2004 IN REVIEW
The Frenchman finished just outside of Top 100 for second straight year, splitting time between ATP and Challenger events…In March, reached SF at Wrexham and won title at St. Brieuc Challenger (d. C. Rochus)…Broke an 0-5 start in ATP play by reaching a Grand Slam-best 4th RD at Roland Garros, recording his biggest career win over No. 2 Roddick in five sets in 2nd RD before losing to Chela…Continued success in June, by capturing title at Reggio Emilia Challenger (d. Kohlschreiber)…Did not win back-to-back matches again until September when he reached QF at Genova Challenger and followed with ATP QF in Palermo with wins over Patience and Nadal before losing to Monaco…Closed season with 2nd RD in Metz with a win over Mahut before losing to Clement…Was 15-8 in Challenger events for season.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1995-Played first ATP level match at Roland Garros, losing five-set match to Dosedel (8-6 in fifth set)...1996-Played only ATP match in Toulouse, but lost three-set match with Guardiola..1997- In only second tournament of year, won Montauban Challenger (d. Skoff)...1998- Reached QF in Jerusalem and Bristol Challengers...Made it to SF at Belgium F1 and F2 Futures events...1999- Began year by winning France #1 Satellite (47 points)...Reached SF at Grenoble and Besancon Challengers in successive weeks...
2000- Reached final at Tampere and Eckental Challengers...Won three-straight Futures at Great Britain F3, F4 and F5 in late-April and May...2001- Won first career ATP match in Amsterdam by defeating Verkerk in three-set battle (l. to Corretja in 2nd RD)...Reached SF at Seville Challenger...2002-Compiled his best results at Challenger level with a 32-8 record and tied for ATP-best with four Challenger titles...Began dominating second half of season surge (23-3 record) by winning Segovia Challenger (d. Verdasco)...Won .Won second title of year two weeks later in Graz (d. Volandri)...After loss in SF at Geneva Challenger, won third title at Aschaffenberg Challenger...Won fourth title in late-September in Seville (d. Portas)...Played in only ATP event of year in Basel and retired in match with Nalbandian after suffering abdominal muscle strain...Won Germany F2 in Esslingen in late April and Great Britain F4 in Hatfield in mid-May...Reached final in Eisenach (l. to Zib)…2003- Made a successful jump from Challenger play and enjoyed a breakthrough year on ATP circuit, reaching his first SF and winning a personal-best 16 matches…Prior to '03, he had only won one match on ATP circuit since turning pro in 1996…In April advanced to his first ATP QF in Casablanca…Following week, continued good clay court form in Houston, where he reached his first ATP SF…Defeated Armando, Saretta and J. Blake before losing to Roddick in three sets…At Roland Garros, reached 2nd RD for first time at a Grand Slam, defeating countryman Golmard in four sets before losing to Gaudio…On grass, defeated Krajicek in 1st RD at 's-Hertogenbosch in what proved to be the Dutchman's last ATP match before he announced his retirement…On his Wimbledon debut, came back from two sets down for first time in his career to defeat Chela and record first five-set win…Led No. 11 Srichaphan by two sets in 2nd RD and had two match points in fourth set before losing in five…Returned to clay in July and reached 3rd RD in Kitzbnhel and QF following week in Sopot, losing to eventual champion Coria on both occasions…Finished season with QF showing at Grenoble Challenger and 2nd RD loss in Metz (d. Gasquet, l. to Santoro)…Compiled 12-11 record on clay, 2-4 on hard, 2-3 on grass…Earned a career-high $186,303.
PERSONAL
Only child in family of father, Jean, who works for a computer company, and mother, Josian, who works at a bank...Admired Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic while growing up...Compiled an outstanding junior career, winning Wimbledon junior title in 1995, defeating top-seeded Nicolas Kiefer 62 62, and reaching SF at US Open that year...Finished No. 13 in world junior rankings...Considers clay as favorite surface and strength of game his forehand.
