2002 IN REVIEW

The Italian veteran saved his best performance of the year for Roland Garros…Rest of season did not win consecutive matches on ATP circuit…Lost in 1st RD a career-high 16 times and finished outside Top 100 for only second time since 1993…Reached 2nd RD at Australian Open but let two-set lead slip against Novak before losing in five…Also advanced to 2nd RD at TMS events in Miami (d. Rosset, l. to Grosjean), Monte Carlo (d. Bjorkman, l. to Corretja) and Rome (d. Federer, l. to Blake)…Best week of season came at Roland Garros, where he defeated Sampras in 1st RD and Brasington in 2nd Rd before losing to eventual champion Costa in next round…Reached QF at Szczecin Challenger before playing last event of year in Palermo (l. to Montanes in 1st RD)…Went 8-15 on clay, 3-9 on hard courts, 0-1 on grass and carpet.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1993-Reached first career tour SF in San Marino...Lost to Cherkasov in 3 hours, 54 minutes in QF in Tel Aviv in longest best-of-three sets match on ATP circuit...1994-First career ATP final in Stuttgart-outdoor (d. Stich, l. to Berasategui)...1995-Played well at TMS Monte Carlo with consecutive Top 10 wins over Kafelnikov and Bruguera (l. to Muster)...1996-Reached final in Estoril (l. to Muster)...Advanced to QF in Rome...Helped his country to Davis Cup SF with 4-2 singles mark...In doubles, won first career ATP title in Milan (w/Ivanisevic)... Underwent arthroscopic right shoulder surgery on Oct. 17...1997-Won Geneva Challenger (d. A. Martin) and reached ATP final in Bucharest (l. to Fromberg)...1998-Led country to first Davis Cup final since 1980...Won first ATP singles title in Casablanca (d. Calatrava) and doubles title (w/Nargiso)...Also reached singles final in Kitzbuehel (l. to Norman)...Had arthroscopic surgery on right shoulder Oct 2, but returned for Davis Cup final and underwent another operation on Dec. 6...1999-Missed first three months of year with right shoulder injury...Returned to reach 3rd RD at TMS Roma and Roland Garros...Won Challenger title at Zagreb (d. Boutter)... 2000-Had a 17-5 record in Challenger play...Captured titles at Cagliari and Maia Challengers...In ATP circuit doubles action, reached finals at St. Poelten and Bastad (w/Nargiso)...2001-Captured two singles titles in St. Poelten (d. Hipfl) and Bastad (d. Ulihrach)…Also reached QF in Casablanca and claimed Challenger title at Braunschweig (d. El Aynaoui)… After Bastad title, did not progress beyond 2nd RD in last nine events.

PERSONAL

Captured the Roland Garros and US Open junior titles in 1990 and finished as the world's No. 1 junior player... Since August 1991, has suffered various injuries, twice tearing ligaments in his left ankle, breaking a finger and hand, and undergoing shoulder injury...Played in 1996 Atlanta Olympics, reaching 3RD RD...Has a 19-14 career Davis Cup record (14-10 in singles) in 14 ties since 1994...Coached by Salvador Sosa.