Steven Diez
CountryCanada
ResidenceBarcelona, Spain
Birth dateMarch 17, 1991 (age 35)
Birth placeToronto, Ontario, Canada
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turnedpro2009
Retired2025
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
CareerprizemoneyUS$ 1,061,164
Singlestitles0
HighestsinglesrankingNo. 134 (18 November 2019)
AustralianopenresultQ2 (2013, 2020, 2021)
Frenchopenresult1R (2020)
WimbledonresultQ2 (2013, 2017, 2019)
UsopenresultQ3 (2016, 2019)
Doublestitles0
HighestdoublesrankingNo. 267 (8 February 2021)

Steven Diez (Spanish: Díez,[1] ˈdi.eθ; born March 17, 1991) is a Canadian former professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 134, achieved on 18 November 2019 and a doubles ranking of No. 267, achieved on 8 February 2021.

Diez competed for Spain earlier in his career.

Nationality change

Raised primarily in and competing for Spain early in his career, he has since gone on to represent the country of his birth, Canada, in the Davis Cup.[2] Diez was a member of the Canadian team that won the 2022 ATP Cup.[3]

Tennis career

2007

Diez competed in the main draw of two senior level ITF Futures tournaments in the autumn, losing both times in the first round. In his first match, at Spain F39 in late October, he fell to world No. 422 Carles Poch Gradin. He fared much better a month later taking a set off world No. 425 Juan Albert Viloca-Puig before losing.

2008

Diez won his first tour match in his third tournament of the year, Spain F11. He won his first ever doubles match too, partnering Ignacio Morente-Gemas to the second round of Spain F13. He then won two matches partnering Javier Valenzuela-Gonzalez to reach the semifinals of Spain F14. The same pairing reached the semis in their next tournament too, in July, at Spain F26.

In late April he competed in qualifying for an ATP World Tour event, the 2008 Torneo Godó, losing in the first round to Marc López. In July in consecutively played Futures he won his first-round match, but he failed, in singles, to reach the second round in his last five events of the year. Partnering Valenzuela-Gonzalez, he reached the second round in more events than not during this same stretch. He finished the year ranked world No. 1190 in singles and No. 1274 in doubles.

2009

In his third main draw for the year Diez had a break through in reaching the semi-finals of Spain F5. Two weeks later he reached his first career final, in doubles partnering José Checa Calvo at Spain F7. In June, he competed in his first main draw in an ATP Challenger, as a wild card entrant at the 2009 Open Diputación Ciudad de Pozoblanco, and reached the quarterfinals, where he lost to eventual runner-up, Thiago Alves.

The following week Diez captured his first tour title, that of Spain F23 in singles, defeating David Canudas-Fernandez in the final. His singles wins stopped there as he won only one further tour main draw for the remainder of the year while losing eight. In doubles, however, Diez continued to do well not losing in the first round for the year aside from his very first tourney. He finished the year ranked world No. 571 in singles and No. 893 in doubles.

2010

Diez did not win a singles main-draw match in his first five events of the year leading into a call-up of sorts by Tennis Canada to represent the country of his birth in the Davis Cup. Diez was recruited for his clay court ability as Canada faced Colombia on red clay in Bogotá. Despite breaking the serve in the first game of the match, Diez went down to World No. 93 Santiago Giraldo in straight sets as Canada lost the tie, 1–4.

In April, Diez finally won a main draw singles match, at Spain F11. He reached the second round in three consecutive events before taking his second title of this career, Spain F15 in May. He then reached the semi-finals in two of his next three events. As one of the top-ranked Canadians, Diez received wild cards into events in Canada this summer. After losing in the first round of the Challenger de Granby, he qualified for the main draw of the Vancouver Open, but lost in three close sets to Alex Kuznetsov in the first round. He won a set from Michael Russell, before falling in the first round of qualifying for the 2010 Rogers Cup in Toronto, in early August.

