2003 IN REVIEW
The Czech Republic native finished outside Top 100 in ATP Champions Race for first time in three years…Compiled a 5-13 record on ATP circuit and 16-17 mark in Challenger action…Reached only second SF of career and first since 2001 in 's-Hertogenbosch…Reached main draw as qualifier five times during year…Defeated Dupuis, Grosjean and Novak before losing to Clement in SF…Began year by dropping first five ATP matches before snapping skid at Queen's Club with straight sets victory against Ivanisevic, but lost to Krajicek in next round…Won three set match with Kevin Kim to advance to 2nd RD in Los Angeles before losing to Spadea in next round…Lost in 1st RD at final four ATP events - US Open, Shanghai, Tokyo and St. Petersburg…In Challenger play, reached SF in Prague and QF three times (Besancon, Leon and Andorra).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1998-Won Futures events in Slovenia F2 (d. Gaudi) and Austria F8, and advanced to finals in Slovenia F4 (l. to Krajan)...1999-Compiled a 13-2 record in Futures play by reaching final of Slovenia F2 (l. to Vico), winning title at Slovenia F3 (d. Marach) and reaching final in Belgium F1 (l. to O. Rochus) in consecutive weeks in summer...In October, won Germany F12 without dropping a set (d. Lenho in F)...2000-Captured Croatia F1 and France F23 titles and advanced to final at Germany F1 (l. to Elsner)...In December, won first Challenger title in hometown of Prague (d. Heuberger)... 2001 - Jumped 165 places in ATP Entry System to finish in Top 100 for first time...Won first ATP title in only sixth event in Brazil...Posted wins over Oncins, Zabaleta, Saretta, Simone and Meligeni...Also captured two Challenger titles in Rocky Mountain (d. R. Delgado) and Linz (d. Hipfl)...Finished year with QF showing in Stockholm (l. to Schalken) and defeated Gustafsson n Swede's last match before retiring…2002 - Finished in Top 100 in ATP Champions Race for second consecutive year after winning a personal best 10 matches and producing best-ever Grand Slam performance at Wimbledon...Played in all four Grand Slams for first time in his career...Also made Tennis Masters Series debut at Miami, reaching 2nd RD... At All England Club, enjoyed best week of year with first ever Grand Slam win in 1st RD against Golmard, then posted victories over Ancic and Voinea before losing to Schalken for second time in three weeks (Queen's)...In July, advanced to back-to-back QFs in Sopot (l. to eventual champion Acasuso) and Segovia Challenger (l. to Voltchkov)... Earned a career-high $209,437.
PERSONAL
No relation to countryman Daniel Vacek...Began playing tennis at age eight...Nicknamed Vaca...Mother, Marie Vackova, is a secretary at Czech University of Technical Education; father, Jan, works for Institution of Economical Research; sister, Marie Vackova, works in marketing...Earned engineering degree from Czech University of Agriculture...Speaks Czech and English, and learning German and Russian...Grew up admiring countryman Miloslav Mecir...Hobbies include reading Sci-fi, fantasy books and his favorite musical groups are Chemical Brother, Underworld, New Order, and Air...Considers hard courts his favorite surface...Coached by countryman Jan Tausig (since September 2000).
