2001 IN REVIEW
The Brazilian improved his year-end position for the sixth consecutive year and finished in Top 100 in ATP Entry System for first time...Began year with QF showing in Sao Paulo Challenger before reaching first ATP SF in Bogota as a qualifier...Scored wins over Moyano, R. Delgado and Coria in QF before losing to eventual champion Vicente...Made Davis Cup debut against Morocco, losing dead rubber against Alami...Made main draw in Acapulco as a lucky loser, reaching 2nd RD before losing to No. 1 Kuerten...Received wild card into TMS Miami, losing in 1st RD to Ilie...In May, advanced to final in Challenger event in Salvador (l. to Sa)...Two months later, reached second Challenger final of season at Campos Do Jordao (l. to Mello in third-set tie-break)...After 1st RD loss to Gaudenzi at US Open, reached SF at ATP stop in Salvador (l. to J. Vacek) and SF at Sao Paulo Challenger (l. to Massa)...Played last five events of season on Challenger circuit, advancing to SF at Brasilia #2 and QF at Santiago...In doubles, won Challenger title in Santiago (w/Sa) and reached finals at Zagreb (w/Kitinov) and Brasilia #2 (w/Melo)...Went 1-1 in Davis Cup singles and doubles play...Earned career-high $111,560.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1997-Reached SF at Sao Paulo Challenger...1998-In Futures, advanced to final at Brazil #5 and SFs at three other events...In doubles, reached five Futures finals at Germany #2, Germany #6, Italy #7, Brazil #1 and Brazil #6...1999-Won first Futures title of career at Chile #1...Also reached Challenger SFs at Belo Horizonte and Montevideo...In doubles, reached Futures final at Chile #2...2000-Won first tournament of season at Futures event at Chile #3...Captured first Challenger titles at Gramado (d. M. Lee) and Brasov (d. D. Norman)...Also reached final at Costa Rica Challenger (l. to Dupuis)...Made ATP debut at Bucharest, losing in 1st RD to Balcells...In doubles, reached Challenger finals at Fergana, Samarkand and Gramado.
PERSONAL
Full name is Alexandre Torres Simoni...Began playing tennis at age 10...Father, Cesar, is a trader; mother Noemira, is a housewife...Has one brother, Rodrigo, and one sister, Lizete...Enjoys playing soccer and his favorite team is Palmeiras...In juniors, won title in his native Brazil, reached final in Peru and QF at Roland Garros and 3rd RD at Wimbledon at Italian Open in 1997...Admires countrymen Fernando Meligeni and "Guga" Kuerten...Has a 1-1 Davis Cup record in two ties...Considers serve and forehand as his strengths...Coached by countryman Eduardo Eshe (since September 2001).
