Clement’s farewell

In the Wimbledon doubles third round, Arnaud Clement (alongside Michael Llodra) played his last professional match. The 34-year-old Frenchman failed his qualifying attempt to play once again in the Wimbledon’s main draw in singles. His entire career was quite balanced between singles and doubles achievements, however, in doubles he achieved more, including a Wimbledon title 2007 when he (with Llodra) defeated the Bryan brothers, to whom they lost Clement’s farewell match, a five-setter, four weeks ago. “Great feeling on the court yesterday,” Clement shared on Facebook. “I am very happy to have finished playing at a good level against a great team. Now, some rest to sit back and reflect after so many things happening in the last couple of weeks.” His longterm devotion to the French Davis Cup team was awarded, and Clement has been appointed as a new captain after Guy Forget‘s resignation – “The most important thing to me is that France wins back the Davis Cup. Becoming captain is not the most important thing, it is the success of the players and the staff who are faced with this challenge“. Despite a negative win/loss record in the end of career, Clement has played a Grand Slam final, it’s something most of good players can only dream about. It happened during the Australian Open 2001, and it’s even more valuable accomplishment looking backwards, given the fact Clement outplayed a young Roger Federer in straight sets (third round); in the semifinal he saved two match points being two sets down against his biggest friend and compatriot Sebastien Grosjean; in the final he hadn’t any chance against Andre Agassi – “It’s definitely something I am very proud of. It was an unbelievable, quite special time. It was 2001, and so whilst it was a long time ago the memories are very fresh – I had 15 fantastic years. I wasn’t surprised to lose to Andre in the final because he was much stronger than me on the day.” Clement used to play in sunglasses that were prescribed due to his problems with the sight. It was one of reasons he was involved in many marathon matches, because he was cleaning sunglasses almost after every point, extending the break between points to the limit… Very good player in terms of technical skills, very good server considering his height (172 cm), and a very patient one. Clay was his weakest surface, actually he didn’t achieve any respectable result on it.

Curiosities:
* in Autumn 1997 as a 19-year-old player outside the Top 100, beat two Top 10 players in back-to-back indoor tournaments (Sergi Bruguera – Vienna, Patrick Rafter – Lyon)
* in Autumn 2001, he lost in three consecutive indoor tournaments wasting match points (Lyon, Stuttgart, Basel); eight years later it was a reversal – he won in three indoor tournaments in a row matches facing a match point (Stockholm, Lyon, Paris)
* played the longest match at the Roland Garros (6:35 h against Fabrice Santoro in 2004); Clement had a match point at 5:4* & 14:13 in the 5th set. The match was suspended due to darkness at 5-all in the decider
* en route to the Wimbledon doubles title in 2007, fought off – along with Michael Llodra – a match point in the second round (6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 14-12 win over Amer Delic & Bobby Reynolds) 
* partnering Michael Llodra, Clement played the longest doubles match at the Olympics ’08: 4 hours 46 minutes in the semifinal loss to Thomas Johansson / Simon Aspelin 6-7, 6-4, 17-19. The French pair served at 16:15 in the decider
* played the longest tie-break indoors: Rotterdam 2010, lost to Michael Berrer 6-7(16), 6-4, 4-6 blowing nine set points in that tie-break
* had a 1-9 H2H (0-5 at the main level) record against fellow Frenchman Nicolas Mahut!

Arnaud Clement in numbers (singles):

4 titles (1 Challenger), 7 finals (4 CH):

Titles:
00 – Lyon (85)
03 – Metz (153)
06 – Marseille (202), Washington (211)
09 – Cherbourg

Finals:
99 – Marseille; 01 – AUSSIE OPEN; 02 – ‘s-Hertogenbosch; 03 – ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Lyon; 07 – Nottingham; 10 – Auckland

Best Grand Slam results:
Australian Open (finalist 2001)
Wimbledon (quarter-finalist 2008)
US Open (quarter-finalist 2000)

 # He participated in the Davis Cup final in 2010 as a doubles player, helped France in advancement to the Davis Cup finals in years 2001-02 as a singles player

Highest ranking: 10 (02.04.2001)

Ranking in years 1995-2011:
659 – 341 – 101 – 105 – 56 – 18 – 17 – 38 – 32 – 104 – 71 – 42 – 54 – 97 – 63 – 78 – 153.

Win/loss record:
main level: 316/327 (.491)
all levels: 436/408 (.516)

320 tournaments (years 1997-2012)

5-setters: 13-20 (.393)
Tie-breaks: 129-124 (.509)
– deciding 3rd set tie-breaks: 14-14
m.p. matches: 10-11 (.476)
Longest winning streak: 9 [2003]
Longest losing streak: 8 [1999-00]

Longest win: 5 hours, 47 min. Marc Rosset 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 6-7, 15-13 – Davis Cup 2001
Longest defeat: 6 hours, 35 min. Fabrice Santoro 4-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 14-16 – Roland Garros 2004
Longest tie-break won: Filip Dewulf 6-3, 7-6(10) – Davis Cup 2001
Longest tie-break lost: Michael Berrer 6-7(16), 6-4, 4-6 – Rotterdam 2010