After reaching the semifinals of Spain F30 the week after the Rogers Cup, and losing in the first round of Belgium F3 the following week, Diez was off from match play until last week, where, as the No. 6 seed at Canada F4, he reached the semifinals. En route he won his quarterfinal match over No. 2 seed Brendan Evans, 3–6, 6–1, 3–0 ret. In doubles, he and partner Nikolai Haessig, a top Canadian junior, lost in the first round.

The following week Diez was upset in the first round of Canada F5, as the No. 4 seed, to world No. 792 Phillip Simmonds , 2–6, 3–6. He and partner Haessig reached the semifinals in doubles however. This result saw Steven's doubles ranking reach a new career high the following week, of World No. 769. After two weeks off, he played three consecutive Futures events in Spain, reaching the second round in Spain F37 in Sabadell, the quarterfinals at Spain F38 in Sant Cugat, and losing in the first round of Spain F39 in Vilafranca del Penedès. In doubles, he and partner Abraham Gonzalez-Jimenez reached the second round of Spain F37 and lost in the first round of Spain F38. They did not compete at Spain F39.

2019: Career-high ranking

He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 134, on 18 November 2019.

2020: Grand Slam debut at French Open

After 15 attempts at qualifying at a major, he finally made his Grand Slam debut at the 2020 French Open.

2022: ATP Cup champion

He won the ATP Cup with team Canada defeating the Spanish team.[4]

Singles performance timeline

Tournament20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023SRW–LWin %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian OpenAAAQ2Q1AAQ1AAQ2Q2AA0 / 00–0
French OpenAAAQ1Q1AAQ2AA1RQ2AA0 / 10–1
WimbledonAAAQ2Q1AQ1Q2AQ2NHQ1AA0 / 00–0
US OpenAAAQ1AAQ3AAQ3AQ1AA0 / 00–0
Win–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–00–10–00–00–00 / 10–1
ATP Tour Masters 1000
Indian WellsAAAAQ1AAAAANHQ1AA0 / 00–0
RomeAAAAAAAAAAQ2AAA0 / 00–0
Toronto / MontrealQ1Q1AQ1Q1A2RAAQ2NHQ1Q1A0 / 11–1
Win–loss0–00–00–00–00–00–01–10–00–00–00–00–00–00–00 / 11–1

Other finals

Team competitions: 1 (1 title)

ResultDateTournamentSurfacePartnersOpponentsScore
WinJan 2022ATP Cup, SydneyHardFélix Auger-Aliassime
Denis Shapovalov
Brayden Schnur		Roberto Bautista Agut
Pablo Carreño Busta
A Davidovich Fokina
Albert Ramos Viñolas
Pedro Martínez		2–0

Challenger and Futures finals

Singles: 41 (23–18)

