Magnus Norman

Full name is Leif Magnus Norman...Began playing tennis at age eight when his grandmother gave him a racquet for his birthday...The oldest child of father, Leif (who played second division bandy, a Swedish game played with clubs and a ball outdoors on ice), and mother, Leena (who was a swimmer on Swedish national team)...Has one younger brother, Marcus, who plays bandy...The strangest match he experienced came in a junior tournament when he threw his racquet over the fence and it got stuck in a tree-he had to forfeit the match...Enjoys fishing and reading Swedish history books...Says best sporting moment came in 1994 when Sweden won gold in ice hockey at Lillehammer Winter Olympics...At 16, played bandy on Swedish national team and during off-season at home in winter, likes to play every day...In March 2001, met sports idol Peter Forsberg of NHL Colorado Avalanche during Scottsdale tournament...Keeps a diary on his matches and opponents...Allergic to animals and newly cut grass (which sometimes flares up in June during grass court circuit)...Suffered from an irregular heart beat which required surgery in 1998 (has recovered fully)...He is part-owner, along with some Swedish NHL players, of a race-horse called "Days Go By," which won a race in Sweden...In 2000, organized a charity hockey game between Swedish golfers and tennis players with proceeds going to Children's Cancer Foundation...Has a 7-6 career Davis Cup record in seven ties since 1998...Coached by countryman and former ATP pro Mikael Tillstrom (since July 2003).

2003 -- The Swede continued his recovery from hip injury, but was forced to undergo further surgery on his left hip and knee during October in Gothenburg…Still finished in Top 100 in ATP Champions Race for fourth consecutive season after reaching QFs at three ATP stops during year…After undergoing knee surgery in Oct. 2002, returned to action in February in San Jose (l. to Carlsen in 1st RD)…After 2nd RD run in Memphis, advanced to QF in Copenhagen (l. to Arthurs)…Represented Sweden in Davis Cup World Group 1st RD loss against Australia (l. to Philippoussis in dead rubber)…On clay, reached 2nd RD at Casablanca (l. to El Aynaoui) and then reached 3rd RD at TMS Monte-Carlo for first time…Defeated N. Lapentti in 1st RD and recovered from 16 25 deficit against Kuerten to win in three sets before losing to Volandri…Loss to Italian marked start of 0-10 losing streak until turning things around in Umag in July…Reached QF with wins over Ramirez Hidalgo and Tuksar before losing to Nadal…At US Open, suffered five-set loss to Lisnard in 1st RD having one match point before going down in third set tie-break…Played last tournament of season in Shanghai, reaching QF before retiring against Novak and undergoing surgery in following month.

2002 -- Made a successful return to action after six months out following hip surgery on Aug. 21, 2001...Made comeback in Vina del Mar on Feb. 12 with 1st RD loss to Massu...Described 61 76 loss as "probably the happiest defeat of my life"...Won first match at third tournament back when Hernandez retired in third set in 1st RD in Acapulco but lost against Zabaleta in 2nd RD...Suffered five 1st RD defeats in next eight events until arriving in Tokyo, where he qualified for main draw and reached first ATP final (l. to Carlsen) since 2001 Scottsdale...Underwent further surgery on Oct. 30 in Sweden to repair damage to outer and inner meniscus.

2001 -- Struggled with left hip injury for most of season...His streak of winning at least one title for four straight years ended, although he reached two finals in Sydney (l. to Hewitt) and Scottsdale (l. Clavet)...Helped Sweden record 3-2 victory over Czech Republic in Davis Cup 1st RD after defeating Novak in 2nd rubber...Withdrew from Wimbledon due to hip injury, ending streak of 18 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments played...Returned from five-week break to reach SF in Bastad (l. to Ulihrach)Played his last match of season on Aug. 7 at TMS Cincinnati (l. to Hewitt in 1st RD)...Underwent hip surgery on Aug. 21 in Nashville, Tennessee to repair a tear of anterior and a portion of lateral labrum.

