1997 HIGHLIGHTS
Prize money: $136,329
Matches won-lost: Tour: 0-0 (singles), 32-34 (doubles)
Doubles Winner: Palermo(w/KRATZMANN). Finalist: Rotterdam(w/TALBOT), Amsterdam(w/KRATZMANN). Semifinalist: Copenhagen, Bologna(w/OOSTING), Sydney, Milan, Barcelona(w/TALBOT).
1997 IN REVIEW
The oldest player (34) to finish in Top 50 singles or doubles in ATP Tour Rankings compiled another consistent season...The 16-year Tour veteran won his 17th career doubles title and reached two other finals...Opened with a SF in Sydney and played well indoors, reaching SF in Milan and final in Rotterdam (all w/Talbot) in addition to SF in Copenhagen (w/Oosting)...On clay, advanced to SF in Barcelona (w/Talbot) and Bologna (w/Oosting) while reaching final in Amsterdam (w/Kratzmann)...In early October, won title in Palermo (w/Kratzmann)...Has won at least one doubles title in five of last six years...Finished No. 26 in Team Rankings (w/Talbot) and No. 40 individually.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1984 - Won title in Munich (d. G. Mayer)...Also SF in Indianapolis, Columbus and Geneva...1985 - Reached personal-high No. 21 in April...Reached second final in Vienna (l. to Gunnarsson)...Won first doubles title in Boston (w/Zivojinovic)...1986 - SF in St. Vincent and Wembley...1987 - The last of five consecutive Top 100 finishes in singles...1988 - Doubles SF at two Tour stops...1989 - Won singles title at Knokke Challenger...1990 - In doubles, won in Bordeaux (w/Carbonell) and reached SF in two other Tour stops...1991 - Reached doubles final in Brussels (w/Schapers) and Prague (w/Vacek)...1992 - Doubles titlist in Estoril and Gstaad (both w/Davids), finalist in Copenhagen (w/Davids) and Cologne (w/Bathman)...1993 - Won doubles titles in Florence (w/Carbonell), Prague (w/Davids) and Bucharest (w/Oosting)...1994 - Won doubles titles at Turin (w/Lavalle) and Ostend (w/Gorriz) Challengers and SF at four Tour stops with as many partners...1995 - Won 12th career Tour title in Prague (w/Talbot)...1996 - Formed a partnership with Talbot and the duo qualified for The Phoenix/ATP Tour World Doubles Championship (1-2 in round-robin play)...They played in 33 tournaments, most of any team, and won titles in Copenhagen, Stuttgart and Kitzbuehel...Won another title in Zagreb (w/Oosting)...Compiled a 38-31 record (w/Talbot), finishing No. 9 in Team Rankings.
CAREER TITLES: 1984 - Munich. FINALIST: 1985 - Vienna.
CAREER DOUBLES TITLES (17). FINALIST (12).
GRAND SLAM RECORD
CAREER888786858483
FRENCH OPEN 1-6 1ST1ST1ST1ST2ND1ST
WIMBLEDON 0-2 1ST-- -- -- -- 1ST
US OPEN 4-6 1ST3RD1ST1ST2ND2ND
PERSONAL
Began playing at age 6...Won the Czech national 18s title in 1979 and former member of Czech Davis Cup team...A member of the Belgian Davis Cup team since 1991 (2-4 career record in doubles)...Played three years on Czech team and had 3-3 record...Enjoys the cinema, snooker and traveling...Wife, Anne-Marie, is a native of Belgium.
