Horacio Zeballos Jr. Bio
Horacio Zeballos Jr. is an Argentine professional tennis player born on 27 April 1985 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He has built a distinguished career on the ATP Tour, achieving his highest success in doubles, where he reached the world No. 1 ranking on 6 May 2024, becoming the first Argentine man to do so. Zeballos has won multiple Grand Slam doubles titles with longtime partner Marcel Granollers, including the French Open and the US Open in 2025.
Standing 188 cm tall and playing left-handed, Zeballos is recognized for his craft on clay and his tactical awareness across surfaces. He also holds a career-high singles ranking of No. 39, achieved on 4 March 2013, and has contributed extensively to Argentina’s presence in international team competition.
Early Life and Background
Horacio Zeballos Jr. was born on 27 April 1985 in Mar del Plata, a coastal city known for producing competitive tennis players. His father, also named Horacio Zeballos, and his mother, Carolina, raised him in a household with one sister, Carolina Jr. The family is of Spanish descent, and Zeballos has spoken about his connection to Argentine roots while embracing his European heritage.
From a young age, Zeballos developed an interest in a variety of activities beyond tennis, including music, swimming, and ping-pong. These pursuits helped shape his hand-eye coordination and competitive temperament, traits that later translated to his tennis career. He currently resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he continues to train and prepare for the ATP Tour.
Clay has always been Zeballos’s preferred surface, and the Argentine circuit provided an early proving ground for his game. His formative years were spent developing at local clubs in Mar del Plata before he made the transition to the international junior and Challenger circuits. He continues to work with coach Alejandro Lombardo, a long-time member of his support team.
Path to Professional Tennis
Zeballos turned professional in 2003 and quickly began competing on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he established himself as a reliable performer. Between 2008 and 2009, he won five Challenger singles titles and six Challenger doubles titles, building the match experience needed to advance to the main ATP Tour. His first ATP Tour final came at the 2009 St. Petersburg Open, where he advanced through qualifying rounds to face Sergiy Stakhovsky, losing in a tight third-set tiebreak. That same year, he was honored with the 2009 ATP Newcomer of the Year award, signaling his arrival as a player to watch.
After gaining experience in Challenger-level events, Zeballos began to balance singles and doubles competition on the ATP Tour. He reached the final of the Movistar Open in 2010 and earned his first career ATP doubles title at the Copa Telmex in Argentina alongside Sebastián Prieto. In 2010, he was also selected to the Argentine Davis Cup team for the first time, partnering with David Nalbandian in a doubles rubber against Sweden. These early milestones set the foundation for what would become a sustained presence on tour.
Horacio Zeballos Career
Early Career (2003-2012)
During the early years of his career, Zeballos focused primarily on the Challenger circuit while gradually working his way into ATP-level events. He won his second ATP doubles title at the 2011 BMW Open with Simone Bolelli and continued to develop his singles game. In 2012, he reached the semifinals in Viña del Mar and Buenos Aires, and at the French Open, he partnered with Oliver Marach to reach the doubles quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by the Bryan brothers.
He also gained valuable experience representing Argentina in Davis Cup competition and produced several notable wins over ranked opponents, including a win over former world No. 1 Carlos Moyà. These years laid the groundwork for his breakthrough in 2013, when he would claim his maiden ATP singles title and crack the top 40 in singles.
Singles Breakthrough (2013)
In 2013, Zeballos captured his first and only ATP singles title at the Chile Open in Viña del Mar, defeating Rafael Nadal in three sets in the final. The victory was historic, as Zeballos became one of only a handful of players to defeat Nadal in a clay court final, joining Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Nuno Borges on that short list. The run propelled him to a career-high singles ranking of No. 39 on 4 March 2013.
That same season, he continued to perform well on the South American clay swing, defeating top opposition and reaching multiple ATP quarterfinals. He also reached the fourth round of the French Open in 2017, his best singles result at a Grand Slam, where he was eliminated by sixth seed Dominic Thiem in straight sets.
Doubles Rise and Partnership with Granollers (2019-2023)
Zeballos’s doubles career took off in 2019, when he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open with Nikola Mektić, becoming the first Argentine to win a Masters doubles title since Luis Lobo in 1997. He then formed a successful partnership with Marcel Granollers later that year, winning six titles together and reaching his first Grand Slam doubles final at the 2019 US Open, where they fell to the top-seeded pair of Robert Farah and Juan Sebastián Cabal. The strong results pushed Zeballos to a career-high doubles ranking of No. 3 on 9 September 2019.
