1998 IN REVIEW

The Mexican native enjoyed best season of his career, reaching three ATP Tour doubles finals and finishing a year-end best No. 48 in doubles...Played with a Tour-high 20 different partners during season, not including Davis Cup competition (three others) for his native Mexico...Played four consecutive tournaments with same partner (Wibier), most all year...Opened campaign in Challenger play, reaching final in West Bloomfield (w/A. Hernandez)...Two weeks later, advanced to ATP Tour final in Memphis (w/E. Ferreira), losing to Woodies...Followed with SF in Philadelphia (w/Stafford)...Began claycourt season strongly in Estoril by reaching his third final (w/Wibier)...Afterward, cracked Top 50 for first time at No. 46 on April 13...Struggled in next four months by winning only five of next 20 matches, including 1st RD win over Woodies in Rome (w/Lapentti) that sent him to career-high No. 41 on May 18...In August, advanced to SF at Mercedes Super 9 in Cincinnati (w/Tebbutt), losing to eventual champions Knowles-Nestor...In first week of November, reached final in Mexico City (w/Orsanic) and closed year with SF at Buenos Aires Challenger (w/Lobo)...Finished a year-end best No. 48 individually and won a career-high $114,973.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1994-Finished in Top 10 doubles at Mexico #3 Satellite (12 points)...1995-Played first Tour event in Washington and advanced to 2nd RD (w/Gimelstob)...1996-Won doubles titles at Denmark circuit (w/Robinson, 49 points) and USTA #6 circuit (w/Robinson, 49 points)...In his second career Challenger, reached final in Poznan (w/Bowen)...1997-Compiled his best results in Challenger level, capturing first title in Zagreb (w/Zdrazila) and advancing to finals in Split (w/Philipps) and Venice (w/Rodriguez)...Also reached his first ATP Tour final in San Marino (w/Coupe) and SF in Umag (w/Hirszon) and Toulouse (w/Zdrazila)...Advanced to RD 16 at U.S. Open (w/Berasategui), his best Grand Slam result. CAREER DOUBLES FINALIST (4).

PERSONAL

Began playing at age five when he borrowed a racquet and started hitting the ball in a squash court, using both hands...Used two hands on both sides until age 14...Won 1992 U.S. Indoor 18's and reached Kalamazoo doubles final (w/Loel) same year...Played four years at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth from 1992-96 where he was a three-time All-American, reaching the NCAA Doubles final in 1995 and earning a marketing degree with 3.4 grade point average...Likes to play golf, backgammon and card games...Made Davis Cup debut in 1997 and represented Mexico in 10 ties...After directing the St. Stephens Tennis Academy in Austin, TX and acting as assistant men's tennis coach at the University of Austin, joined the USTA Player Development staff in 2005.