Mark Knowles

Career

After being awarded a scholarship to the Nick Bollettieri's famed academy, Knowles played three seasons at UCLA, where he earned All-American honours in both singles and doubles. His highest ATP singles ranking was world no. 96. He was very successful in doubles, partnering Daniel Nestor, Mahesh Bhupathi, Brian MacPhie, and Mardy Fish. With Nestor, Knowles won the 2002 Australian Open, the 2004 US Open and the 2007 French Open. He also won the 2009 Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Anna-Lena Grönefeld of Germany.

On 5 July 2006, Knowles participated in one of the longest matches in Wimbledon history, lasting 6 hours and 9 minutes.

His long-term partnership with Daniel Nestor ended after the 2007 US Open. After reaching the Basel final with James Blake, Knowles reunited with Nestor once again to win the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup. They defeated Simon Aspelin and Julian Knowle, 6–3, 6–2, to take their first Tennis Masters Cup title.

Knowles then played with fellow Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi, for two seasons in 2008 and 2009, and the two were one of the most successful teams on tour, qualifying for the season-ending championships in both years. After losing in their season debut in Sydney, Knowles and Bhupathi knocked out defending champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, taking the gripping match in a final set tiebreak. The two lost to eventual champions Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram. Other season highlights included three titles, at Memphis, Dubai and Basel. The victory in Basel gave Knowles his 50th career title.

At the 2009 Australian Open, Knowles and Bhupathi went one step further than the year before, reaching the final before losing to the Bryans in three sets, after winning the first set 6–2. They went on to reach the US Open final later that year, despite the fact that Knowles was hampered by a hand injury that required eight stitches on his dominant hand (right). They also claimed their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown together, winning the Rogers Cup in Montreal. They closed out their partnership at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, winning their round-robin group before going down in the semifinals to the Bryans. Knowles also repeated as champion in Memphis with Mardy Fish.

In 2010, Knowles joined forces with Fish, and after both struggled with injuries the first half of the season, the two captured the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, defeating Tomáš Berdych and Radek Štěpánek in the final. The two advanced to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and the third round of the US Open. Knowles finished the season on a high note with a runner-up finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Paris with Andy Ram. The two upset top-ranked Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the quarterfinals.

2011 was a tough year for the Bahamian, as his season partner, Michal Mertiňák, went down with a back injury at the French Open. Prior to that, the two made semifinal appearances in San Jose and Memphis and the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. After falling in the first round of Wimbledon with Łukasz Kubot, Knowles played his 10th season of World TeamTennis with the Sacramento Capitals, and then partnered Xavier Malisse to the Farmers Classic title at his former college campus, UCLA. The two edged Somdev Devvarman and Treat Conrad Huey to give the Bahamian his 54th doubles title. Knowles and Malisse also reached the quarterfinals in Washington and the third round at the US Open.

In October, Knowles was invited to participate in the 19th annual World TeamTennis Smash Hits charity event in Cleveland, co-hosted by Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King. Knowles was selected by John as a member of his team, which went on to win the exhibition 19–18. The event raised over $500,000 for various AIDS charities.

At the 2012 SAP Open, Knowles rejoined Malisse to win the ATP World Tour 250 event in San Jose, becoming the first men's player over 40 to win a tour-level doubles title since John McEnroe.

Team Competitions

Knowles was a standout at UCLA for three years, earning All-American honors in singles and doubles before turning pro in 1991.

Representing the Bahamas, Knowles competed in five consecutive Olympic Games (1992-2008) and is his country's all-time leader in Davis Cup wins, playing in 29 ties. He received the prestigious Davis Cup Commitment Award from ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti at the All England Club in 2014.

In World TeamTennis, Knowles was the captain of the Sacramento Capitals for 10 years, picking up three Male MVP Awards. His team won championships in 2002 and 2007.

Retirement and Current Status

Knowles announced his retirement from professional tennis in September 2012, but took part in men's and mixed doubles at Wimbledon 2013, where he and British player Jamie Delgado shared the all-time male record for playing in consecutive Wimbledon tournaments, with 22 appearances in the Open era. However the following year 2014, Jamie Delgado played doubles in the main draw to take the record of 23 appearances, while Knowles returned for an exhibition doubles only.

During his final full season on tour, Knowles was hired by his former doubles partner Mardy Fish to coach him. They begin working together in Miami in 2012.

Since 2013, Knowles has worked on-air for Tennis Channel, providing in-match commentary, courtside interviews and tournament desk analysis.

He started coaching top 10 tennis player Milos Raonic in June 2017, before the grass court season.

Memberships

Knowles was elected by his peers as Vice-President of the ATP and was selected to be on the ATP Drug Force Council.