Rick Leach

2001 IN REVIEW

The veteran left-hander came out of retirement in March to extend his doubles title streak to 15 consecutive years, longest on tour...Became oldest player (36) to win an ATP doubles title since Sherwood Stewart (40) in 1987...Retired after 2000 season to take an assistant coaching position (under his father) at his alma mater, Univ. of Southern California, then decided to play again...In his fourth event back in Atlanta in April, reached final (w/Macpherson)...Reunited with regular partner Ellis Ferreira at Roland Garros and lost in 3rd RD...Began playing well at Wimbledon where they reached QF, then followed with same result at TMS Montreal, Indianapolis and US Open...Extended his title streak in Tokyo (w/Macpherson)...Saved three match points in final against Aussies Hanley-Healey, winning 7-6 in third set...Three weeks later, closed season with back-to-back indoor titles in Basel and TMS Paris (w/Ferreira), defeating Bhupathi-Paes in both finals...Finished with 12 straight match wins and in year-end Top 20 for seventh consecutive season and 13 of last 14 (except 1994).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1987-Won doubles titles in Stuttgart (w/Pawsat) and Scottsdale (w/Pugh)...1988-Won eight doubles titles (seven w/Pugh), including Australian Open and Masters...1989-Repeated at Australian Open and finished as top doubles team for second straight year (w/Pugh)...1990-Won at Wimbledon (w/Pugh)...Ranked No. 1 in doubles for nine weeks...1991-Won titles in Philadelphia and Charlotte and reached final at Roland Garros (all w/Pugh)...1992-Qualified for World Doubles Championship (w/Jones)...1993-Won four titles, including US Open (w/K. Flach)...1994-Won titles at San Jose (w/Palmer) and Manchester (w/Visser)...1995-Qualified with Melville for ATP Tour World Doubles Championship...Reached Wimbledon final...1996-Won four titles with as many partners-Jakarta (w/Melville), Scottsdale (w/Galbraith), Seoul (w/Stark), Moscow (w/Olhovskiy)...1997-Captured ATP Tour World Doubles Championship (w/Stark) and runner-up in seven other events (five w/Stark)...Finished No. 8 in doubles, his first Top 10 ranking since 1992...1998-Teamed with E. Ferreira to win Miami and Halle titles...Also reached finals at Adelaide, Barcelona, Rome and Toronto...Qualified for ATP Tour World Doubles Chp., going 1-2 in round-robin play...1999-Won lone ATP title at TMS Roma and reached final at TMS Indian Wells (w/E. Ferreira)...Teamed in all but one event with Ferreira, compiling a 33-21 record...Finished No. 4 in Team Race...2000-Played all but one event with Ferreira and they went 3-3 in finals...Began with titles in Auckland and Australian Open (d. W. Black-Kratzmann 18-16 in F)...Reached final at US Open (l. to Hewitt-Mirnyi 7-6 in 3rd set)...Closed with SF at ATP World Doubles Chp. and finished No. 2 in Team Race and No. 6 individually.

PERSONAL

Became the first four-time Division I All-America in singles and doubles at the University of Southern California, where he played for his father (Dick)...Won the 1986 NCAA doubles title (w/Pawsat) and 1987 crown (w/Melville)...Wife, Christi (married Dec. 26, 1992); daughter, Paulina Christine (born Feb. 23, 1994)...Has a 7-3 career Davis Cup record (7-2 in doubles) in nine ties.