles Title No. of ATP World Tour - Kevin Anderson Current Top 20 ATP Player Doubles Titles: 7 - Todd Perry & Simon Aspelin World No 7 No. of ATP World Tour Doubles Team 18 Doubles Finals: - Dick Norman, Wimbledon and US Open Doubles Semi-finalist - French Open Mixed Doubles - Jonathan Erlich & Andy Ram former World Grand Slam Finals: 1995 JL has No. 1 Doubles - Australian Open Mixed Doubles Coached: - Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Marcin Matkowski – 3 1997 ATP World Doubles Titles - Horia Tecau & Jean-Julian Rojer, Current - Australian Open Men’s World no.1 Doubles Team Doubles 1993 - Daniela Hantuchova – 1 WTA Singles Title - US Open mixed Doubles 1994 - Ajla Tomljanovic – World no 48 on WTA Grand Slam Semi-Finals: - Australian Open Mixed Doubles - Jean Andersen Date of Birth: 1973/03/17 1996 - Heather Watson top 50 WTA - US Open Men's Doubles 2000 Nationality: South African - Sorana Cirstea top 50 WTA - Wimbledon Men's Doubles 2000 Passport: South African As coach JL’s - 2 x Grand Slam Title players have - 13 x ATP World Tour Doubles Titles Languages: English and Afrikaans Olympic Semi-Finals: Men's Doubles, 2000 won: - 1 x WTA World Tour Singles Title Since 2007 the following Top 10 players have played in teams coached by JL: in World Team Tennis & the International Premier tennis League – Roger Federer, Novac Djokovic, Thomas Berdych, Marin Cilic, Goran Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic, Martina Hingis, Kristina Mladenovic, Andy Roddick, John Isner & James Blake !2 JL DE JAGER - BIO “If you wanted someone to fight for your life, John Laffnie de Jager would be a name at the top of your list” At birth his heart stopped and doctors injected him in order to get his heart going. This damaged the main nerve in his right-leg and he lost nearly all possible movement in his right foot, leaving him in a cast till he was three years old. The prognosis wasn’t good: doctors told him he will only have 10% use of his nerve, a 12% chance of walking one day and will never be able to participate in sport. More than enough reason to let go of your dreams? Not JL. This all only motivated him to such an extent that he left school on his 16th birthday, finished both Grade 10, 11 and 12 in one year and started playing professional tennis the following year. Driven by the desire, passion and determination that only true champions possess, JL demonstrated an inspirational commitment and drive to succeed. His international tennis record as professional player speaks for itself: He went on to play in 45 Grand Slams, including two Mixed Doubles Finals (Australian and French Open) and five semi finals( Wimbledon twice, US Open twice and Australian open) and obtained a career-high doubles team ranking of no 4 in the world. 7 ATP Tour doubles titles and 16 finals. He qualified twice for the end of year doubles Masters. He is a proud South African, never losing out on the opportunity to represent his country. This includes a Semi-Final spot in the Men’s Doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. He played Davis Cup-tennis for South Africa and ended with five wins and only one loss under his belt. JL, as Captain, lead the resurrection of the South African Davis Cup Team, going on a 10 match winning streak and playing in 4 consecutive World Group play-offs. JL is one of South Africa’s most successful coaches on the International circuit. His love for Team Tennis is reflected in him being awarded the World Team Tennis Coach of the Year in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Since 2014 he has coached the UAE Royals with players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Goran Ivanisevic, Marian Cilic, Thomas Berdych, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki in his team. As a professional coach his players have won 2 Grand Slam doubles titles, 13 ATP Tour doubles titles and 1 WTA Tour singles title. Today he has his own tennis academy in Pretoria, coaching some of the top junior players in the country. His passion in life is lending his time, name and expertise to charitable organizations. He has his own foundation called the Matchpoint Foundation. The Matchpoint Foundation is backed by current and ex South African players that wants to give back and help rebuild tennis in South Africa. This is an initiative that helps to support and develop South African youth to reach their potential in tennis and in life. “I have three wishes for tennis in my country – to provide the opportunity for every South African child – regardless of who they are, where they live or what their background may be– to experience the joy of tennis, to feel the freedom of being fit and healthy and to one day embrace the pride of playing for our great nation”. JL’s mission in life is to help develop CHAMPION PEOPLE. If you are a Champion person you have all the ingredients to be successful in life. JL will inspire you, he will touch you and he will engage you with his courage, his tenacity, his passion and his spirit. His story will change you and your team, forever. !3.