Legend (singles)
ATP Challenger Tour (1–5)
ITF Futures Tour (22–13)
Titles by surface
Hard (6–7)
Clay (17–11)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Jul 2009Spain F23, ElcheFuturesClayDavid Cañudas-Fernández6–1, 6–4
Win2–0May 2010Spain F15, BalaguerFuturesClayDavid Estruch6–2, 6–1
Win3–0Apr 2011Brazil F11, AracajuFuturesClay (i)Roman Vögeli6–1, 6–2
Loss3–1Jul 2011Canada F3, MississaugaFuturesHardLi Zhe2–6, 3–6
Win4–1Oct 2011Spain F39, VilafrancaFuturesClayJordi Samper Montaña3–6, 6–2, 6–4
Win5–1Nov 2011Spain F41, MadridFuturesClayMatthew Pierot6–0, 6–2
Loss5–2Jan 2012Turkey F3, AntalyaFuturesHardDimitar Kutrovsky3–6, 0–6
Win6–2Feb 2012Spain F3, MurciaFuturesClayPedro Sousa2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss6–3May 2012Spain F11, LleidaFuturesClaySergio Gutiérrez Ferrol6–3, 1–6, 5–7
Win7–3May 2012Poland F1, SobotaFuturesClayAndriej Kapaś7–6(7–4), 6–3
Win8–3Oct 2012Algeria F1, AnnabaFuturesClayGerald Melzer6–2, 6–3
Win9–3Oct 2012Algeria F2, AnnabaFuturesClayAlexander Slabinsky4–6, 6–4, 6–1
Win10–3Oct 2012Algeria F3, AlgerFuturesClayFrancesco Picco6–1, 4–6, 6–2
Loss10–4May 2013Spain F14, ValldoreixFuturesClayTaro Daniel3–6, 2–6
Win11–4Jun 2013Spain F16, Santa Margarida de MontbuiFuturesHardJosé Checa Calvo6–1, 6–2
Win12–4Jun 2013Spain F17, MartosFuturesHardRamkumar Ramanathan7–5, 6–7(4–7), 6–4
Loss12–5Jan 2014Nouméa, New CaledoniaChallengerHardAlejandro Falla2–6, 2–6
Win13–5Aug 2015Switzerland F4, SionFuturesClayFederico Coria5–7, 7–5, 6–1
Win14–5Oct 2015Spain F32, Sant Cugat del VallèsFuturesClayMarcos Giraldi Requena6–1, 6–0
Loss14–6Oct 2015Greece F8, HeraklionFuturesHardVáclav Šafránek6–7(8–10), 4–6
Win15–6Nov 2015Greece F9, HeraklionFuturesHardStefanos Tsitsipas6–2, 6–0
Loss15–7Jan 2016Spain F1, CastelldefelsFuturesClayGerard Granollers Pujol3–6, 1–6
Win16–7Feb 2016Spain F2, PegueraFuturesClayPaweł Ciaś4–6, 6–2, 7–6(9–7)
Win17–7Feb 2016Spain F4, MurciaFuturesClayAlex de Minaur6–3, 6–4
Win18–7Mar 2016Spain F6, TarragonaFuturesClayGerard Granollers Pujol5–7, 6–1, 6–0
Loss18–8Mar 2016Morocco F2, Beni MellalFuturesClayLamine Ouahab2–6, 6–4, 2–6
Loss18–9Apr 2016Spain F7, MadridFuturesHardAkira Santillan4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Loss18–10Jun 2016Moscow, RussiaChallengerClayMikhail Kukushkin3–6, 3–6
Loss18–11Oct 2017Spain F31, SabadellFuturesClaySergio Gutiérrez Ferrol3–6, 6–7(5–7)
Win19–11Oct 2017Spain F32, MelillaFuturesClayMiguel Semmler6–2, 6–0
Loss19–12Oct 2017Tunisia F31, HammametFuturesClayNino Serdarušić3–6, 6–3, 4–6
Loss19–13Jan 2018China F2, AnningFuturesClayYang Tsung-hua3–6, 6–3, 6–7(4–7)
Win20–13Apr 2018Spain F10, MajadahondaFuturesClayPedro Cachin6–3, 3–6, 7–5
Loss20–14Nov 2018Tunisia F39, MonastirFuturesHardIvan Gakhov6–3, 2–6, 1–6
Win21–14Dec 2018Tunisia F43, MonastirFuturesHardGabriel Petit6–2, 6–3
Win22–14Dec 2018Tunisia F45, MonastirFuturesHardClément Tabur6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Win23–14Jan 2019Burnie, AustraliaChallengerHardMaverick Banes7–5, 6–1
Loss23–15Oct 2019Ningbo, ChinaChallengerHardYasutaka Uchiyama1-6, 3-6
Loss23–16Feb 2021Las Palmas, SpainChallengerClayEnzo Couacaud6–7(5–7), 6–7(3–7)
Loss23–17Oct 2022M25 Girona, SpainWorld Tennis TourClayOriol Roca Batalla3–6, 3–6
Loss23–18Dec 2022Maspalomas, SpainChallengerClayDušan Lajović1–6, 4–6

Doubles: 21 (9–12)

