2002 IN REVIEW
The Austrian finished in Top 100 in ATP Champions Race for second consecutive year despite missing last five months with shoulder injury…Underwent rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder on Aug. 27 and missed rest of season…Began year with2nd RD showing at Australian Open (l. to eventual champion Johansson)…On South American clay courts, advanced to QF in Vina del Mar (d. Gaudio in 2nd RD, l. to Coutelot)…Did not win consecutive matches again until May…Qualified for TMS Monte Carlo and recorded second career Top 10 win over No. 3 Kafelnikov in 1st RD before losing to A. Martin…Also qualified for TMS Roma and defeated Canas in 1st RD (l. to Enqvist)…Reached second QF of season in St. Poelten (l. to Saretta) but suffered five set 1st RD loss at Roland Garros to Ogorodov…On grass, retired in 1st RD at Nottingham with left hamstring injury after losing first set to Pless…Returned to action at Wimbledon but went down 11-9 in fifth set to Thomann in 1st RD after fighting way back from two-set deficit…Defeat was his fourth consecutive five-set loss at Wimbledon despite hitting 38 aces during match against Frenchman…Played last three events of season in July, reaching 3rd RD in Kitzbuehel (l. to Pavel) before suffering deltoid muscle injury in shoulder…Played last match on July 31 at San Marino Challenger (l. to Di Pasquale)…Went 1-1 in Davis Cup singles play.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1994-Made tour debut in St. Poelten as 16-year-old, losing in 1st RD to Clavet...1996-Finished runner-up at Austria #2 Satellite (34 points)...Won first tour match in Kitzbuehel (d. Koubek) before losing to Rios...Made Davis Cup debut vs. Brazil and lost five-set match to Kuerten...1997-Won Satellite titles at Italy #2 (48 points) and Austria #2 (50 points)...1998-Compiled 21-16 record in Challengers, winning titles in Nettingsdorf (d. Filippini, Trimmel) and Guadalajara (d. El Aynaoui)...Went 2-0 vs. Denmark in Davis Cup tie...Played eight of his first nine tour events of career in his native country...1999-Reached first ATP SF in Casablanca (l. to Vicente)...In Davis Cup, went 2-0 in Austria's 3-2 victory over defending Cup champions Sweden to put Austria back in World Group... 2000-Reached SF in Bastad, losing to Vinciguerra in third-set tie-break...In Kitzbuehel, sprained right ankle during second set against Benfele Alvarez and was out for month until US Open...In Biella Challenger, retired in 1st RD against O. Rochus with right shoulder injury and underwent surgery to repair tendon damage on Sept. 22...2001- Returned after shoulder surgery with QF run in Buenos Aires (d. Rios, d. A. Martin, l. to Vicente after retiring at end of first set)…Reached first career ATP final in St. Poelten posting wins over Elsner, Vanek, Malisse and Tabara before losing to Gaudenzi…Advanced to three Challenger finals in Barletta, San Marino and Linz…Helped Austria defeat Ukraine in Davis Cup, winning both singles rubbers…Earned career-high $194,868.
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age four with his father, Alfred, in the family's court at home...Father is a tennis coach and mother, Anita, owns a children's clothing store...Second-oldest in family-two brothers, Werner (older) and Christian (younger) and one sister, Lisa (younger)...Enjoys playing basketball and skiing....As a youngster, admired Boris Becker...In 1994, captured Orange Bowl 16-under title (d. Zabaleta) and was runner-up at European Championships...Reached final of US Open Juniors in 1996, losing to Daniel Elsner of Germany...Has a 10-3 Davis Cup singles record in seven ties since 1996...Coached by Peter Mletzko (since January 2001).
