1998 IN REVIEW

Compiled career-best season in doubles on ATP Tour while playing only one event in singles...In his only singles tournament in February, reached final at Britain #3 Futures event (l. to Flygt)...Tried to qualify in several Tour stops, but came up short...In March, advanced to doubles SF at Magdeburg Challenger (w/Kilderry) and one month later, reached his first ATP Tour SF in Orlando (w/Rosner)...Continued success on clay in May when he captured Budapest-1 Challenger title (w/Rosner)...On grass, advanced to RD 16 at Wimbledon (w/Rosner) for second straight year...Returned to clay in July and reached three consecutive SF at Merano Challenger (w/Bale) and at Tour stops in Stuttgart (w/Waite) and Umag (w/Bale)...Prior to U.S. Open, reached his first career Tour final in Boston (w/Waite), losing to top-ranked Eltingh-Haarhuis...Finished season indoors with SF in Vienna and second final of year in Stockholm (both w/Nyborg)...Upset No. 2 ranked Bhupathi-Paes in SF before losing to Swedes Kulti-Tillstrom 7-5 in third set...Finished a year-end best No. 49 with 24-23 match record and earned a career-high $98,538.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1993-Won doubles at USTA #4 Satellite (w/Joffee, 46 points)...1994-Singles and doubles champion at Central Africa Satellite (47 points in singles, 49 points in doubles w/Godwin)...1995-Captured singles title at Britain #3 Satellite (51 points)...1996-Advanced to first Challenger final in Jerusalem (l. to Stafford) and made ATP Tour debut by qualifying at Queen's in London (d. Knowles, l. to Becker in 2nd RD)...Also runner-up at South Africa Satellite (42 points)...Reached first Challenger final in Bronx (w/Wilkinson) and SF in Olbia (Navarra) and Beijing (w/Hilpert) Challengers...1997-Played limited singles, qualifying for second straight year at Queen's (l. to Golmard in 1st RD) for lone Tour appearance and compiling 4-6 record in Challengers...Continued consistency in doubles, winning USTA #1 Satellite (60 points w/Hilpert) and Challengers in Aachen and Neumunster (w/de Jager) and Ixtapa (w/Ruah)...Also runner-up at Britain #1 Satellite (38 points w/Ketola) and Istanbul (w/Petchey) and Edinburgh (w/J. Holmes) Challengers...Advanced to RD 16 at Wimbledon (w/Simian), his best Grand Slam result...Finished No. 120 in doubles. CAREER DOUBLES FINALIST (2).

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age 13 with friends at a local club and played first junior event at South African 16s junior nationals...Attended University of Auburn-Montgomery for one season in 1991 and reached final of nationals (finished No. 2)...Transferred to University of Tennessee and played there for two years in 1992-93...Teammate of ATP Tour pro Chris Woodruff and played No. 2 in singles behind Woodruff and teamed up with him in doubles (finished No. 2 team in '93)...As a youngster, was good cricket and soccer player but stopped to concentrate on tennis...Says John McEnroe and Boris Becker "inspired me most to play tennis"...Played Becker in 2nd RD of Queen's Club in London in June 1996 and lost 6-4, 6-2 and said, "it was like a dream to play him"...Coached by Dave Sammel, who works for LTA and practices at LTA Training Center in London.