In the sport of tennis, a player’s height frequently affects their play style and success on the court.
But some extraordinary athletes go against the grain and show that talent and prowess are not solely determined by stature.
In this article, the shortest male tennis players who have made an impact on the sport are highlighted.
Their agility, technique, and tenacity are highlighted, as well as how they have managed to compete at the top levels.
Take a look at the Top 13 Shortest Male Tennis Players:
| S.No | Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| 1 | Olivier Rochus | Belgium | 5 ft 5 in | 1.65m | 24 |
| 2 | Yoshihito Nishioka | Japan | 5 ft 7 in | 1.70m | 48 |
| 3 | Diego Schwartzman | Argentina | 5 ft 7 in | 1.70m | 8 |
| 4 | Arnaud Clement | France | 5 ft 8 in | 1.72m | 10 |
| 5 | Rod Laver | Australia | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 1 |
| 6 | Michael Russell | USA | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 60 |
| 7 | Flavio Cipolla | Italy | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 75 |
| 8 | Hugo Gaston | France | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 66 |
| 9 | Damir Džumhur | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 23 |
| 10 | David Ferrer | Spain | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 3 |
| 11 | Ričardas Berankis | Lithuania | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 50 |
| 12 | Michael Chang | USA | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 2 |
| 13 | Marcelo Ríos | Chile | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 1 |
1. Olivier Rochus:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Olivier Rochus | Belgium | 5 ft 5 in | 1.65m | 24 |
Olivier Rochus is one of the shortest male tennis players. Currently retiring is Olivier Rochus. He did, however, play tennis professionally from 1999 to 2014.
In addition, anyone with an interest in sports should have no trouble figuring out that he was a formidable competitor.
Rochus’ participation in the fight for five Grand Slam singles titles and eight Grand Slam doubles crowns serves as conclusive evidence.
He never won a Grand Slam singles championship, but he did take home the doubles crown at the 2004 French Open. Having said that, his prize money, which was valued at $4.8 million, was paltry by the standards of this list.
2. Yoshihito Nishioka:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Yoshihito Nishioka | Japan | 5 ft 7 in | 1.70m | 48 |
Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, who is 5’7″ or 170 cm tall, is another active player. Although Nishioka has not yet had the same level of professional success as Schwartzman, the 27-year-old still has a few more years to change that.
Since his debut in 2014, Nishioka has spent the last eight years playing tennis professionally.
Since that time, he has refused to let his height affect how well he plays tennis, first breaking into the Top 100 in the world in 2016, and then regularly appearing after that.
The native of Japan has recently established himself among the Top 50 in the world, rising to a career-high position of 37 in October 2022.
3. Diego Schwartzman:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Diego Schwartzman | Argentina | 5 ft 7 in | 1.70m | 8 |
Diego Schwartzman is known for having a strong return game and is an expert on clay courts. In October 2020, he reached his singles ranking top at #8.
Due to his height, Schwartzman’s performances at the 2017 U.S. Open and the 2020 French Open were more noteworthy than they otherwise would have been.
Since Jaime Yzaga in 1994, he was among the shortest male tennis players to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal thanks to his maiden victory.
He became the first Shortest Male Tennis Player under five feet to qualify for a Grand Slam semifinal since Harold Solomon in 1980 with the second shot.
Schwartzman has already collected nearly $13 million in prize money. There is a significant chance that the number will keep increasing.
4. Arnaud Clement:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Arnaud Clement | France | 5 ft 8 in | 1.72m | 10 |
Former Davis Cup captain and retired one of the French professional shortest male tennis players Arnaud Clément. He was born in Aix-en-Provence, France, on December 17, 1977.
Clément was renowned for his all-court play, speed, and persistence. In February 2001, Clément reached his highest singles position during his career, which was No. 10 in the world.
In addition to winning the 2001 Australian Open doubles championship with Sebastien Grosjean, he won four singles titles.
In 2001, he also advanced to the singles final of the Australian Open before falling to Andre Agassi. Clément played a crucial role in the French Davis Cup team’s triumphs in 2001 and 2002.
5. Rod Laver:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Rod Laver | Australia | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 1 |
Rod Laver, who is 1.73 m tall and stands at 5’8″, had a fascinating career that lasted both before and after the Open Era. Data on Laver’s career is a little less clear than for players today due to this overlap.
He was regarded as one of the best shortest male tennis players in the world before the Open Era, and after 1968, Laver won 11 Grand Slams, including the Calendar Slam—winning all four Grand Slams in a single year—two times.
