2000 IN REVIEW
The No. 1 Bulgarian enjoyed another solid year on ATP and Challenger circuits…Reached QF in first Challenger event of year in Heilbronn and advanced to 2nd RD in ATP events at Memphis, Mexico City, Santiago and Bogota…Made Grand Slam-best showing at Roland Garros, reaching 2nd RD for first time (d. Huet in five sets, l. to Kratochvil)…Reached QF at Prostejov and Ulm Challengers…In first US Open, led No. 6 Kafelnikov by two sets but lost in five…After QF in Sofia Challenger, went 1-8 in rest of year…Earned a career-high $142,734.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1993-Finished third in doubles at Czech Republic Satellite (w/Miskolci, 25 points)...1994-Placed third in doubles at Slovenia #2 Satellite (w/Kitinov, 30 points)...1995-Continued success on Satellite circuit in singles...Captured Australia #3 circuit (62 points) and runner-up at Russia (50 points)...Placed third at Britain #2 (36 points) and fifth at Austria #2 (12 points) and France #4 (25 points)...In doubles, finished third at Austria #2 (w/Nagy, 26 points)...1996-Advanced to his first ATP Tour QF in Toulouse (as a qualifier), defeating O'Brien and Guardiola before losing to Rios...Compiled best results in Challengers (26-20 record) with first career title in Budva (d. Scala) and final in Alpirsbach (l. to M. Norman)...Also SF in Tashkent and Budapest...In doubles, reached Istanbul final (w/Ogorodov)...1997-Made his Grand Slam debut at Australian Open, losing to Hernan Gumy in 1st RD...Later in year at Wimbledon, lost in 1st RD to John van Lottum in five sets...His best results came in Challengers (25-22 record) with title in Portoroz (d. Burgsmuller), runner-up in Mallorca (l. to Lopez-Moron), SF in Alpirsbach and QF in three other events...1998-Played best tennis at Challenger level (35-21 record), winning title in Split (d. Savolt) and reaching finals at Alpirsbach (l. to Koubek) and Aachen (l. to Dreekmann)…Went 1-1 in singles and 0-1 in doubles Davis Cup play for Bulgaria...1999-Reached QF in Prague (d. Lapentti, l. to Tabara), his first WF since Toulouse '96…Runner-up at Challenger events at Sofia (l. to Craca), Geneva (l. to Kratochvil) and Freudenstadt (l to Tabara).
PERSONAL
Began playing tennis at age eight...Captured Bulgarian junior championship in 1989...Enjoys fishing, reading and listening to rock 'n roll music...Considers serve as best shot and clay as favorite surface...Member of Bulgarian Davis Cup team since 1992 and has a 9-7 career record (8-6 in singles) in 10 ties...Wife, Melanie (married July 3, 1999)…Coached by Koen Gonnissen.
