2004 IN REVIEW
The veteran Argentine teamed with countryman Gaston Etlis to win at least 30 matches for a third consecutive season…The pair also finished in Top 10 of ATP Doubles Race for third straight year at No. 8…The team qualified for Tennis Masters Cup but went winless (0-3) in round robin play…During year they reached five finals (1-4)…Opened season with SF at Australian Open for second year in a row, losing to eventual champions Llodra-Santoro…Won lone title of season in Valencia (d. Lopez-Lopez)…Reached final at AMS Monte Carlo (l. to Henman-Zimonjic) and QF at Roland Garros, losing to eventual champion Malisse-O. Rochus…Reached 2nd RD at Athens Olympics before losing to eventual champion Gonzalez-Massu…Reached final in Delray Beach (l. Paes-Stepanek) and in Palermo (l. to Arnold-Hood)...Also a finalist in Vina del Mar (w/N. Lapentti)…Finished No. 15 individually in doubles.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1993- In doubles, won first title at Vina del Mar Challenger (w/Rebolledo)...1994-Advanced to first Challenger singles final in Geneva (l. to Altur)...1995-Compiled his best results at Satellite level, winning Argentina #3 (47 points) and Uruguay/Paraguay (53 points) circuits...1996-Improved over 200 ranking positions with QF appearances in six Challengers...In doubles, won title at Santiago Challenger (w/Etlis) and runner-up at Brasov Challenger (w/Hood)...1997-Captured Spain #3 Satellite (51 points)...Posted his first ATP match victory over MaliVai Washington in 1st RD of Orlando...In doubles, earned title at Punte del Este Challenger (w/Orsanic) and runner-up at Venice Challenger (w/Roditi)...1998-Became oldest player (29) to finish in Top 100 for first time during season…Best results came in Challengers, compiling 41-23 record and reaching finals in Scheveningen (l. to El Aynaoui), Poznan (l. to Ruud) and Ostend (l. to Ilie)…In doubles, won three Challenger titles - Contrexeville and Sao Paulo (w/Del Rio) and Poznan (w/Prieto)...1999-Reached three ATP QF in singles, in Atlanta (d. No. 4 Rafter), Merano and Bastad...Also runner-up at Punte Del Este Challenger (l. to Charpentier) and Birmingham Challenger (l. to F. Costa)...Reached a career-high No. 71 on June 14…In doubles, reached final at Furth Challenger (w/Del Rio)2000-Advanced to two Challenger finals and reached his first ATP SF in Orlando...In doubles, won title at Lima Challenger (w/Etlis)...2001-His best singles results came in Challenger play, winning title in San Luis Potosi (d. Fukarek)...In doubles, won titles at Florianopolis and Guadalajara Challengers (w/Etlis) and reached final in Bogota (w/Sa) and Buenos Aires Challenger (w/Etlis)...2002-Won back-to-back ATP titles in Vina del Mar and Buenos Aires (w/Etlis)…2003- Won a career-best 35 doubles matches, teaming most of year with countryman Gaston Etlis to finish No. 9 in ATP Doubles Race standings...Captured his lone ATP title of season in Long Island in August (w/Koenig)...They earned their first Tennis Masters Cup appearance with consistent results throughout season and capped it off by reaching SF in Houston...They defeated No. 2 Bhupathi-Mirnyi in opening round play and went 1-2 in Blue Group before falling to eventual champions Bryan-Bryan...Although they failed to reach an ATP final, they advanced to SF at Australian Open (l. to Knowles-Nestor), QF at Roland Garros (l. to Haarhuis-Kafelnikov) and 3rd RD at Wimbledon (l. to Bhupathi-Mirnyi)...All three opponents were finalists in each respective Grand Slam event...They were also SF in Acapulco, Estoril, Barcelona, Kitzbuehel and Stockholm…Of their 29 losses during year, 14 came against opponents competing in Tennis Masters Cup...Finished No. 19 individually in doubles, a year-end best, and earned a career-high $191,361.
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age eight in public parks in his hometown and turned pro at age 20...Youngest of three children, sister Andrea; brother Fernando...Enjoys soccer and favorite team is Boca Juniors...Likes to watch movies (favorite actor is Robin Williams) and listen to Argentinian music...Wife, Natalie Fillol (married Dec. 20, 2002) is daughter of former Top 20 player Jaime Fillol of Chile...Married in Chile with ATP players Gaston Etlis, Fernando Gonzalez and Daniel Orsanic in attendance...Coached by Horacio de la Pe�a.
