From the beginning of May last season, Malek has won the Gold Medal in singles at the Arab Games, won three futures events, won a 100K challenger in Geneva, Switzerland, made the finals of four challengers, including three this season---Quimper, Kyoto and Pingguo, as well as Samarkand in August, the SF of two other challengers and qualified and won his R1 match vs De Bakker at the US Open. With these results, he has moved from #310 in the world to his current provisional #91 and will make his first ever direct entry in a GS event at Roland Garros. Malek is the first ever Tunisian player in the top 100 and first Arab player in the top 100 since El Aynaoui eight years ago, and the fifth in the Open Era.
He's made unbelievable progress as a player and blossomed quicker than most anyone could have expected. I was skeptical of him and his ability but I am a believer now. He's earned his spot in the top 100 and the impact he's made in the sport far surpasses his ranking.
Malek is in Barletta this week and won his R1 match over Di Mauro 6-4 6-3. He plays Arnaboldi for a spot in the QF. If he plays well, it should be a definite victory for him. GL, Malek!