1998 IN REVIEW
Finished out of Top 100 ATP Tour Rankings for first time since 1989...Compiled his best results in Challenger play (19-19 record) while struggling on Tour with a 2-8 mark...Beat French No. 1 Cedric Pioline in 1st RD of Prague Tour stop...In mid-September, at Budapest-2 Challenger, dropped only one set in capturing his first Challenger crown (d. Van Garsse) since 1990...Jumped from 186 to No. 151.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1989-SF at Parioli Challenger, QF appearances in four other Challengers...1990-Won the Tampere Challenger...Reached QF at San Remo and Geneva Tour events...Compiled a 9-8 match record on Tour and improved from 222 to No. 77...1991-QF or better results in five ATP Tour stops...In doubles, won Challengers in Venice (w/Camporese) and Messina (w/Perez-Roldan)...1992-Reached first career singles finals, in Bologna and Florence...1993-Reached San Marino final and followed with SF effort in Umag (l. to eventual winner Muster in both)...1994-Won his first ATP Tour titles in San Jose (d. Chang) and Casablanca (d. Alami)...1995-Posted his only Top 10 win of year over W. Ferreira in Cincinnati (on hard) en route to QF (l. to Agassi)...Reached his only final in Beijing, losing to Chang...Helped lead his country to Davis Cup QF with two wins in opening-round tie against Czech Republic...Reached QF at French Open (l. to Bruguera) and career-best 3rd RD at U.S. Open...Earned a career-high $501,554...1996-Helped his country to Davis Cup SF (l. to France)...Compiled a 17-13 record on hard, 9-6 on clay, 7-8 on carpet and 2-2 on grass...Advanced to 3rd RD at French Open and Wimbledon...During North American summer season, advanced to SF in Washington (l. to W. Ferreira) and QF at Atlanta Olympics (l. to Paes)...1997-Reached his seventh career ATP Tour final in St. Petersburg (l. to Johansson)...Also QF in Rotterdam...In Davis Cup QF tie, defeated A. Costa in five sets to lead Italy to 4-1 victory...Went 4-1 in Cup play in helping his country to SF...At Wimbledon, came back from 0-2 sets to beat Siemerink in 1st RD. CAREER TITLES (2): 1994-San Jose, Casablanca. FINALIST (5): 1992-Bologna, Florence; 1993-San Marino; 1995-Beijing; 1997-St. Petersburg. CAREER DOUBLES FINALIST (1). GRAND SLAM RECORD CAREER989796959493929189 AUS. OPEN7-71ST 3RD4TH3RD1ST- 1ST1ST- FRENCH OPEN7-8- 1ST3RDQF 1ST2ND1ST1ST1ST WIMBLEDON3-5- 2ND3RD1ST1ST- - 1ST- US OPEN3-6 -1ST1ST3RD1ST2ND1ST- -
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age 6...Played soccer until age 14...The youngest in the family of two brothers and one sister...Hobbies include action and spy thriller movies and reading spy novels...Has a 10-8 career Davis Cup record (all singles) in 10 ties...Wife, Nathalie Baudone-Furlan, a player on the COREL WTA Tour...Coached by Riccardo Piatti.