Martin Willem Verkerk (born 31 October 1978) is a retired professional Dutch tennis player.

He played in a tennis facility in his hometown of Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands, where his talent was recognized by local coaches, and he soon had the opportunity to train with many better players.

[1] In 2003, playing in only his third Grand Slam event and ranked 46, Verkerk reached the final of the French Open.

[2] His unexpected run at the French Open as an underdog and his expressive on-court antics made him popular in the Netherlands.

[citation needed] However, hampered by various injuries and mononucleosis, Verkerk was unable to reproduce similar results during the rest of his career, never advancing beyond the third round in any subsequent Grand Slams.