Perhaps best known for his epic five hour showdown with Andy Roddick in the Quarter Finals of the Australian Open, Younes is a five time singles winner on the ATP tour. Though injuries have sometimes sidetracked his career, the Moroccan reached a career high ranking of World No. 14 on the ATP tour at the age of 31. His passion for the sport, evident in his gritty playing style, has earned him extremely high popularity in Morocco.

El Aynaoui received a gold medal—the nation’s highest honor— from King Mohammed VI and was named the nations favorite role model for society in a poll conducted by L’Economiste.