Max Mirny

As a true doubles specialist, Belarusian tennis player Max Mirny won ten Grand Slam titles, reached number one in the world rankings, won gold at the Olympics, and earned almost $12 million in prize money. After turning professional in 1996 Mirny won his first ATP title with victory at the 1997 Shanghai Open where he paired with Kevin Ullyett. He went on to win 52 ATP doubles titles in total with multiple partners including Roger Federer, Mahesh Bhupathi, Jonas Björkman, and Daniel Nestor.

Mirny won his first Grand Slam titles in 1998 with victories in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon and the US Open with Serena Williams. He won two more mixed doubles titles at the US Open, the first with Vika Azarenka in 2007, and with Andrea Hlaváčková in 2013. He enjoyed more success at the US Open, winning the doubles title in 2000 and 2002, with Lleyton Hewitt and Mahesh Bhupathi, respectively. His best record came at the French Open where he won four doubles titles; two with Jonas Björkman (2005, 2006) and two with Daniel Nestor (2011, 2012).

During his long career Mirny competed at five Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016. At the 2000 Sydney Games he reached the quarter-finals in both the singles and doubles, pairing with Uladzimir Valchkou in the latter. Four years later in Athina he again played in the singles and doubles, reaching the third round in both. For the 2008 Beijing Games Belarus only had one male player to meet the qualification criteria and therefore Mirny played in the singles, but lost in the first round in straight sets to Nicolas Kiefer.

After a disappointing performance at the Beijing Games, Mirny qualified for the 2012 London Olympics, playing in both the doubles and the mixed doubles. In the latter he won gold with Vika Azarenka, with the pair beating the home favourites of Laura Robson and Andy Murray. Mirny also had the honour of being the flagbearer for Belarus at the Opening Ceremony in London. Four years later he made his fifth and final Olympic appearance, playing in the doubles with Aliaksandr Bury in Rio.