2004 IN REVIEW
The Armenian No. 1 finished in Top 100 for seventh time in eight years…Season highlighted by reaching 4th RD at US Open for first time, equaling Grand Slam best performance…Started year with QF run in Doha (l. to Henman), but proved to be only QF during rest of season…Did not win back-to-back matches in next 21 tournaments… Represented Armenia in Athens Olympics, losing to Ljubicic in 1st RD…At Flushing Meadows, posted wins over Corretja, Massu and Mathieu before losing to Agassi…His 2nd RD 67(6) 64 36 76(6) 64 win over Massu lasted 5 hours, 9 minutes, the second longest match in US Open history (17 minutes short of Edberg's 5-hour 26-minute victory over Chang in 1992) and second longest on ATP circuit all season (behind Santoro's 6-hour, 33-minute victory over Clement at Roland Garros)…Also saved two match points in 3rd RD win over Mathieu, coming back from two-set deficit for fourth time in career in match lasting 4 hours, 44 minutes…Finished season indoors, reaching 2nd RD in Moscow (l. to Safin) and AMS Paris (l. to Roddick).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1995-Qualified and reached first Challenger final in Granby (l. to Weiss)...Also finalist at Caribbean Satellite (44 points)...Played in first Grand Slam event at U.S. Open, reaching 3rd RD with wins over Joyce and No. 18 Medvedev (both in five sets)...1996-Won Challenger titles in Zagreb (d. Gorriz), first of career, and Austin (d. Lareau) while reaching finals in West Bloomfield (l. to Stafford) and Binghamton (l. to Santopadre)...Captured first doubles title at Monterrey Challenger and added another title in Austin (both w/Sell)...Played Olympics and lost in 2nd RD...1997-Became first Armenian to capture an ATP title in Newport (d. Steven) and finish in Top 100...Also QF in Coral Springs and Moscow...1998-Reached SF in Nottingham and Bogota...1999-Reached SF at Queen's, defeating Kafelnikov, Draper and Rusedski before falling to Henman...Also advanced to QF at Atlanta, Delray Beach and Bucharest...Reached first career doubles final at Newport (w/Woodruff)... 2000-Reached QF in Memphis and advanced to third consecutive 3rd RD at Roland Garros, coming from two sets down to defeat Schalken in 1st RD and Clement in 2nd RD before losing to Norman)...Surpassed $1 million in career earnings... 2001-Reached SF in Sopot and Tashkent...Advanced to 3rd RD at Wimbledon for first time (l. to Sampras)...Also reached QF in San Jose (l. to Agassi)...2002-Finished in Top 100 despite missing two months of season with injury...Underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a labrum tear in his right hip on Apr. 9 in Pittsburgh...Returned May 21 in St. P�lten and lost in 1st RD...His best results were QF in Milan, Memphis and Palermo…2003- A breakthrough season for Armenian No. 1, who finished in Top 50 for first time in singles and doubles...Opened season with a Grand Slam-best 4th RD showing at Australian Open (d. Philippoussis, l. to Ferreira) but struggled in first eight months of year with an 18-22 match record...Upset No. 6 Roddick in 1st RD at Roland Garros (l. in 2nd RD)...Played well in final two months, winning 10 of 14 matches, highlighted by finals in Moscow (l. to Dent) and St. Petersburg (l. to Kuerten) and QF in Bucharest...Compiled 13-12 mark on hard, 9-10 on clay and 4-1 on carpet...In doubles, captured his first ATP title in Washington (w/Kafelnikov) and added another title in Bucharest (w/Braasch)...Finished a year-end best No. 42 in doubles...Earned a career-high $530,664…2003- Finished in Top 50 for first time in singles and doubles...Opened season with a Grand Slam-best 4th RD showing at Australian Open…Upset No. 6 Roddick in 1st RD at Roland Garros (l. in 2nd RD)...Played well in final two months, winning 10 of 14 matches, highlighted by finals in Moscow (l. to Dent) and St. Petersburg (l. to Kuerten) and QF in Bucharest...Compiled 13-12 mark on hard, 9-10 on clay and 4-1 on carpet...In doubles, captured his first ATP title in Washington (w/Kafelnikov) and added another title in Bucharest (w/Braasch)...Finished a year-end best No. 42 in doubles...Earned a career-high $530,664.
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age seven...Nicknamed "Sarg"...Attended the Institute of Sport in Armenia and came to the U.S. with the Armenian national team in 1993 to compete against Ivy League schools in the Northeast... Ended up staying in the U.S. and attended Arizona State University in August 1993 until May 1995...Became ASU's first NCAA singles champion on May 21, 1995, defeating Brett Hansen-Dent (Taylor Dent's brother) of Univ. of Southern California...Earned singles All-America honors twice and doubles once...Finished as No. 1 collegiate player in the country in '95...Has a 27-5 career Davis Cup record (16-3 in singles) in 20 ties...A good friend of Andre Agassi and has practiced frequently with him in Las Vegas...Spends part of year training in Vienna.
