1997 HIGHLIGHTS Prize money: $80,034 Matches won-lost: Tour: 1-6 (singles), 0-0 (doubles) Challenger: 20-11 (singles), 2-5 (doubles)

1997 IN REVIEW

Began the season by reaching the QF in the Heilbronn Challenger and the SF in the Wolfsburg Challenger in his first two events...In July, reached the final of the Granby Challenger (l. to W. Black)...Two months later, won his sixth career Challenger title in Azores (d. Burrieza), his first since Montebello in 1993...Is 6-6 lifetime in Challenger finals...Surpassed $1 million in career earnings.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1989 - Reached SF at Tour stop in Palermo and final at the Dublin Challenger...Also reached doubles final at Furth Challenger (w/Mordegan)...1990 - As qualifier in New Haven, reached QF, upsetting Mayotte and Gilbert...Made Grand Slam debut at U.S. Open, defeating Rostagno in a fifth-set tie-break en route to 3rd RD...Reached Tour doubles final in Genova (w/Mordegan)...1991 - Reached first Tour singles final in Milan, upsetting Lendl...Advanced to QF at Australian Open, becoming first Italian to reach a Grand Slam QF since Adriano Panatta at Wimbledon in 1979...Won the Indian Wells Challenger...1992 - QF at Scottsdale was best effort in a Tour event...1993 - Challenger titlist in Wolfsburg and Montebello...Challenger doubles winner in Bergamo (w/Brandi)...1994 - Reached the final at the Winnetka Challenger (l. to Spadea)...Defeated Volkov in Cincinnati (l. to Becker), then ousted Top 10 Stich en route to SF in Basel (l. to P. McEnroe)...1995 - Beat Connors in 1st RD in Los Angeles and defeated Stoltenberg and Woodforde in Indianapolis before losing in 3rd RD to eventual winner Enqvist...Advanced to Kuala Lumpur SF (l. to Rios) after beating top seed Krajicek...1996 - Best results through first six months were QF in Shanghai and New Delhi...Highlight came in Cincinnati where, as a qualifier, he beat Rosset and Edberg before falling to Chang...Qualified for Paris-indoor Mercedes Super 9 event. CAREER FINALIST: 1991 - Milan. CAREER DOUBLES FINALIST (1). GRAND SLAM RECORD CAREER9796959493929190 AUS. OPEN 6-5 ----2ND1ST1ST2NDQF -- FRENCH OPEN 1-4 1ST--1ST1ST-- -- 2ND-- WIMBLEDON 1-3 --1ST2ND-- -- -- 1ST-- US OPEN 3-6 1ST--1ST-- 1ST1ST2ND3RD

PERSONAL

Started playing tennis at age 9...Father was the director of the sports center in his town, so he could play often...Younger brother also plays tennis...Winner of 1987 Orange Bowl doubles title (w/Koves)...Reached doubles final at 1988 French Open Juniors (w/Ivanisevic), losing to Stoltenberg-Woodbridge, and SF at Wimbledon Juniors (losing to the same duo)...Made Davis Cup debut in 1992 (1-1 record)...Nicknamed The Caratti Kid ...Coached by Riccardo Piatti, who also works with Renzo Furlan.