1999 IN REVIEW

The Spaniard hovered around the 150 mark most of the year with consistent Challenger results…Picked up lone Tour win in Mallorca in September, beating No. 41 Vicente before losing to Hipfl in 2nd RD…Also lost in 1st RD in Memphis and Palermo, both times as a qualifier…On Challenger level, won title in Eisenach in June (d. Behrend), 10 weeks after reaching final of Napoli (d. Gaudenzi, Pescariu, Gumy, l. to Ferrero)…In between Napoli and Eisenach, reached consecutive QF at Ljubljana (l. to Federer), Furth (l. to Agenor) and Weiden (l. to Fukarek)…Reached last QF of the year in Sevilla in September…Ranked as high as No. 121 and as low as 161 during the year before finishing at No. 143…In doubles, reached SF at Barletta (w/Maggi) and Furth (w/Alvarez) Challengers.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1993-Reached first Challenger SF in Segovia...1994-Reached SF at Seville Challenger and QF at Segovia Challenger along with ATP Tour stop in Buenos Aires (first of career)...Advanced to 3rd RD in Kitzbnhel...Doubles SF in Seville (w/Rincon)...1995-Qualified a personal-best five times in ATP Tour play...Reached first Challenger final in Mendoza (l. to Van Herck) and added SF at Segovia Challenger...1996-Broke into the Top 100 for the first time...Ranked No. 247 in February and climbed to 163 by July 22 through consistent Challenger results, highlighted by a QF in the Ljubljana Challenger (l. to Filippini)...Ranking jumped to No. 131 the next week after qualifying for the Kitzbnhel main draw and breaking through for his first career ATP Tour SF, defeating Rios in the 3rd RD...Then played four consecutive Challenger events, going 18-1...Won the Challenger title in Merano (d. Lucas)...Entered Top 100 on Aug. 19 after winning Alicante Challenger title (d. Galik), and reached No. 80 the next week after winning the title at the Graz Challenger (d. Hrbaty)...Finished with a 26-12 record in Challengers...1997-Reached his first ATP Tour finals in Gstaad (l. to Mantilla) and Mexico City (l. to Clavet)...Earned a career-high $237,375…1998-Reached San Marino QF and won Geneva Challenger (d. El Aynaoui). CAREER FINALIST (2): 1997-Gstaad, Mexico City. GRAND SLAM RECORD CAREER989795 AUS. OPEN0-21ST1ST- FRENCH OPEN2-22ND2ND- WIMBLEDON1-21ST2ND- US OPEN0-2 -1ST1ST

PERSONAL

Began playing tennis at age eight...Considers clay as favorite surface...Likes hard rock music and plays electric guitar...Enjoys playing soccer and is a big fan of F.C. Barcelona...Coached by Pato Alvarez.