2000 IN REVIEW

An up-and-down season for the German, who was injured in the early part of the year before returning to reach his first ATP singles final...After losing first two matches in Australia, returned to Europe and played in Marseille where he suffered a left Achilles tendon injury in his 1st RD match...Retired at 0-3 in first set against Roux and was sidelined for nearly three months...Returned to action in Munich in May and lost in opening round to eventual champion Squillari in three sets...Did not regain form until next month at Queen's in London where he won his first match of season over A. Witt before losing in next round to Rusedski in two tie breaks...Stayed in his native country and reached QF at Braunschweig, Eisenach and SF at Ulm Challengers...In July, played in final grass court event of season in Newport and posted impressive wins over experienced grass court players Ondruska, Tieleman, Draper and Stoltenberg, only to lose to Dutchman Wessels in a battle of first-time ATP finalists...Afterwards, jumped from 175 to 101 on ATP Champions Race and returned to European clay...Did not win back-to-back ATP matches rest of season, Finished with a 5-2 record on grass but only 1-5 on clay and 1-6 on hard.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1992-Finished third at Turkey Satellite (14 points)...1993-Winner at Israel #2 Satellite (36 points) and fourth at Tunisia Satellite (28 points)...Reached first Challenger doubles SF in Eisenach (w/Schaller)...1994-Advanced to first Challenger singles final in Weiden (l. to Tillstrom)...Reached SF at Eisenach Challenger...Fourth at Egypt #1 Satellite (12 points)...1995-QF in singles at Braunschweig Challenger and SF in doubles at Eisenach Challenger (w/Nydahl)...1996-Jumped nearly 250 spots in ATP Tour Rankings and almost 400 spots in doubles, thanks to Challenger success...Won first titles in Lubeck (d. Kiefer) and Oberstaufen title (d. Silberstein)...Made ATP Tour debut as wildcard in Stuttgart-outdoor, losing to Volkov in 1st RD...Compiled 34-8 record in doubles, winning six consecutive titles with three partners - Braunschweig, Ulm, Oberstaufen and Alpirsbach (w/Braasch); Geneva (w/Baur); Bad Saarow (w/Ondruska) from June-September...1997-Compiled a personal-best 11-9 record on Tour with QF at Queen's (d. Stoltenberg, Delaitre, Henman)...Advanced to 3rd RD at his first Australian and U.S. Opens...In Challenger play, won 16 of 22 matches with title in Wolfsburg (d. Thoms)...Also SF at Aachen Challenger and QF in three others...Made Davis Cup debut vs. Mexico and won dead rubber singles match...In doubles, reached first Tour final in Munich (w/Braasch)… 1998-Cracked Top 100 for first time and reached 4th RD at Roland Garros (d. Courier, l. to Moya)…In doubles, won Challenger titles in Espinho (w/Noteboom) and Geneva (w/F. Bergh)…Earned a career-high $210,259...1999-Finished in Top 100 for first time by winning a career-high 15 ATP level matches and compiling a 13-7 record in Challenger play...Advanced to QF in Casablanca and won Braunschweig Challenger title (d. Squillari)...Reached 3rd RD at Wimbledon (l. to T. Martin).

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age six with his father, Rolf, who took him to a local club...Placed third in German junior championships in singles and second in doubles in 1993...Enjoys computers and billiads and a big soccer fan of Bayern Munich...Favorite surface is hard courts and considers his service as strength...Coached by Joachim Kretz.