1999 IN REVIEW
Improved year-end ranking for third consecutive year…Began year strongly, upsetting No. 9 Rusedski in first match at Doha…One month later reached QF in San Jose (l. to Sampras) after qualifying…In April, reached Tour SF in Hong Kong, defeating No. 5 Rafter, Steven and Bjorkman before falling to Becker…Reached 3rd RD in Tokyo one week later, pushing record to 9-6…Slumped after, winning only four of next 11 matches…Posted victory over Norman in 1st RD at Roland Garros…Finished with 8-9 record on hard and 4-5 on clay…Surpassed $2 million in career.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1989-In only his second Challenger in Nicosia, advanced to QF...1990-Finished second at Portugal Satellite (33 points)...1991-Won first Challenger title in Hong Kong (d. Rusedski) and reached SF at Gramado Challenger...1992-Won his first ATP Tour title in Cologne (d. Ondruska) and broke into Top 50 for first time...Posted first Top 10 win over No. 7 Chang in Stuttgart-outdoor...1993-Reached SF in Hamburg (d. Becker) and Kitzbnhel (d. Ivanisevic)...Won first Tour doubles title in Schenectady (w/Olhovskiy)...1994-Won second Tour title in Bastad (d. Skoff) and reached SF in five other tournaments...Finished a year-end best No. 26...Helped Germany to Peugeot World Team Cup title with 2-2 record...Reached first Grand Slam QF at U.S. Open (d. Lendl)...Made Davis Cup debut in SF vs. Russia, going 1-1...Earned a career-high $504,286...1995-Ranked in Top 50 every week, reaching career-best No. 22 on April 17...Advanced to final in Indianapolis (d. No. 2 Sampras, l. to Enqvist), SF in Kitzbnhel and QF in Amsterdam...1996-Advanced to his second Grand Slam QF at French Open (d. No. 6 Ivanisevic)...Reached SF in Marbella and QF in Munich and Toulouse...Also finalist at Aachen Challenger final (l. to Volkov)...1997-Began with 3rd RD at Australian Open and also reached RD 16 in Kitzbnhel...Missed four-and-one-half months of season with heart muscle inflammation and another eight weeks with right ankle injury…1998-Rebounded from heart muscle inflammation and an ankle injury to reach QF in Doha…Also reached SF at Heilbronn and Eckental Challengers…Defeated No. 4 Korda in 1st RD at U.S. Open.
PERSONAL
Enjoys playing soccer (supporter of Bayern Munich), listening to music of Dire Straits, Phil Collins, Genesis, and playing billiards...Older brother, Michael, is a former coach with the German Tennis Federation and now works for Babolat...Has a 1-2 career Davis Cup record (all in singles), playing in SF ties vs. Russia in 1994-95.
