2004 IN REVIEW

The Frenchman finished in Top 100 of INDESIT ATP Race for second straight year, equaling his career high of 14 match wins set in 2003…Appeared in a career-high 20 ATP events…Began season by reaching QF in Auckland with wins over Beck and Santoro before retiring against Nadal with a hamstring injury…In February, reached his first career ATP SF in Milan with wins over Santopadre, Beck and Verkerk before falling to eventual champion Dupuis…Reached career-high ranking of No. 54 on March 1, and equaled that ranking on April 12…In June, snapped a five-match losing streak at Wimbledon by reaching 2nd RD, defeating O. Rochus before falling to Grosjean…Reached second SF of year at Indianapolis with wins over Sargsian, Fish, Reid and Okun before falling to Kiefer…Represented France in Athens Olympics (l. to Baghdatis)…Won just one match in his final five events of the year…In doubles, reached first ATP final in Newport (w/ Mahut)…Earned a career-high $241,448.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1996-Made Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros and lost in 1st RD to Brett Steven...Won his first ATP match in Toronto (d. Knowles) before losing to countryman Pioline in next round...1997-Went 3-5 in Challenger play, winning one round in Cherbourg, Contrexeville and Segovia...1998-Won Great Britain #4 Futures title (d. Flygt) and advanced to first Challenger SF in Mumbai (l. to Dupuis)...1999-Reached final at France #1 Futures stop and SF at New Delhi Challenger (l. to Paes)...Also QF at Calcutta Challenger (l. to Bhupathi)...2000-Advanced to SF at U.S. Futures #2 and QF at Bristol Challenger...In doubles, reached first final at Calcutta Challenger (w/Marx)...2001- Captured titles at France #2 and #22 Futures and runner-up at France #6 and #7 Futures events...Reached SF at Togliatti and Prague-2 Challengers...2002-Reached first Challenger final in Milan (l. to Ancic) and SF at Lubeck and Segovia Challengers...Began first part of season playing Futures, winning title at France #7 and reaching final at France #8...Qualified at Wimbledon and posted his first Grand Slam match win over Mamiit before losing to eventual champion Hewitt in 2nd RD...In doubles, won first Challenger title at Lubeck (w/Mahut)…2003- Emerged in Top 100 for first time and won 14 matches on ATP circuit (14-12 record)…Also went 18-6 on Challenger circuit…Recorded first career ATP SF in Newport, defeating J. Blake, Guccione and Gimelstob before losing to eventual champion Ginepri in straight sets…Won first match at US Open by defeating Rusedski in 1st RD and followed by knocking out countryman Clement in 2nd RD before losing to Coria in next round…Advanced to QF in Bangkok (l. to No. 1 Ferrero in three sets)…Reached 3rd RD at Tennis Masters Series event for first time in Paris after defeating Stepanek and Schalken (l. to Bjorkman)…Won Challenger titles in Bangalore (d. Elseneer) and Andorra (d. Wang)…Moved into 3rd RD at Indianapolis with three sets victories against Okun and Carlsen before losing to Roddick…Reached doubles SF in Bangkok (w/Moodie)…Won Challenger doubles title at Bangalore (w/Cadart)…Finished year with 9-9 record on hard court and 9-5 mark in tie-breaks.

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age six...Father, Christian, is a branch manager for an insurance company; mother, Nadine, is a housewife...Has one older brother, Xavier, who is a skiing instructor...Says his realistic goal, "would be to win an ATP level tournament and reach the Top 50" and his ultimate dream would be "to win Roland Garros"...Favorite surfaces are hard and grass courts...Coached by countryman Jerome Prigent.