2006 IN REVIEW
The Brazilian veteran finished inside Top 125 in ATP Rankings for a sixth straight season...Opened campaign with a title at the Sao Paulo Challenger...Split singles matches during February Davis Cup tie against Peru... Reached 2nd RD at ATP stops in Buenos Aires (l. to Ferrero) and Costa do Sauipe (l. to Almagro)...In April, earned a pair of Davis Cup wins against Ecuador...The following week, reached SF at Florianopolis Challenger, falling to countryman Mello...Reached 2nd RD at Roland Garros for the second straight year (d. Starace, l. to Davydenko)...Did not play during July and August except for first round loss at US Open (l. to Robredo)...Split a pair of Davis Cup matches in September against Sweden in a World Group qualifying tie...Late in season, reached SF at Montevideo Challenger (l. to Lapentti) and final at Asuncion Challenger (l. to Ca�as)...Claimed doubles title at Sao Paulo Challenger (w/Alves).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2000 – Reached four Futures finals as well as first Challenger SF at Gramado… In doubles, reached final at Guadalajara Challenger (w/Meligeni)… 2001 – Compiled impressive 38-18 record on Challenger circuit, including titles in Sao Paulo (d. Sa, Coria) and Curitiba (d. Horna) and final in Belo Horizonte (l. to Taino)… Made ATP debut at Delray Beach, defeating C. Rochus before losing to Santoro in 2nd RD…Reached QF at Munich (d. Rios, l. to Dupuis) and Salvador, where he stunned countryman Kuerten in 1st RD for first career Top 10 win… In doubles, went 22-14 on Challenger circuit, winning Campinas-2 (w/Massa) and reaching three more finals… 2002 – Finished in Top 100 for first time… Reached first ATP SF in St. Poelten and advanced to QF in Vina del Mar…Made Davis Cup debut for Brazil vs. Czech Republic in 1st RD, winning dead rubber over J. Vacek…Won Bermuda Challenger title (d. Spadea)…Reached 3rd RD at Wimbledon, upsetting T. Johansson 12-10 in fifth set in 1st RD… 2003 – The No. 2 Brazilian (behind No. 16 Kuerten) finished in Top 50 for first time… Captured Challenger titles in Sao Paulo and Bermuda… Reached QF in Casablanca and St. Poelten and a SF in between in Valencia (l. to Ferrero)…Had Grand Slam-best 4th RD at Roland Garros (d. Kafelnikov, l. to Agassi) and followed with 3rd RD at Wimbledon (l. to Lopez)…Went 1-2 in Davis Cup play, losing fifth and decisive matches in 1st RD vs. Sweden’s Vinciguerra and in World Group playoff vs. Canada’s Dancevic… Compiled 13-10 record on clay, 9-7 on hard and 2-1 on grass… Earned a career-high $330,942…2004 – Finished just outside of Top 100 for first time in three years…Reached Vina del Mar SF (l. to Gonzalez)… Turned in QF in Nottingham and Bangkok…Equaled his career-best ATP Masters Series finish by reaching 3rd RD at Hamburg (l. to Hewitt)…Played in Athens Olympics (l. to Roddick in 1st RD)…In doubles, won first career ATP doubles title in Umag (w/Acasuso) and reached QF at Australian Open (w/Sa)…2005 – Compiled a 30-17 Challenger record... Recorded Davis Cup win against Colombia (d. Gonzalez)... Finalist at Mexico City Challenger (l. to Serra)...Qualified into Roland Garros and reached 2nd RD (d. Rusedski, l. to Volandri)... Finalist at Lugano Challenger (l. to Montanes)... In August, claimed title at Gramado Challenger (d. Adaktusson)... Lost to Cuevas in Davis Cup rubber against Uruguay... Reached final at Guayaquil Challenger (l. to Daniel)... In doubles, reached final at Mexico City (w/Daniel)... Teamed with Sa for doubles point in Davis Cup tie against Antiles Netherlands...2006 -- Finished in Top 125 in ATP Rankings for a sixth straight season...Opened campaign with a title at the Sao Paulo Challenger...Split singles matches during February Davis Cup tie against Peru... Reached 2nd RD at ATP stops in Buenos Aires (l. to Ferrero) and Costa do Sauipe (l. to Almagro)...In April, earned a pair of Davis Cup wins against Ecuador...The following week, reached SF at Florianopolis Challenger, falling to countryman Mello...Reached 2nd RD at Roland Garros for the second straight year (d. Starace, l. to Davydenko)...Did not play during July and August except for first round loss at US Open (l. to Robredo)...Split a pair of Davis Cup matches in September against Sweden in a World Group qualifying tie...Late in season, reached SF at Montevideo Challenger (l. to Lapentti) and final at Asuncion Challenger (l. to Ca�as)...Claimed doubles title at Sao Paulo Challenger (w/Alves).
PERSONAL
Full name is Flavio Saretta Filho...Finished No. 12 in world junior rankings in 1998 after reaching QF at Roland Garros and Wimbledon juniors...Father, Flavio, is an orthopedic doctor; mother, Dina, works at a retirement home...Has two sisters, Roberta and Paula...Son, Felipe, born in 2005...Enjoys his free time listening to reggae and rock ‘n roll, spending time with friends and playing soccer...Favorite singer is Bob Marley and his favorite soccer team is Palmeiras... Favorite surface is clay and considers forehand his best shot...Made Davis Cup debut in 2002 and has a 10-5 career record (9-5 in singles) in 10 ties...Wife, Gabi (married Nov. 20, 2006)...Saved two match points to win Pan Am Games gold medal in Rio de Janeiro (d. A. Garcia) in 2007...Fitness trainer is Eduardo Faria and coached by former ATP pro and countryman Joao Zwetsch.