Philip Bester

From All things Canadian tennis
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Philip Bester
Birthdate October 6, 1988
Birthplace Sonthofen, Germany
From North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6’2” (1,88m)
Style of play Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Turned pro 2006
Retired 2017
Best ATP singles ranking No. 225 (July 27, 2015)
Best ATP doubles ranking No. 140 (October 3, 2016)
Profile on CdnTennis.ca

Biography

Philip Bester (born October 6, 1988 in Sonthofen, Germany) is a Canadian former professional tennis player. He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 225 on July 27, 2015 and a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 140 on October 3, 2016.

Bester was a finalist at the 2006 junior French Open and in doing so, he became the first Canadian male to reach a Grand Slam final in singles. At the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ontario, he won a silver medal in mixed doubles with Gabriela Dabrowski. Also in 2015, he reached his first ATP Challenger singles final, losing to Vincent Millot in Granby. He retired in August 2017. Bester made a brief return in March 2018 at an ITF 25K in Calabasas, United States, but lost in the second round of qualifying.

Bester was coached by his dad Alek Bester from age 5 when he started. Alek, a long time P.E. teacher at York House School in Vancouver, was the core of Philip's physical and tennis development till around the age of 16. Rufus Nel a high performance coach from South Africa was also a big part of Philip's early development, contributing his tennis knowledge and expertise on the game of tennis. At age 13, still coached by his dad, Bester moved down to Florida to attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. There he spent 4 years, before teaming up with Jon Sorbo for the 2006 year.

ATP Challenger Tour finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Titles by surface
Hard (0–1)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Jul 2015 Granby, Canada $100,000 Hard Vincent Millot (FRA) 4–6, 4–6

Doubles: 9 (7 titles, 2 runners-up)

Titles by surface
Hard (7–2)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Jul 2005 Granby, Canada $50,000 Hard Frank Dancevic (CAN) Johan Landsberg (SWE)
Lu Yen-hsun (TPE)
6–4, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Win 1–1 Jul 2008 Granby, Canada $50,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Alberto Francis (USA)
Nicholas Monroe (USA)
2–6, 6–1, [10–5]
Win 2–1 Feb 2011 Burnie, Australia $50,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
Jose Rubin Statham (NZL)
6–4, 3–6, [14–12]
Win 3–1 Jul 2012 Granby, Canada (2) $50,000 Hard Vasek Pospisil (CAN) Yuichi Ito (JPN)
Takuto Niki (JPN)
6–1, 6–2
Win 4–1 Mar 2015 Drummondville, Canada $50,000 Hard (i) Chris Guccione (AUS) Frank Dancevic (CAN)
Frank Moser (GER)
6–4, 7–6(8–6)
Win 5–1 Jul 2015 Granby, Canada (3) $100,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Enzo Couacaud (FRA)
Luke Saville (AUS)
6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2), [10–7]
Win 6–1 Feb 2016 Cuernavaca, Mexico $50,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Marcelo Arévalo (ESA)
Sergio Galdós (PER)
6–4, 3–6, [10–6]
Win 7–1 Sep 2016 Cary, United States $50,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Stefan Kozlov (USA)
Austin Krajicek (USA)
6–2, 6–2
Loss 7–2 Sep 2016 Columbus, United States $50,000 Hard (i) Peter Polansky (CAN) Miķelis Lībietis (LAT)
Dennis Novikov (USA)
5–7, 6–7(4–7)

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 18 (9 titles, 9 runners-up)

