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Home , 1992 French Open, 2009 Australian Open, 2011 French Open, Darren Cahill, Grand Slam (tennis), Iva Majoli

2016 World Challenge Player – Stats and Facts

In alphabetical order

Marion Bartoli (FRA) BORN: 2 October 1984 HIGHEST RANKING: No.7 – 2012 TITLES: Wimbledon 2013 winner (6th player to win without dropping a set) Runner up – Wimbledon 2007 and semi-finalist 2011 . Won 8 WTA singles and 3 doubles titles. POINTS OF INTEREST: Noted to have an unusual playing style – particularly her two hand and – allegedly influenced by Introduced to tennis at age 6 by her father who coached her throughout most of her career though it was under the guidance of Amelie Mauresmo that she won Wimbledon in 2013. Reached at least the ¼ finals of all four events Major on court rivals – Radwanska (she never beat her); Azarenka and Jankovic In Brisbane in 2009, she played Mauresmo in the semi-final. Mauresmo who would later become her coach, retired due to injury and earned her a spot in the final (she lost to Azarenka). Bartoli’s first win over a top 100 ranked player was at the 2002 US Open when she defeated Sanchez-Vicario.

Marin Cilic (CRO) BORN: 28 September 1988 in Herzegovina HIGHEST RANKING: No.8 – 2014. Currently ranked world no.14 TITLES: US Open winner – 2014 Semi-finalist US Open 2015, Semi-finalist 2010 Winner of 13 ATP singles titles POINTS OF INTEREST Engaged fellow countryman and tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic as his coach in 2013. Ironically it was Ivanisevic who introduced him to his previous coach Bob Brett who he worked with from 2004 – 13 First started playing in 1991 when courts were installed in his home town. Moved to Italy in 2004 age 15 to further his career. Won the 2005 French Open boys singles after beating a young in the semi finals A shoulder injury prevented him attending the Australian Open (and WTC) in 2015.

Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) BORN: 13 September 1971 HIGHEST RANKING: No.2 1994 TITLES: Wimbledon singles in 2001 (the only person to achieve this as a wildcard entry). Wimbledon runner up 1992, 1994, 1998 US Open semi-finalist 1996 French Open finalist 1990 and 1999 22 singles titles 9 doubles titles including a win in 1992 in Adelaide partnering POINTS OF INTEREST: Played in 3 Olympics for (1998, 92 and 96). Was flag bearer in 98 in Seoul and 96 in Barcelona Has a 32‐11 career record (20‐6 in singles) in for Croatia. Played in their 2005 winning team. Established ‘Help Children in Need’ foundation to assist kids in Croatia in 1995 Could have been a soccer player? Trained with the Hajduk Split soccer team during the '97 off‐season & declined a place in the team for a match 200,000 fans greeted his arrival back in his hometown of Split in Croatia after his win at Wimbledon. He went into Wimbledon in 2001 ranked #125, he was ranked #16 after he won Served as ATP Charities Chairman in 1999 In August 2001 had an Croatian stamp of Wimbledon champion issued Was given BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award in 2001 Current coach of Marin Cilic

Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) BORN: 10 April 1996 HIGHEST RANKING: No.69 – 2015. Currently ranked world no.73 POINTS OF INTEREST: Undoubtedly one of the rising stars of the game with his dynamic on court ability and style along with his off court persona making him a hit with both crowds and his peers. Started playing at age 7, by 8 was working with Coach Todd Langman who still works with him. Reached the finals of both the Aus and US Junior grand Slam in 2013 and then despite being eligible to still play the junior tour, joined the men’s circuit in 2014. Has won 2 doubles Challenger titles and 1 Challenger and one Futures singles title

Iva Majoli (CRO) BORN: 12 August 1977 HIGHEST RANKING: No.4 - 1996 TITLES: Winner French Open 1997 8 singles titles 1 doubles title After losing two titles to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in Barcelona in 1994 and 1995, Majoli finally took a title from her in Tokyo in 1996 POINTS OF INTEREST: Turned professional at age 14. She won the 1997 French Open in straight sets at age 19 defeating an even younger 16 year old thus ending her 37 match winning streak. Injury plagued Majoli though the later part of her career with her eventual retirement announced in mid 2004. Is the non-playing captain of the Croatian Fed Cup team

