Timea Bacsinszky
A Swiss tennis artist with a sublime one-handed backhand, whose career was a story of brilliant comebacks from injury and personal hardship.
Born 1989 (age 37)·Swiss professional tennis player·Birthday: June 8·Millennials
Biography
Timea Bacsinszky's tennis was a thing of elegant craft, defined by a gorgeous one-handed backhand and clever court geometry. But her career narrative was shaped by forces far beyond the baseline. Bursting onto the scene as a teenager, she reached the French Open quarterfinals in 2010, only for her progress to be derailed by a severe foot injury and a complicated relationship with her father, who was also her coach. She stepped away from the sport, even working in hotel management. Her return was spectacular. Refined and mentally fortified, she soared back into the top 10 in 2015, reaching two more French Open semifinals and winning an Olympic silver medal in doubles. Bacsinszky played with a thoughtful, tactical beauty, and her path served as a powerful testament to resilience and self-discovery in a high-pressure world.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Timea was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Timea Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Timea's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
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
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the semifinals of the French Open twice, in 2015 and 2017.
- Achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 9 in May 2016.
- Won a silver medal in women's doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, partnering with Martina Hingis.
- Captured four WTA singles titles and five WTA doubles titles during her career.
Did You Know?
She is of Hungarian descent, and 'Bacsinszky' is a Hungarian surname.
During her hiatus from tennis, she studied for and obtained a diploma in hotel management.
She is a trained pastry chef and has expressed a desire to open a café after tennis.
She was named the WTA's Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.
“I think I'm a better person because of everything that happened. I learned a lot about life.”