Legend
ITF $25,000 tournaments (1–2)
ITF $15,000 tournaments (5–7)
ITF $10,000 tournaments (3–0)
Titles by surface
Hard (4–7)
Clay (4–2)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (1–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 May 2009 USA F11, Tampa $10,000 Clay Haydn Lewis (BAR) 6–2, 7–6(9–7)
Loss 1–1 Jun 2010 France F9, Toulon $15,000 Clay Augustin Gensse (FRA) 1–6, 4–6
Win 2–1 Jul 2010 France F12, Saint-Gervais $15,000 Clay Augustin Gensse (FRA) 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
Loss 2–2 Sep 2010 Spain F33, Móstoles $15,000 Clay Roberto Bautista-Agut (ESP) 7–6(7–4), 4–6, 2–6
Win 3–2 Oct 2010 USA F28, Birmingham $10,000 Clay James Lemke (AUS) 0–6, 6–2, 6–0
Win 4–2 Nov 2010 USA F31, Amelia Island $10,000 Clay Ádám Kellner (HUN) 7–6(7–2), 6–4
Win 5–2 Jun 2011 USA F14, Chico $15,000 Hard Blake Strode (USA) 6–4, 6–2
Win 6–2 Jul 2013 Canada F3, Kelowna $15,000 Hard Brayden Schnur (CAN) 6–7(9–11), 7–6(8–6), 6–3
Loss 6–3 Aug 2013 Canada F5, Calgary $15,000 Hard Brayden Schnur (CAN) 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–7(4–7)
Loss 6–4 Sep 2013 Canada F9, Markham $15,000 Hard (i) Filip Peliwo (CAN) Walkover
Loss 6–5 Sep 2014 Canada F11, Markham $15,000 Hard (i) Farris Fathi Gosea (GBR) 6–7(8–10), 6–3, 4–6
Loss 6–6 Dec 2014 Mexico F15, Mérida $15,000 Hard Dennis Novikov (USA) 4–6, 4–6
Win 7–6 Mar 2015 Italy F2, Trento $15,000 Carpet (i) Quentin Halys (FRA) 3–6, 7–5, 6–3
Loss 7–7 Mar 2015 Canada F1, Gatineau $15,000 Hard (i) Tennys Sandgren (USA) 3–6, 6–7(7–9)
Win 8–7 Jun 2015 Canada F3, Richmond $15,000 Hard Brayden Schnur (CAN) 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Loss 8–8 Jan 2016 USA F1, Los Angeles $25,000 Hard Stefan Kozlov (USA) 6–7(7–9), 7–6(7–3), 3–6
Win 9–8 Jul 2016 Canada F5, Saskatoon $25,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Loss 9–9 Apr 2017 USA F13, Little Rock $25,000 Hard Brayden Schnur (CAN) 6–7(4–7), 1–6

Doubles: 26 (13 titles, 13 runners-up)