Laver won at least 10 titles annually between 1964 and 1970, and he carried on winning until he decided to retire in the late 1970s.
6. Michael Russell:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Michael Russell | USA | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 60 |
Michael Russell began his career in 1998 and ended it in 2015. Having said that, he was also unique in that by the time he was playing professionally, he had already received a college degree.
Russell is well-known for holding a two-set lead over a Grand Slam champion during a Grand Slam competition before falling on not one, but two different occasions.
His reward money totalled more than $2 million, though. Russell then went on to become a prosperous tennis coach.
7. Flavio Cipolla:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Flavio Cipolla | Italy | 5 ft 8 in | 1.73m | 75 |
A former professional tennis player from Italy is named Flavio Cipolla. On October 20, 1983, he was born in Rome, Italy.
In 2003, Cipolla became a professional, and for a decade-long career, he competed largely on the ATP Challenger Tour and sporadically on the ATP World Tour.
Cipolla had a respectable career in professional tennis despite not achieving the same level of fame as some of the best players. He was well-known for his tenaciousness on the court and excellent work ethic.
8. Hugo Gaston:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Hugo Gaston | France | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 66 |
French tennis player Hugo Gaston is a professional. On September 26, 2000, he was born. Due to his outstanding performance at the 2020 French Open, Gaston attracted attention.
Gaston, a wild card participant in the 2020 French Open, defeated Dominic Thiem in the round of 16 of the competition.
He had a distinct playing style that largely relied on drop shots and imaginative shot-making. He attracted a lot of attention and demonstrated his talent with his surprise performance in the competition.
9. Damir Džumhur:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Damir Džumhur | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 23 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina native and professional tennis player Damir Dzumhur. His birthday is May 20, 1992. Dumhur has won many prestigious awards over his career and is renowned for his adaptable playing style.
Dzumhur has participated in Grand Slam events like the US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.
Around position 20 in the ATP singles rankings is where he attained his career-high rating. Additionally, he has competed for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Davis Cup matches and other international tennis competitions.
10. David Ferrer:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| David Ferrer | Spain | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 3 |
Never having won a Grand Slam competition, David Ferrer. Despite this, he is a strong competitor who has defeated more opponents on the ATP Tour without taking home a major championship than any other player.
His status as one of the best tennis players without a Grand Slam victory is widely regarded as a result.
Ferrer’s more than $31 million in prize money undoubtedly lends credence to the claim, especially considering that it places him among the highest-paid male tennis players of all time.
11. Ričardas Berankis:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Ričardas Berankis | Lithuania | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 50 |
A professional tennis player from Lithuania named Ricardas Berankis. His birthday is June 21, 1990. Berankis is regarded as one of the best shortest male tennis players from Lithuania and is recognized for his aggressive playing style.
Berankis has made some noteworthy ATP Tour achievements throughout his career.
In addition to competing in Grand Slam events like Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open, and the French Open, he has won many Challenger-level championships.
His highest singles placing in the ATP rankings was somewhere in the top 50.
12. Michael Chang:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Michael Chang | USA | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 2 |
One of the outstanding shortest male tennis players who has graced the game is American Michael Chang, who is a few more years in the past.
Chang made his debut in 1988 and enjoyed a successful career up until 2003 when he was admitted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008.
Despite being only 5’9″ or 175 cm tall, the American tennis player managed to rise to the top, finishing in 1996 as the No. 2 player in the world.
13. Marcelo Ríos:
| Player | Country | US size | EU size | Highest ATP Ranking |
| Marcelo Ríos | Chile | 5 ft 9 in | 1.75m | 1 |
Regarding Marcelo Rios, he won the Indian Wells championship and had a remarkable run at the 1998 Australian Open.
But it wasn’t until he won against Andre Agassi in Chile that he rose to the top of the world rankings and became a beloved figure in Chilean sport, drawing huge crowds to the streets to celebrate.
He held onto the World No. 1 position for four weeks before losing it after failing to successfully defend his Monte Carlo championship.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the shortest male tennis players are professionals of all heights who have achieved extraordinary success.
While shorter athletes could encounter difficulties with reach and power, their persistence, quickness, and agility can frequently make up for their tiny stature.
Numerous short male tennis players have made a significant contribution to the sport despite their small stature. Diego Schwartzman, Olivier Rochus, and Horacio Zeballos are a few names that come to mind.
Also check out, the tallest tennis players.
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