Legend (doubles)
ATP Challenger Tour (0–1)
ITF Futures Tour (9–11)
Finals by surface
Hard (3–8)
Clay (6–4)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Mar 2009Spain F7, TerrassaFuturesClayJosé Checa CalvoFrancesco Aldi
Alessandro Piccari		0–6, 2–6
Loss0–2Oct 2009Spain F34, CórdobaFuturesHardJuan LizariturryAgustín Boje-Ordóñez
Pablo Martín-Adalia		3–6, 3–6
Loss0–3Jan 2011Israel F1, EilatFuturesHardFernando VicenteJozef Kovalík
Adrian Sikora		6–2, 3–6, [10–12]
Loss0–4Jan 2011Israel F2, EilatFuturesHardNikola ĆaćićDamir Džumhur
Ismar Gorčić		3–6, 4–6
Win1–4Mar 2011Portugal F1, FaroFuturesHardFernando VicenteAgustín Boje-Ordóñez
Pablo Martín-Adalia		6–3, 6–4
Win2–4Apr 2011Brazil F9, Santa MariaFuturesClayRoman VögeliDaniel Alejandro López Cassaccia
Martín Ríos-Benítez		7–6(7–5), 6–3
Win3–4Apr 2011Brazil F11, AracajuFuturesClay (i)Roman VögeliMauricio Doria-Medina
Daniel Alejandro López Cassaccia		6–1, 7–6(7–0)
Loss3–5Jun 2011Spain F20, MartosFuturesHardIlya BelyaevHarri Heliövaara
Denys Molchanov		3–6, 4–6
Win4–5Oct 2011Spain F35, SevillaFuturesClayFernando VicenteAxel Álvarez Llamas
Ricardo Ojeda Lara		6–2, 6–1
Win5–5Oct 2011Spain F38, SabadellFuturesClayJoão SousaMiguel Ángel López Jaén
Gabriel Trujillo Soler		6–3, 3–6, [10–7]
Win6–5Oct 2012Algeria F2, AnnabaFuturesHardMarc GinerFrancesc Montañés-Roca
Ronald Slobodchikov		6–4, 6–2
Win7–5Mar 2013Croatia F5, RovinjFuturesClayTomislav BrkićNikolaus Moser
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn		6–2, 6–2
Loss7–6Jun 2013Russia F8, MoscowFuturesClayVladislav DubinskyAliaksandr Bury
Volodymyr Uzhylovskyi		0–6, 1–6
Loss7–7Aug 2014Como, ItalyChallengerClayEnrique López PérezGuido Andreozzi
Facundo Argüello		2–6, 2–6
Loss7–8Oct 2015Spain F32, Sant Cugat del VallèsFuturesClayAndrés Artuñedo MartínavarroSergio Martos Gornés
Pol Toledo Bagué		2–6, 3–6
Loss7–9Nov 2015Cyprus F2, LimassolFuturesHardAndrés Artuñedo MartínavarroPetros Chrysochos
Nino Serdarušić		6–1, 4–6, [3–10]
Loss7–10Dec 2015Cyprus F3, LimassolFuturesHardAndrés Artuñedo MartínavarroKonstantinos Economidis
Markos Kalovelonis		6–4, 3–6, [5–10]
Win8–10Oct 2017Tunisia F31, HammametFuturesClayBruno MardonesGuy den Heijer
Sidane Pontjodikromo		6–2, 6–4
Loss8–11Mar 2018Portugal F6, LisbonFuturesHardBruno MardonesKenneth Raisma
Emil Ruusuvuori		6–7(2–7), 2–6
Win9–11Nov 2018Tunisia F40, MonastirFuturesHardSergio Martos GornésMikalai Haliak
Alexander Zgirovsky		6–3, 6–1
Loss9–12Dec 2018Tunisia F43, MonastirFuturesHardMarco BortolottiEvan Hoyt
Luke Johnson		4–6, 2–6

References

  1. ^ "Steven Díez: la joya hispano-canadiense debuta con los norteamericanos en la Davis – MARCA.com". www.marca.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Vancouver Sun: Steven Diez, raised in Spain, now Canada's Davis Cup clay court ace". Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov victories help Canada claim 1st ATP Cup title". CBC News. January 9, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  4. ^ "From 'Survival Mode' to World Champions: Inside Canada's ATP Cup Victory"