Daniele Bracciali (Italian pronunciation:[daˈnjɛːlebratˈtʃaːli]; born 10 January 1978) is an Italian formertennis player, best ranked world no. 21 indoubles. His career-high ATP singles ranking is world no. 49, achieved in May 2006. In doubles, he reached the semifinals of the 2012 French Open and the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open. In mixed doubles, he reached the semifinals of the 2012 Australian and French Opens.
He was banned by the Italian Tennis Federation in 2015 for betting and did not play for several years, but returned in 2017. In November 2018, Bracciali was once again given a life ban having been found guilty by theTennis Integrity Unit.[1]
Bracciali won his onlyATP singles title in April 2006, atCasablanca, on clay. In the final he beatNicolás Massú.
In his career, Bracciali has won a total of seven matches atGrand Slam tournaments, six atWimbledon and one at theAustralian Open. In 1998 and 2006, he reached the third round of Wimbledon, his best Grand Slam results. In the first round of Wimbledon in 2005, he defeatedIvo Karlović in five sets after surviving 51aces from the Croat. He then tookAndy Roddick, the previous year's runner-up (and eventual runner-up that year as well), to five sets.
Recently, Bracciali has played primarily doubles. He has won five ATP titles. In 2012, he reached the third round of the2012 Australian Open partneringPotito Starace. They were beaten byMax Mirnyi andDaniel Nestor. Later that year at theFrench Open, they reached their first semifinal. They were defeated again by the eventual champions,Max Mirnyi andDaniel Nestor. AtWimbledon, Bracciali partnered the Austrian veteranJulian Knowle and met Mirnyi and Nestor again in the second round. This was the first time that Bracciali won against them. Bracciali and Knowle lost in the quarterfinals toRobert Lindstedt andHoria Tecău.
Bracciali also partneredRoberta Vinci in mixed doubles at the2012 Australian Open. Entering the draw as an alternate, they reached the semifinals. They lost to the fifth seedsElena Vesnina andLeander Paes after they took the first set. At theFrench Open, Bracciali partneredGalina Voskoboeva. They reached the semifinals of the tournament, but lost to the eventual championsSania Mirza andMahesh Bhupathi. AtWimbledon, Bracciali teamed up again with Vinci and reached the third round. He played with Vinci at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and withAndreas Seppi in men's doubles at the same event.[2]
FollowingAlessio di Mauro's nine-month ban for betting on matches in November 2007, Bracciali andPotito Starace were each fined and given short suspensions from playing. Bracciali received a fine of £14,300 and a three-month ban from January 1, 2008.[3]
July and November 2007 interceptions between a businessman, Manlio Bruni, and Bracciali were found and they were extensively talking about gaining 50,000 euros each for a set won or lost depending on the match Bracciali was playing. The interceptions were published by several Italian tennis magazines.[4]
In 2015, the Italian Tennis Federation gave Bracciali and Starace a lifelong ban.[5] After a long process, in autumn 2016 ATP confirmed the 2 years suspension, allows the players to play national events. In January 2018, the lifelong suspension was cancelled after absolution of both players. Bracciali came back on court in June 2018, but was once more banned, this time for life, in November of that year and was also fined $250,000.[1]
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Italy
Nicolás Massú