Legend
ITF $25,000 tournaments (2–2)
ITF $15,000 tournaments (7–7)
ITF $10,000 tournaments (4–4)
Titles by surface
Hard (8–9)
Clay (5–4)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L Date Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Sep 2007 USA F22, Claremont $10,000 Hard Glenn Weiner (USA) Nikita Kryvonos (USA)
Michael McClune (USA)
4–6, 2–6
Loss 0–2 Sep 2007 USA F23, Costa Mesa $10,000 Hard Glenn Weiner (USA) Brad Pomeroy (USA)
Arnar Sigurdsson (ISL)
6–3, 3–6, [4–10]
Win 1–2 Nov 2007 Mexico F12, Mazatlán $10,000 Hard Glenn Weiner (USA) Fernando Cabrera (MEX)
Carlos Palencia (MEX)
6–3, 6–2
Win 2–2 Apr 2009 USA F7, Mobile $15,000 Hard Milos Raonic (CAN) Lester Cook (USA)
Treat Huey (PHI)
6–3, 1–6, [10–5]
Loss 2–3 May 2009 USA F10, Orange Park $10,000 Clay Greg Ouellette (USA) Marcus Fugate (USA)
Todd Paul (USA)
4–6, 1–6
Loss 2–4 Jun 2009 USA F14, Chico $15,000 Hard Greg Ouellette (USA) Daniel Yoo (KOR)
Denis Zivkovic (USA)
1–6, 6–7(3–7)
Win 3–4 Oct 2009 USA F26, Mansfield $15,000 Hard Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) Brett Joelson (USA)
Todd Paul (USA)
6–4, 6–7(3–7), [10–7]
Win 4–4 Jun 2010 France F9, Toulon $15,000 Clay Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) Ashwin Kumar (AUS)
Rupesh Roy (IND)
6–3, 6–4
Win 5–4 Jul 2010 France F10, Montauban $15,000 Clay Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) Julien Obry (FRA)
Albano Olivetti (FRA)
Walkover
Loss 5–5 Jul 2010 France F12, Saint-Gervais $15,000 Clay Laurent Rochette (FRA) Jérôme Inzerillo (FRA)
Romain Jouan (FRA)
6–2, 4–6, [7–10]
Loss 5–6 Sep 2010 Spain F32, Oviedo $15,000 Clay Kamil Pajkowski (CAN) Pablo Carreño Busta (ESP)
Andoni Vivanco-Guzmán (ESP)
2–6, 6–4, [5–10]
Win 6–6 Sep 2010 Spain F33, Móstoles $15,000 Hard Kamil Pajkowski (CAN) Óscar Burrieza (ESP)
Javier Martí (ESP)
7–6(7–5), 4–6, [13–11]
Win 7–6 Oct 2010 USA F28, Birmingham $10,000 Clay Kamil Pajkowski (CAN) Dennis Blömke (GER)
James Lemke (AUS)
6–7(4–7), 6–4, [10–5]
Win 8–6 May 2012 USA F13, Tampa $10,000 Clay Kamil Pajkowski (CAN) Haydn Lewis (BAR)
Olivier Sajous (HAI)
7–6(8–6), 6–1
Loss 8–7 Jul 2012 Canada F3, Kelowna $15,000 Hard Kamil Pajkowski (CAN) Érik Chvojka (CAN)
Greg Ouellette (USA)
7–6(10–8), 4–6, [8–10]
Loss 8–8 Jul 2014 Canada F4, Kelowna $15,000 Hard Matt Seeberger (USA) Carl Eguez (USA)
Anderson Reed (USA)
6–7(2–7), 6–7(4–7)
Loss 8–9 Aug 2014 Canada F8, Winnipeg $15,000 Hard Marcus Daniell (NZL) Dimitar Kutrovsky (BUL)
Saketh Myneni (IND)
5–7, 5–7
Loss 8–10 Nov 2014 Italy F38, Santa Margherita di Pula $10,000 Clay Matteo Volante (ITA) Gastón-Arturo Grimolizzi (ARG)
Giorgio Portaluri (ITA)
4–6, 6–0, [6–10]
Win 9–10 Nov 2014 Italy F39, Santa Margherita di Pula $10,000 Clay Matteo Volante (ITA) Gastón-Arturo Grimolizzi (ARG)
Giorgio Portaluri (ITA)
6–2, 6–4
Win 10–10 Dec 2014 Mexico F15, Mérida $15,000 Hard Eric Quigley (USA) Dean O'Brien (RSA)
Juan Carlos Spir (COL)
4–6, 7–6(7–5), [12–10]
Loss 10–11 Apr 2015 USA F12, Harlingen $15,000 Hard Dimitar Kutrovsky (BUL) Deiton Baughman (USA)
Hunter Nicholas (USA)
3–6, 6–7(3–7)
Win 11–11 Jul 2015 Canada F4, Kelowna $15,000 Hard Matt Seeberger (USA) Hunter Nicholas (USA)
Raymond Sarmiento (USA)
7–6(8–6), 6–4
Win 12–11 Jun 2016 Canada F3, Richmond $25,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Farris Fathi Gosea (GBR)
Tim Kopinski (USA)
7–6(7–2), 6–2
Win 13–11 Jul 2016 Canada F5, Saskatoon $25,000 Hard Peter Polansky (CAN) Christian Lakoseljac (CAN)
David Volfson (CAN)
6–3, 6–2
Loss 13–12 Apr 2017 USA F12, Memphis $25,000 Hard Alex Lawson (USA) Lloyd Glasspool (GBR)
Mackenzie McDonald (USA)
2–6, 6–7(3–7)
Loss 13–13 Apr 2017 USA F13, Little Rock $25,000 Hard Ante Pavić (CRO) Luke Bambridge (GBR)
Gavin van Peperzeel (AUS)
6–2, 3–6, [9–11]

Junior Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 2006 French Open Clay Martin Kližan (SVK) 3–6, 1–6

Singles performance timeline

Tournament 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open Q1 A A A A 0 / 0 0–0
French Open A A A A A 0 / 0 0–0
Wimbledon A A A A A 0 / 0 0–0
US Open A A A A Q1 0 / 0 0–0
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0 / 0 0–0

External links