Ryan Harrison (born May 7, 1992) is an American professional tennis player. Harrison has won one career ATP title in singles at the 2017 Memphis Open to go along with four in doubles, including the 2017 French Open.
Before turning 16, Harrison was regarded as a prodigy after cracking the top 10 in the junior rankings and becoming one of the youngest players ever to win an ATP match. Although he broke through onto the ATP level by the age of 20, Harrison then fell out of the top 100 for several years. He would return to the top 100 in 2016 after a strong second half of the season that included multiple wins over opponents ranked in the top 20 and his first career appearance in the round of 32 at a Grand Slam. Harrison built on that momentum in 2017 to reach a top-40 career-high ranking in singles after winning his first career ATP title.
Personal life
Harrison began playing tennis at age 2 and was coached by his father, Pat Harrison, who had a brief career as a professional, playing predominantly Challenger and Futures events. Harrison is an alumnus of IMG Academy and is currently coached by USTA. He is currently signed with IMG Academy.
Harrison has a younger brother Christian, who currently plays tennis on the ATP Challenger Tour. Christian joined Ryan to play doubles at the 2012 US Open, where they reached the quarterfinals. He also has a younger sister named Madison who played at Mississippi State University. On March 5, 2016, Ryan Harrison announced his engagement to Lauren McHale, the sister of fellow tennis player Christina McHale. Harrison married Lauren McHale in April of the following year in Austin, Texas. The couple has since divorced.
Junior career
As a junior, Harrison compiled a 60–24 win–loss record in singles, reaching as high as No. 7 in the world (achieved in April 2008).
Junior Slam results: Australian Open: SF (2008) French Open: 3R (2008) Wimbledon: 2R (2008) US Open: 3R (2008)
Before he went on the junior circuit, Ryan trained at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas. His first junior Grand Slam was the 2007 US Open, where as a wildcard, at the age of 15, he lost in the first round to a qualifier. Going into the next Grand Slam, the 2008 Australian Open, he was seeded fourth, and lost to Yang Tsung-hua in the semifinals. Harrison failed to produce in the next three Grand Slams, losing in the third round of the 2008 French Open, the second round in 2008 Wimbledon, and the third round in the 2008 US Open, a competition in which his younger brother Christian also competed. Although at this point Harrison was only 16, and as such was eligible to play juniors for another two years, it was his final junior Grand slam.
Career
2007–2008: Early years
Harrison is notable for being the third-youngest player since 1990, after Richard Gasquet and Rafael Nadal, to have won an ATP level match, defeating world no. 130 Pablo Cuevas in the 2008 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. Entering the tournament as a qualifier ranked no. 1000, he was only the tenth player in the history of the ATP Tour to have won a match before turning 16. This puts Harrison among an elite group and makes him the youngest American to accomplish this feat since Michael Chang. Harrison played mainly futures tournaments in order to increase his ranking. Harrison competed in the qualifying tournament for the 2008 Cincinnati Masters, and the 2008 US Open, but lost in the first round in both. Harrison would finish 2008 ranked no. 742 in singles.
2009
Harrison did not compete in any tournaments until late April in 2009. As a wildcard, he made it to the quarterfinals of a Challenger tournament in Sarasota. In June, Harrison would win his first futures title, defeating another rising star Filip Krajinović in the final. Having not defended the points from the Clay Court Championships, these points took Harrison's ranking to 706. Harrison would again try his luck in both the Cincinnati and US Open qualifying, and once again lost in the first round in both. After this, Harrison went to two consecutive Futures finals, losing the first to Michael McClune, and winning the second against Richard Bloomfield. This would put Harrison's ranking at 371 in the world. Directly after that final, Harrison made it to the semifinals of a Challenger tournament in Sacramento, losing to Jesse Levine. Harrison finished the year ranked no. 364.