With Granollers, Zeballos won three Masters 1000 titles: the 2019 Canadian Open, the 2020 Italian Open, and the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open. The pair also reached the 2021 Wimbledon final, losing to Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić. In 2023, they added the Rolex Shanghai Masters to their collection, returned to the top 10 in doubles, and qualified for their fourth consecutive ATP Finals.
World No. 1 and Grand Slam Champion Era (2024-2025)
In 2024, Zeballos and Granollers enjoyed a historic season. They reached finals or semifinals at nearly every Masters 1000 event, including the BNP Paribas Open, the Miami Open, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and the Italian Open, where they won their sixth Masters title as a team. On 6 May 2024, after reaching the Madrid Open semifinal, the pair jointly ascended to the world No. 1 ranking, making Zeballos the first Argentine man to achieve the top spot in doubles.
The partnership delivered its biggest prize at the 2025 French Open, where Zeballos and Granollers won their first Grand Slam men’s doubles title together, defeating Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski 6-0, 6-7(5-7), 7-5 in the final. It was Zeballos’s first major title, capping years of deep runs at Grand Slams. The duo has continued to compete at the top of the doubles game, adding additional Masters 1000 crowns, including the 2024 National Bank Open.
Driving Style and Strengths
Zeballos is a left-handed player with an affinity for clay, where his topspin-heavy groundstrokes and patience at the baseline flourish. He combines strong net skills with tactical discipline, allowing him to adapt in both singles and doubles. His long-standing partnership with Granollers has produced a balanced team game built on complementary strengths, with Zeballos often controlling the baseline and Granollers finishing at the net.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Zeballos’s 2013 win over Nadal in the Viña del Mar final stands as his most celebrated singles achievement, while reaching world No. 1 in doubles on 6 May 2024 marked a defining team accomplishment. His 2025 French Open doubles title with Granollers ended a run of three prior Grand Slam finals, and he holds the distinction of being the first Argentine man to top the ATP doubles rankings.
Horacio Zeballos Career Wins
Horacio Zeballos has compiled a versatile and well-rounded record across singles and doubles on the ATP Tour. In singles, he has won one ATP title and reached one runner-up finish, with 12 Challenger singles titles to his credit. In doubles, he has won 27 ATP titles, including multiple Masters 1000 crowns and Grand Slam championships.
Grand Slam and Masters Highlights
Zeballos and Granollers have won Grand Slam doubles titles at the 2025 French Open and the 2025 US Open. Their Masters 1000 victories together include the 2019 Canadian Open, the 2020 Italian Open, the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open, the 2023 Rolex Shanghai Masters, the 2024 Italian Open, and the 2024 National Bank Open. The pair has also qualified for the ATP Finals on multiple occasions, reaching the semifinals in 2020 and 2021.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the ATP Tour, Zeballos has represented Argentina in Davis Cup competition, contributing key doubles wins alongside teammates such as David Nalbandian. He won five singles titles and six doubles titles on the ATP Challenger Tour during his development years, and earned the 2009 ATP Newcomer of the Year award. His first ATP doubles title came at the 2010 Copa Telmex in Argentina with Sebastián Prieto.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Singles | 1 | — | — |
| ATP Doubles | 27 | — | — |
| Challenger Singles | 5 | — | — |
| Challenger Doubles | 6 | — | — |
Horacio Zeballos Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Horacio Zeballos Jr. comes from an Argentine family of Spanish descent. His father shares his name, Horacio Zeballos, and his mother is named Carolina. He also has a sister, Carolina Jr., who has been part of his support system throughout his career. The family’s roots in Mar del Plata and their connection to Spanish heritage have shaped his cultural identity and grounded his approach to professional tennis.
Personal Life
Zeballos resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he trains and prepares for the ATP Tour. Outside of tennis, he enjoys music, swimming, and ping-pong, activities that reflect his competitive and energetic personality. He continues to work with longtime coach Alejandro Lombardo, a partnership that has supported his evolution into a top doubles player.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a landmark year for Horacio Zeballos, highlighted by his first Grand Slam men’s doubles title at the French Open alongside Marcel Granollers. The pair defeated Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the semifinals before overcoming Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in a three-set final. The victory ended Zeballos’s long wait for a major title and added to the team’s growing list of accomplishments.
Following their French Open triumph, Zeballos and Granollers continued to perform at a high level, adding the 2025 US Open doubles title to their resume and further cementing their place among the top doubles teams in the world. With their joint world No. 1 ranking secured in 2024, they entered 2025 as the team to beat, and they have largely lived up to that billing throughout the season.
Looking ahead, Zeballos remains a central figure in Argentina’s tennis landscape, both through his individual success and his contributions to national team competition. With his doubles partnership thriving and his experience on clay among the best on tour, he is well-positioned to remain a top contender at the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events heading into 2026.