title: Steve Virgona
text: # Steve Virgona
  
  Steve Virgona (born 25 September 1978) is an Australian professional real tennis player based in Chicago. As of 2017, he is ranked number three in the world. Virgona's victories include the Australian Open (four times), the British Open (twice) and the US Open.
  
  ## Career
  
  Virgona started his career as a professional at the Ballarat real tennis club before moving to Melbourne at the age of 18. Steve gained much success early by playing doubles, and reaching the final of the British Open in 2001. Virgona worked as a professional in London, primarily at the Burroughs club, before moving back to Melbourne in 2004. After securing a position in Philadelphia in 2006, Virgona's tennis improved markedly and his ranking rose to world number 2. He defeated world champion Robert Fahey twice in 2006, but lost his world championship campaign to Tim Chisholm that year.
  
  Steve's tennis continued to improve, winning the Australian Open, and entered the 2008 world championships as the favourite to challenge Fahey. He lost narrowly to Camden Riviere in the final eliminator, and got revenge soon after in the US Open.
  
  In 2010, he won the US Open doubles championship, partnered by Ben Matthews.
  
  