Jim Thomas

Began playing tennis at age three and youngest of six children (has four brothers, one sister)...Has 16 nephews and nieces...Considers his parents most inspirational people in his life...Father, is a doctor and mother is a teacher... Favorite players he enjoyed watching while growing up were John McEnroe and Boris Becker...Played four years at Stanford University from 1992-96 and earned a degree in American Studies before turning pro...Earned All-American honors his senior year and member of NCAA team champions in 1995-96...If he wasn't playing tennis, says he would be "a representative in Ohio State Congress" because he is interested in national and international politics...Involved with Victory Gallop in Bath, Ohio, an equestrian therapy organization for at-risk children...Considers hard courts his favorite surface.

1997 -- Reached first Challenger final in Las Vegas (w/Goldstein) in final tournament of year

1998 -- Opened season by winning West Bloomfield Challenger and two weeks later captured Singapore Challenger (both w/Tieleman)...Also reached three Challenger finals in Kiev (w/Coetzee), Lexington (w/Goldstein) and Hong Kong (w/Tieleman)

1999 -- Won Urbana Challenger (w/Goldstein) and runner-- up at Puebla Challenger (w/Salzenstein)...Advanced to his first ATP SF in Tashkent (w/Sargsian)

2000 -- In last ATP tournament of season in Brighton, reached first final (w/Goldstein)...Also repeated SF in Tashkent (w/Goldstein)...In Challenger play, reached final at Hamilton (w/Joyce) and SF in four other tournaments

2001 -- Opened season with first career ATP title in Auckland (w/Barnard)...In May, reached clay court final in Houston (w/K. Kim) and in September advanced to final in Tashkent (w/Barnard)...On Challenger level, won titles at Waikoloa (w/Goldstein) and Helsinki (w/Crichton)...Finished in Top 100 for first time at No. 55...

2002 -- Captured Challenger titles at Surbiton (w/Sa) and Aachen (w/Vanhoudt) while reaching finals at North Miami Beach (w/Fukarek) and Helsinki (w/Kitinov)...Best ATP results were SF in Buenos Aires (w/Landsberg) and Long Island (w/Barnard)... Finished in Top 100 for second straight year at No. 77...

2003 -- Won Braunschweig Challenger (w/Prieto) and reached Challenger finals at Hamburg (w/Perry), Calabasas (w/K. Kim)...In ATP play, advanced to SF in San Jose (w/Sanguinetti), Newport and Indianapolis (w/Coupe)...Finished at No. 55...

2004 -- Captured titles at Surbiton (w/Healey) and Bolton (w/Coetzee) Challengers in Great Britain…In July, collected ATP titles in Newport and Indianapolis (w/Kerr) and finished at No. 65...

2005 -- Compiled his best season by capturing his fourth career ATP doubles title, recording 22 match wins while advancing to his first Grand Slam SF and finishing in Top 50 for first time at No. 33...Played with 13 different partners but enjoyed most success with Aussie Jordan Kerr as duo combined 10 times (11-- 9 record), reaching final in Delray Beach (l. to Aspelin-- Perry) in February and winning title in Newport (d. Oliver-- Parrott) in July...They also captured Surbiton Challenger title in June...During North American summer hard court circuit, put together back-- to-- back SF finishes in New Haven (w/Gimelstob) and US Open (w/Goldstein), upsetting defending champions Knowles-- Nestor in 1st RD before losing to eventual champion Bryan brothers in three sets...Earned a career-- high $120,851...

2006 -- Compiled a 23-- 26 match record and finished No. 34 in doubles, his second-- best year-- end ATP Ranking...Captured ATP clay title in Poertschach (w/Hanley) and reached finals in San Jose, Indianapolis and Tokyo (all w/Goldstein)...Also won Surbiton Challenger (w/Kerr)...Best Grand Slam result was QF at US Open (w/Goldstein), defeating Knowles-- Nestor en route.

2007

The American put together another consistent season with a personal-best 24 match wins and by winning his sixth career ATP title in Newport (w/Kerr) and reaching SF in Bangkok and Tokyo (w/Fisher)...Also advanced to QF in 11 other tournaments, including ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo and Rome along with Barcelona...Finished No. 47 in doubles, his third straight Top 50 campaign and fourth in career.