2004 IN REVIEW

The Moroccan finished in Top 100 for ninth consecutive year with good performances in first six months of season…Played all nine ATP Masters Series tournaments, with best result being 3rd RD in Indian Wells…Made solid start after reaching QF at Australian Open for second time in career…Defeated Costa in 3rd RD and Philippoussis in 4th RD before losing to Ferrero…On clay, best results came on Challenger circuit where he advanced to SF at Aix-en-Provence in April…After five-set loss to Ljubicic in 1st RD at Roland Garros, turned to grass and reached QF at Nottingham (l. to Srichaphan) and 3rd RD at Wimbledon for fourth time in career…Defeated Sa and Ferrer before losing to Henman in four sets…Went 12-12 in first six months of season but struggled afterwards, going failing to win consecutive matches in remaining nine tournaments, compiling a 3-7 record through Paris…In doubles, advanced to SF in Nottingham (w/Carraz).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1994-Reached first career Challenger final in Oberstaufen (l. to Ulihrach)...1995-Qualified for US Open (l. to Medvedev in four sets)...Reached Monterrey Challenger SF...Helped country to Davis Cup victory over Romania (2-0 singles, 1-0 doubles w/Alami) before loss to France...1996-Won three Challenger titles and finished 26-12 in Challenger play...1997-Captured his first career ATP title in his native Casablanca (d. Squillari)...Also reached QF in five other events, including Roland Garros where he beat No. 10 Rios...Reached two doubles finals...1998-Reached three QF, including repeat at Roland Garros...1999-Reached ATP final in Merano (l. to Vicente)...2000- Advanced to QF at Australian Open (l. to Agassi) and defeated Agassi in 1st RD at TMS Indian Wells (l. in QF)...Played well in last last five events with SF in Tokyo, QF in Basel and SF in Lyon (d. Philippoussis, Enqvist, l. to Rafter)...Won a career-best 17 matches on hard (17-15)...2001- Finished a year-end best No. 25 after reaching his first Tennis Masters Series final in Monte Carlo...Posted consecutive wins over Puerta, M. Norman, Pioline, Henman and Grosjean before losing to Kuerten...Posted a 2nd RD win over Hewitt at TMS Montreal and Ferrero at TMS Cincinnati before losing in 3rd RD in both tournaments...Reached 3rd RD at US Open for third straight year (l. to Safin)...Finished year with QF at TMS Paris (d. Ferrero, l. to eventual champion Grosjean)...Earned a career-high $655,818...2002- Best results of year came with SF showings in Adelaide and Stockholm...2003-Finished in Top 100 for eighth consecutive year after reaching two SF and two QF…Also helped country reach Davis Cup World Group for third time in its history…Made slow start to season, going 1-4 before reaching QF in Dubai in late February (l. to eventual champion Federer)…In April, advanced to SF in native Morroco, losing to countryman El Aynaoui in Casablanca in three sets…Qualified at Nottingham and reached SF with wins over Sargsian, Mirnyi and Arthurs before losing to eventual champion Rusedski… On U.S. hard courts, qualified into TMS Cincinnati and reached 3rd RD, saving one match point against two-time champion Chang in 1st RD before eventually losing to Mirnyi…After 2nd RD loss at US Open, helped Morocco reach Davis Cup World Group with victories over Britain's Henman and Rusedski…Secured 3-2 win with four-set victory over Rusedski in fifth rubber on Monday after bad light stopped play…Best result in rest of year came with QF in Lyon as a qualifier…Also qualified for fifth time of year at TMS Paris and reached quarterfinal for second time…Went 3-1 in Davis Cup singles play (0-1 in doubles).

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age five with his father, Mohamed, who is a tennis instructor...Mother, Fatima, is a housewife...Moved from Morocco to France at age two...Speaks five languages (Arabic, French, English, Italian and Spanish)...Played in 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, losing to '92 gold medalist Marc Rosset in 1st RD...In April 2001, received congratulatory fax from King of Morocco Mohammed VI after reaching AMS Monte Carlo final...Has a 26-18 career Davis Cup record in 19 ties (19-11 in singles) since 1993...Fitness trainer is Arnaud Bessiere and coached by brother Khalid.