2000 -- Finished in Top 10 and as his country's No. 1 player for first time...With countryman Enqvist ending year at No. 9, it marked first time since 1988 at least two Swedes finished in Top 10...Won five ATP titles for second consecutive season and his 10 titles during 1999-2000 was an ATP best...Won a career-high 67 matches, second only to ATP leader Safin's 73...He and Hewitt were only players to appear in Top 10 ATP Champions Race every week during year...Began first month with a 13-2 mark, reaching SF in Adelaide (l. to Enqvist), winning title in Auckland (d. Chang) and advancing to his first Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (d. Hewitt, Kiefer, l. to Kafelnikov)...On clay, advanced to SF in Barcelona and won first Tennis Masters Series title in Rome, losing only one set in six matches (d. Hewitt in SF, Kuerten in F)...After winning, became leader of ATP Champions Race...Held top spot for seven weeks during year...Followed with QF at TMS Hamburg (l. to Kuerten)...Continued strong play by reaching his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros...Only lost one set in six matches, posting wins over '99 finalist Medvedev in 4th RD, Safin in QF and Squillari in SF before losing to Kuerten on his 11th match point...Returned to clay in July in Bastad and won title without dropping a set (d. Vinciguerra)...In August, repeated title in Long Island (d. Krajicek in SF, Enqvist in F)...Reached 4th RD at US Open for second straight year, defeating Mirnyi in a fifth-set tie-break in 3rd RD in a 4-hour, 6-minute marathon (saved four match points)...Lost in 3rd RD at Sydney Olympics (l. to Di Pasquale)...In October, repeated title in Shanghai (d. Schalken in F)...Qualified for his first Tennis Masters Cup in Lisbon by reaching 3rd RD at TMS Stuttgart and advanced to SF in Stockholm...Finished No. 7 in aces with a career-high 560...One of four players (Corretja, Kuerten, Safin) to register 25 match wins on clay (27-7) and hard (39-16) courts...Earned a career-high $1,846,269.

1999 -- Won an ATP-best five titles (along w/Agassi & Sampras) and finished as No. 2 Swede (behind Enqvist)...Won first of three clay court titles in Orlando (d. Canas) without dropping a set...Compiled a 32-8 mark from July to rest of season, winning back-to-back titles in Stuttgart, defeating Haas in five sets from two-set deficit, and in Umag (d. Tarango) without dropping a set...In August, captured his first career hard court title in Long Island (d. Kafelnikov in QF, Corretja in F)...Followed with 4th RD at US Open, retiring with back injury to Kuerten...In October in Shanghai, beat Chang in SF and saved four match points in final against No. 7 Rios for first Asian title..Compiled 20-8 record on clay and 22-10 on hard.

1998 -- Captured his second tour title in Amsterdam (d. Fromberg) and reached final in Umag (l. to Ulihrach), both on clay, which he compiled a 17-13 record...Helped his country to Davis Cup title with five sets (4 hour, 56 minutes) victory over Gaudenzi in opening rubber.

1997 -- Finished as No. 2 Swede (behind No. 4 Bjorkman)...Captured his first ATP title in Bastad (d. Marin) and reached final in Ostrava (l. to Kucera)...Also SF in three other stops and QF in four events, including Roland Garros where he defeated No. 1 Sampras in 3rd RD...Survived 46 aces in 2nd RD match at Wimbledon vs. No. 3 Ivanisevic and won 14-12 in fifth set...Posted 3-4 record vs. Top 10 foes...Had 20-7 record on clay and 11-7 on carpet...In doubles, reached first tour final in Doha (w/Fredriksson)...Underwent five-hour surgery on Dec. 1 to correct irregular heart rate.

1996 -- Broke Top 100 with first Challenger titles in Alpirsbach (d. Stanoytchev) and Bad Saarow (d. Knippschild)...Reached first tour SF in Bournemouth and QF in Casablanca...Reached 2nd RD as lucky loser at Roland Garros (d. Hadad) for first Slam win.

1995 -- Winner at Baltic Satellite (49 points), reached first final at Siracusa Challenger (l. to El Aynaoui) and advanced to first ATP QF in Bastad.

1992 -- Qualified for first ATP event in Stockholm at age 16 (l. 1st RD to Rostagno) and next two years played in four Satellites.