Andreas Vinciguerra

2003 IN REVIEW

Improved his year-end ranking nearly 100 positions after an injury-filled 2002 campaign...Compiled a 10-12 record on ATP circuit…Opened season with QF in Doha (l. to Koubek) and 3rd RD at Australian Open (l. to Federer) and led his country to a 3-2 Davis Cup 1st RD victory over Brazil with a fifth and decisive win over Saretta...Did not play in March-April due to a left knee injury and returned in mid-May...Lost five-set battle with Santoro in 1st RD at Wimbledon…Did not win back-to-back matches again until late July when he reached QF in Sopot (l. to Ferrer)...Broke an 0-3 mark at US Open by defeating Kendrick in five sets before losing to Agassi in 2nd RD…Lost in 1st RD of final three ATP events of year in Shanghai, Tokyo and Stockholm…In doubles, reached SF in Stockholm (w/J. Johansson).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1997-Picked up four points at Sweden/Norway Satellite...1998-Reached final of Denmark #1 Futures in July and won Finland #4 Futures title in October...Played in two ATP tournaments and lost in 1st RD in Bastad (l. to Hipfl) and Stockholm (l. to Pioline)...1999-Made second biggest jump (541 positions) from previous year of any player in Top 1000 (behind Woodruff)...Reached first career final as a wild card in Bastad (l. to Marin)...Won first Challenger title in Szczecin (d. Marin)...2000-Made Davis Cup debut and won both of singles matches against India in World Group playoff tie...Won first ATP title and third-youngest player to finish in Top 100 for second straight year (behind Hewitt and Federer)...Captured first career title at Copenhagen with wins over No. 1 seed Safin in SF and fellow Swede Larsson in final to become second teenage winner of year (Hewitt)...In March, reached 3rd RD at Miami after defeating Kucera and Safin (l. to Sampras in deciding set)...Finished first three months with 12-4 record...In clay court season best result came with a QF in Casablanca...Won Prostejov Challenger...In July, reached final in Bastad for second straight year (l. to countryman Norman...Closed with QF in Stockholm...Finished with 17-13 on hard courts and 8-5 on clay. 2001-Finished in Top 35 for first time...Finished as No. 3 Swede behind No. 18 Johansson and No. 24 Enqvist...Equalled his previous season's 29 match victories and reached SF in two Tennis Masters Series tournaments...Opened year with a Grand Slam-best 4th RD showing at Australian Open (l. to Kafelnikov)...Reached his lone ATP final of season in Copenhagen (l. to Henman) and followed with QF in Rotterdam... In May, advanced to his first TMS SF in Rome (d. Grosjean in 3rd RD, l. to Kuerten)...Closed year with SF at TMS Paris before losing to Kafelnikov. 2002 - Broke bone just above little finger in his right hand while playing soccer in January and missed three months of action...In later part of season was hampered by lower back problems...Finished indoor circuit with QF in Stockholm and SF at Bratislava and Helsinki Challengers, his best results of season.

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age six...Father, Giuseppe, is a pizza baker; mother, Gunilla, is a school teacher...Has two older sisters, Ulrica and Jessica...Nicknamed "Vinci" by his countrymen...Swedish players also like to mimick and make fun of his Swedish accent since he comes from southern part of Sweden...Comes from same hometown as '86 Roland Garros finalist Mikael Pernfors...Favorite athlete growing up was track star Carl Lewis...Favorite hockey team is Malmo Redhawks...Hobbies include playing soccer and hockey...Compiled an outstanding junior career, finishing No. 6 in world rankings in 1998...Captured European Championship title, reached final of Australian Open juniors and SF in Roland Garros juniors in '98...Considers forehand as best shot and clay and hard courts as favorite surfaces...Has a 3-2 Davis Cup singles record in three ties since 2000...Coached by former ATP pro Mikael Tillstrom (since October 2002).