2016 World Tennis Challenge player stats and facts In alphabetical order: Marion Bartoli (FRA) BORN: 2 October 1984 HIGHEST RANKING: No.7 – 2012 TITLES: Wimbledon 2013 (Sixth player to win without dropping a set) Runner-up Wimbledon 2007 Semi-finalist French Open 2011 Won eight WTA singles and three doubles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Noted to have an unusual playing style – particularly her two-handed forehand and backhand – allegedly influenced by Monica Seles Introduced to tennis at the age of six by her father, who coached her throughout most of her career; it was under the guidance of Amelie Mauresmo she won Wimbledon in 2013 Reached at least the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slam events Major on-court rivals included A Radwanska (she never beat her), Azarenka and Jankovic Played Mauresmo in the semi-final of Brisbane International 2009. Mauresmo, who would later become her coach, retired due to injury and Bartoli advanced to the final, losing to Azarenka Bartoli’s first win over a top 100 ranked player was at the 2002 US Open, where she defeated Sanchez-Vicario. Marin Cilic (CRO) BORN: 28 September 1988 HIGHEST RANKING: No.8 – 2014. Current ranking No.14 TITLES: US Open 2014 Semi-finalist Australian Open 2010, US Open 2015 Thirteen ATP singles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Engaged countryman and tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic as his coach in 2013 Ironically, it was Ivanisevic who introduced him to his previous coach Bob Brett, whom he worked with from 2004 to 2013 First started playing in 1991 when courts were installed in his home town. Moved to Italy in 2004 at the age of 15 to further his career Won the 2005 French Open boys’ singles title after beating a young Andy Murray in the semi-finals A shoulder injury prevented him from contesting Australian Open 2015 and the WTC that same year. Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) BORN: 13 September 1971 HIGHEST RANKING: No.2 – 1994 TITLES: Wimbledon 2001 (The only person to win the title as a wildcard entry) Runner-up Wimbledon 1992, 1994, 1998 Runner-up French Open 1990, 1999 Semi-finalist US Open 1996 Won 22 singles titles and nine doubles titles, including a win in Adelaide in 1992 partnering Marc Rosset POINTS OF INTEREST: Played in three Olympics for Croatia (1988, 1992 and 1996). Flagbearer in Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992 Has a 32-11 career record (20-6 in singles) in Davis Cup for Croatia and played in the 2005 winning team Established the Help Children in Need foundation in 1995 to assist kids in Croatia Trained with the Hajduk Split soccer team during the 1997 off-season and declined a place in the team for a match Served as ATP Charities Chairman in 1999 More than 200,000 fans greeted his arrival in his hometown of Split after his Wimbledon win in 2001 Entered Wimbledon 2001 ranked No.125 and was ranked No.16 after his title win Had an official Croatian stamp issued in his honour in August 2001 following his Wimbledon victory Named BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year in 2001 Current coach of world No.14 Marin Cilic. Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) BORN: 10 April 1996 HIGHEST RANKING: No.69 – 2015. Current ranking No.73 POINTS OF INTEREST: One of the rising stars of the game, with his dynamic on-court ability and style and his off-court persona making him a hit with both crowds and his peers Started playing tennis at age seven and by eight was working with coach Todd Langman, whom he still works with today Reached the finals of both the Australian and US Open junior championships in 2013 and then, despite still being eligible to play on the junior tour, joined the men’s circuit in 2014 Has won one ATP Challenger and one ITF Futures title, as well as two Challenger doubles titles. Iva Majoli (CRO) BORN: 12 August 1977 HIGHEST RANKING: No.4 – 1996 TITLES: French Open 1997 Won eight singles titles and one doubles title POINTS OF INTEREST: Turned professional at age 14 Won the 1997 French Open in straight sets at age 19, defeating 16-year-old Martina Hingis and ending the Swiss’s 37-match winning streak 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 Plagued by injury throughout the later part of her career, eventually retiring 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 US Open 1998 (defeated by Pat Rafter), Wimbledon 2003 (defeated by Roger Federer) Won three singles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Famed for his massive serve; nicknamed ‘Scud’ after the Scud missile Fastest serve clocked at 229km/h in 1997 Started playing tennis at age six and was coached by his father By 1994 was ranked No.3 junior in singles and No.1 junior in doubles. Turned professional that same year and was the youngest player in the top 50 by the end of 1995 Defeated Goran Ivanisevic to win the title at Queen’s in London in 1997 Helped Australia win the Davis Cup in 1999 and 2003 after taking the deciding rubber in both events 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: French Open 1989, 1994, 1998 US Open 1994 Runner-up Australian Open 1994, 1995 Runner-up Wimbledon 1995, 1996 Six Grand Slam women’s doubles titles: Wimbledon 1995, US Open 1993, 1994, Australian Open 1992, 1995, 1996 Four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles: Australian Open 1993, French Open 1990, 1992, US Open 2000 Won 29 singles titles, 69 doubles titles and four mixed doubles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Started playing tennis at the age of four Coached by brother Emilio, also a professional player, for most of her career Holds the record for the most matches won in Fed Cup A member of the victorious Spanish Hopman Cup team in 1990 and 2002 The only player to have competed in five Olympic Games Partnered Mark Woodforde at the 1992 French Open, winning the mixed doubles title Retired in 2002 but returned in 2004 to play doubles and contest the Olympics Fluent in Spanish, French, German, Italian and English. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) BORN: 15 November 1983 HIGHEST RANKING: No.7 – 2009. Current ranking No.41 TITLES: Semi-finalist Australian Open 2009 (defeated by Nadal in five gruelling sets) Thirteen ATP titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Started playing tennis at age four and had a full-time coach when he was eight Finished school at age 11 and his father took over his academic training Member of Spain’s winning Davis Cup team in 2008, 2009 and 2011. His winning matches in 2008 and 2009 won Spain the title Worked with Andre Agassi and his team, including Darren Cahill, in 2009 Was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but did not receive treatment so he would not face issues with doping. Mats Wilander (SWE) BORN: 22 August 1964 HIGHEST RANKING: No.1 – 1988 TITLES: Australian Open 1983, 1984, 1988 French Open 1982, 1985, 1988 US Open 1988 Wimbledon 1986 (doubles) Won 33 singles titles and seven doubles titles POINTS OF INTEREST: Whilst never winning at Wimbledon, Wilander twice won the Australian Open when it was played on grass, making him one of only five men to have won Grand Slam titles on grass, clay and hard court surfaces (along with Connors, Agassi, Nadal and Federer). Only Wilander and Nadal have won twice on all three surfaces One of only three players to contest three consecutive finals at the Australian Open (with Lendl and Djokovic) A member of Sweden’s winning Davis Cup team in 1984, 1985 and 1987 The only player to win seven Grand Slam titles before being ranked No.1 Holds the record for the longest Davis Cup match in history (six hours, 43 minutes against McEnroe in 1982) Defeated Henri Leconte in the 1988 French Open final, losing only two of 73 first serves for the match Has five children to wife Sonya. .