Martin Verkerk
A big-serving Dutch tennis player who emerged from obscurity to storm the 2003 French Open final in a captivating underdog story.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Dutch tennis player·Birthday: October 31·Generation X
Biography
Martin Verkerk's narrative is one of the most sudden and thrilling ascents in modern tennis. Virtually unknown on the world stage, the towering Dutchman used a thunderous serve and fearless hitting to blast through the 2003 French Open draw, reaching the final as a rank outsider. His run, filled with five-set victories and unabashed emotion, captured the imagination of the sporting public. While injuries and inconsistency prevented him from sustaining that elite level, that fortnight in Paris secured his legacy as a player of explosive, if fleeting, potential. His game was built around a massive first strike, both on serve and off the ground, a style perfectly suited for the clay that briefly carried him to the sport's summit. His career serves as a reminder of tennis's capacity for glorious, unexpected drama.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Martin was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Martin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Martin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the final of the French Open in 2003 as an unseeded player, defeating former champion Carlos Moyá and Guillermo Coria en route.
- Achieved a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 14 in September 2003.
- Won two ATP Tour singles titles, both in 2003, at the Milan Indoor and the Austrian Open Kitzbühel.
Did You Know?
He was the first Dutchman to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Richard Krajicek won Wimbledon in 1996.
Verkerk required a wild card entry to even get into the main draw of the 2003 French Open.
He played college tennis for the University of North Florida before turning professional.
“I served 220 kilometers per hour and played without any fear.”
