PROFILE

Birthdate: February 18, 1974
Turned pro: 1992
Birthplace: Sochi, Russia
Residence: Sochi, Russia
Height: 6'3" (1.90m)
Weight: 173 (78kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Racquet: Fisher VT Pro 98
Clothing Sponsor: Diadora
Sponsors:
Agent: International Management Group
Coach: Anatoli Lepeshin

Career prize money: $5,715,734 (year-end 1996)
Highest singles ranking: 3 (November 4, 1996)
Highest doubles ranking: 5 (June 24, 1996)

Current ranking: 5 (2690 points, Nov 17)
Current individual doubles ranking: 6 (2909 points, Nov 17)

Current team doubles ranking: 4 (With Daniel Vacek, Nov 24)
Current team doubles ranking: 81 (With Andrei Olhovskiy, Nov 24)
Current team doubles ranking: 221 (With G. Dzelde, Nov 24)

YEAR-END RANKING HISTORY
1997: 5............ 1994: 11
1996: 3............ 1993: 104
1995: 6............ 1992: 314

1996 HIGHLIGHTS
Prize money: $2,682,115
Matches won-lost: Tour: 78-24 (singles), 43-23 (doubles)
Singles Winner: Adelaide, Prague, French Open, Lyon.
Singles Finalist: Rotterdam, St. Petersburg, Halle, Stuttgart-outdoor, Paris-indoor, Moscow.
Singles Semifinalist: Milan, Hamburg, Gstaad, Basel.
Singles Quarterfinalist: Australian Open, Cincinnati, New Haven, Vienna.
Doubles Winner: St. Petersburg(w/OLHOVSKIY), Prague, French Open, Basel, Vienna(w/VACEK).
Doubles Finalist: Antwerp(w/OOSTING), Halle, Paris-indoor(w/VACEK).
Doubles Semifinalist: Milan(w/OOSTING).

1996 IN REVIEW
Became the first player on the ATP Tour to finish in the Top Five in singles and doubles since John McEnroe in 1989. Tied a career-best with four singles titles (in a Tour-high 10 finals) and won a career-high five doubles titles (in eight finals). Made biggest breakthrough of his young career by winning singles and doubles titles at the French Open. Only lost one set in 13 matches in becoming first Russian to win a Grand Slam title. Became first player to win both titles at Roland Garros since Ken Rosewall in 1968.

Led ATP Tour for third consecutive year with 168 matches played (singles and doubles) and became first player to compete in 100 singles matches in consecutive seasons since Lendl in 1981-82. Compiled a 43-23 record in doubles, winning titles in St. Petersburg (w/Olhovskiy), Prague, French Open, Basel, Vienna (all w/Vacek). Only player on Tour during year to reach singles finals on four surfaces (carpet, clay, hard, grass).

Opened season with title in Adelaide (d. B. Black) on hardcourts and won on clay in Prague (d. Ulihrach) and French Open (d. Stich). Also a winner on carpet in Lyon (d. Boetsch). Reached finals in March on carpet in Rotterdam (l. to Ivanisevic) and St. Petersburg (l. to Gustafsson) and in June advanced to first career grasscourt final in Halle (l. to Kulti). One month later on clay, made final in Stuttgart (l. to Muster). Finished fall indoor season with consecutive finals at Mercedes Super 9 in Paris (l. to Enqvist) and Moscow (l. to Ivanisevic).

Compiled a 3-8 record vs. Top 10 opponents. Consistent on all surfaces Ð 29-7 on clay, 29-10 on carpet, 16-5 on hard and 4-2 on grass. Qualified for his second consecutive ATP Tour World Championship (1-2 in round-robin play). Finished No. 7 in final Team Rankings (w/Vacek) and No. 5 individually. Earned a career-high $2,682,115.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1992: Won first Tour match in Moscow.

1993: Reached first Tour QF in Barcelona (d. Stich, first Top 10 win). Beat Stich in Lyon. Won first Challenger singles title in Rogaska and doubles in Dresden (w/Davids).

1994: Finished in Top 20 in singles and doubles. In Adelaide, defeated Volkov in first all-Russian final in Open Era. Won titles in Copenhagen and Long Island. Reached Hamburg final and five SF. Helped his country to first Davis Cup final with 7-1 singles mark. Won four doubles titles. Finished No. 12 in doubles and No. 13 (w/Rikl) in Team Rankings.

1995: The only player on the ATP Tour to win four singles and four doubles titles during the year. The first Russian ever to finish in Top 10 and the first player since E. Sanchez in 1990 to finish in Top 10 in singles and doubles. Showed his versatility by playing in 167 matches, the most on the ATP Tour for the second consecutive year (played 171 matches in 1994). Helped his country into Davis Cup final vs. U.S. for second consecutive year, where the Russians lost 3-2. Broke into Top 10 after his QF finish at the Australian Open in January and ranked rest of the year in Top 10. Won titles on three surfaces (carpet, clay, hard), capturing his first of the season in Milan over two-time defending champion Becker. One month later, won his first in his home country in St. Petersburg (d. Raoux).

In his first nine tournaments, advanced to QF or better, posting a 32-8 record. Started the claycourt season with a SF in Barcelona and final (l. to Rosset) in Nice. Beat No. 1 Agassi in French Open QF before losing to eventual champion Muster in the Russian's first career Grand Slam SF. QF at Halle and Wimbledon (l. to Ivanisevic). Won the Swiss Open in Gstaad (d. Hlasek). During North American summer hardcourt circuit, compiled a 10-3 mark with a repeat title in Long Island (d. Siemerink), SF in New Haven and QF in Montreal. The first Russian to qualify for the ATP Tour World Championship. In doubles, won four titles with three partners and was runner-up in two others. Finished No. 16 in Team Rankings (w/Olhovskiy) and No. 9 individually.

CAREER TITLES: 11
1994: Adelaide, Copenhagen, Long Island
1995: Milan, St. Petersburg, Gstaad, Long Island
1996: Adelaide, Prague, French Open, Lyon

FINALIST: 7
1994: Hamburg
1995: Nice
1996: Rotterdam, St. Petersburg, Halle, Stuttgart-outdoor, Paris-indoor

CAREER DOUBLES TITLES: 13
CAREER DOUBLES FINALIST: 7

GRAND SLAM HISTORY

                            
CAREER 
RECORD                97     96     95     94     93       
AUS. OPEN      9-3    --     QF     QF     2ND    --         
FRENCH OPEN    9-1    QF     WON    SF     3RD    2ND     
WIMBLEDON      9-1    4TH    1ST    QF     3RD    --     
US OPEN        6-3    2ND    --     3RD    4TH    --    

CAREER
RECORD   96   95   
 1-5     RR   RR   

Photograph by Gary M. Prior of AllSport.

All information on this Profile page obtained from the ATP Tour Tennis Online pages are the sole property of ATP Tour, Inc., and reproduction of such information without the written consent of ATP Tour, Inc., is strictly prohibited.