1997 HIGHLIGHTS
Prize money: $292,898
Matches won-lost: Tour: 23-27 (singles), 5-4 (doubles) Challenger: 3-1 (singles), 0-0 (doubles)
Singles Finalist: Chennai. Semifinalist: Toulouse. Quarterfinalist: Auckland, Zagreb, Rotterdam, Newport.
Doubles Semifinalist: Singapore(w/KIEFER).
1997 IN REVIEW
Started the year 8-10 with QF appearances in Auckland and Zagreb and SF in the Heilbronn Challenger...Reached first career ATP Tour singles final in Chennai (l. to Tillstrom) in April...Then went 3-8 until reaching the QF in Newport...Got to the U.S. Open 3rd RD before losing to Sampras and reached the Toulouse SF in his next tournament, losing to countryman Kiefer...Teamed with Kiefer to reach the Singapore SF for his best doubles result...Had career-highs in victories (23) and prize money ($292,898).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1992 - Winner at Swiss Satellite (28 points)...1993 - Reached first Challenger final in Gothenburg (l. to Bates) and SF at Dublin and Rogaska Challengers...Fourth at Italian #1 Satellite (26 pts.) and sixth at France #1 Satellite (18 pts.)...1994 - Advanced to SF at Andorra Challenger...In doubles, won first title at Bristol Challenger (w/Pennisi) and added another at Prague-1 Challenger (w/Pavel)...Also SF in two other Challengers...1995 - Won consecutive singles Challenger titles in Andorra (d. Carlsen) and Velenje (d. Ogorodov), first of his career...1996 - In April, reached first career Tour SF in New Delhi (d. Top 10 W. Ferreira, l. to B. Black)...Won Annenheim Challenger (d. Wheaton)...In his first career Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon, won successive five-set matches over Boetsch, Pescosolido and Wheaton before falling in five to Washington in QF.
CAREER FINALIST: 1997 - Chennai.
GRAND SLAM RECORD
CAREER9796
AUS. OPEN0-11ST--
FRENCH OPEN0-11ST--
WIMBLEDON 6-2 3RDQF
US OPEN2-2 3RD1ST
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age 7 with his father, Sergiu...Although born in Romania, moved to Germany at age 14 and became a citizen in 1993...Finished No. 6 in world junior doubles rankings after reaching French Open Juniors doubles final (w/Kafelnikov) and Wimbledon Juniors SF (w/Abarao) in 1992...Also, won ITF junior doubles championships (w/Pescariu)...Enjoys the cinema, music (Mozart) and reading...In 1996, National German Olympic Committee presented him with Fair Play medal for Sportsmanship...Member of Mercedes-Benz Junior Team and coached by Klaus Hofsaess.