Mark Philippoussis (AUS) BORN: 7 November 1976 HIGHEST RANKING: No.18 - 1997 TITLES: Semi-finalist 1998 US Open (def by ) and 2003 Wimbledon (def by ) 3 singles titles Helped win Davis Cup in 1999 and 2003 after taking the deciding rubber in both events POINTS OF INTEREST: Famed for his massive – earned his nickname ‘Scud’ after the Scud missile. Fastest serve was clocked at 229km/h in 1997 Started playing tennis at age six and was coached by his father By 1994 was #3 junior champion in singles and #1 junior doubles champion with (AUS). That same year he turned professional By end 1995, was the youngest player in the top 50 Defeated Goran Ivanisevic to win the title at Queens in London in 1997 Had a brief career in modelling and starred in US reality TV show ‘Age of Love’

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (ESP) BORN: 18 December 1971 HIGHEST RANKING: No.1 - 1995 TITLES: Four Grand Slam singles. Won French Open 1989, 1994 & 1998 and US Open 1994. Finalist at Australian Open 1994, 1995. Finalist at Wimbledon 1995, 1996 Six Grand Slam Women’s doubles Won Australian Open 1992, 1995, 1996. Won Wimbledon 1995. Won US Open 1993, 1994. Finalist at French Open 1992, 1995 Four Grand Slam Mixed doubles Won Australian Open 1993. Won French Open 1990, 1992. Won US Open 2000. 29 singles titles 69 doubles titles 4 mixed doubles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Started playing tennis at age 4 Coached by brother Emilio (also a pro player) for most of her career Holds the record for the most matches won in the Fed Cup Was a member of the Spanish team that won the in 1990 and 2002 Only player to have played in 5 Doubles partner at the was (they won!) Retired in 2002 but returned in 2004 to play doubles and in the 2004 Olympics Is fluent in Spanish, French, German, Italian and English

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) BORN: 15 November 1983 HIGHEST RANKING: No.7 – 2009. Currently ranked world no.41 TITLES: 13 titles semi-finalist (def by Nadal) after a gruelling 5 sets POINTS OF INTEREST: Started playing at age 4 and had a full time coach when he was 8 Finished school at age 11 and his father took over his academic training Member of Spain’s winning Davis cup team in 2008, 09 and ’11 His winning match in 08 and 09 won them the tournament Worked in 2009 with and his team including Was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but did not receive treatment so he would not face problems with doping

Mats Wilander (SWE) BORN: 22 August 1964 HIGHEST RANKING: No.1- 1988 TITLES: Has a total of eight Grand Slam titles having one at least once at every event Seven Grand Slam singles Won Australian Open 1983, 1984 and 1988 Won French Open 1982, 1985 1988 Won US Open 1988 One Grand Slam Doubles title Won Wimbledon – 1986 Australian Open doubles finalist – 1984. US Open doubles finalist 1986. French open doubles semi-finalist 1985 33 singles titles 7 doubles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Whilst never winning at Wimbledon, Mats twice won the Australian open whilst it was played on grass making him one of only 5 men to have won Grand Slam titles on Grass, clay and surfaces (along with Connors, Agassi, Nadal and Federer). Only Wilander and Nadal have won twice on all three surfaces Is only one of three players to play 3 consecutive finals at the Australian Open (with Lendl and Djokovic) A member of Sweden’s winning Davis Cup team 1984, 1985 and 1987 The only player to win seven Grand Slam titles before being ranked #1 Holds the record for the longest Davis Cup match (6 hours 43 mins v McEnroe in 1982) After 2 wins, in 1988 when the event moved to hardcourt, Wilander won again to become the only player to win the Australian Open on both grass and hard court At the 1988 French Open Wilander d Leconte and lost only 2 of 73 first serves during the entire match Has five children by wife Sonya