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JIM
COURIER
ATP Tour site bio
(Source: 1998 ATP
Tour Player Directory) |
Birthdate: August 17, 1970 Turned pro: 1988
Birthplace: Sanford, Florida, USA
Residence: Miami, Florida, USA
Height: 61" (1.85m) Weight: 175 (79kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Career prize money: $13,322,569
Highest singles ranking: 1 (February 10, 1992
Highest doubles ranking: 20 (October 9, 1989)
1997 HIGHLIGHTS
Prize money: $588,084
Matches won-lost: Tour: 37-19 (singles), 4-7 (doubles)
Singles Winner: Doha, Los Angeles, Beijing. Semifinalist: Dubai, Key
Biscayne. Quarterfinalist:
Rome, Singapore.
Doubles Finalist: Beiiing (w/ O'BRIEN).
1997 IN REVIEW
The former No. 1 won three ATP Tour titles in as many finals In
first two months QF season, played on five continents, traveled more
than 50,000 miles and compiled a 14-4 record Opened year with his
20th career title in Doha with consecutive victories over Muster (OF),
Bruguera (SF) and Henman (F) Advanced to 4th RD at Australian Open
fl. to Muster) In 1st RD Davis Cup tie in Brazil, posted a
five-set victory over Meligeni and clinched tie with a four-set victory
over Kuerten Continued strong play with SF in Dubai, defeating
Medvedev, A. Costa and No. 8 W. Ferreira (l. to Muster) In March,
advanced to SF at Mercedes Super 9 in Key Biscayne with consecutive
victories over No. 6 Krajicek and No. 5 Ivanisevic 0. to Muster)
Helped U.S. to Davis Cup SF with a five-set triumph over Siemerink
(rallied from 0-2 set deficit for first time and saved one match point)
Beat a world No. 1 for fifth time
in career against Sampras in 1st RD QF Rome en route to QF (l. to Rios)
Went 2-4 in next four tournaments before opening North American
summer hardcourt circuit with title in Los Angeles Did not drop a
set in victories over Kraiicek (OF), No. 3 Ivanisevic (SF) and No. 8
Enqvist (F) Then lost four consecutive first-round matches for first
time in his career Played well during indoor season with title in
Beijing (d. Gustafsson) and QF in Singapore Compiled a 27-10 record
on hard and 6-4 on clay Went 7-4 vs. Top 10 opponents (after a 0-6
mark in '96) In doubles, reached final in Beijing (w/ O'Brien)
Resumed working with former coach Brad Stine in September.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
1988 Won the Vina del Mar Challenger (d. Duncan) and then turned pro
Reached first Tour SF in Charleston and advanced to SF in Stockholm
1989 Beat Agassi for first career Top 10 win at French Open en
route to the RD 16 Rallied from a 1-2 sets deficit to defeat Edberg
in the Basel final, giving the 19-year-old his first Tour singles title
1990 Best showing SF in Indian Wells and QF in seven other Tour
stops Won first doubles title in Hamburg (w/ Bruguera) 1991 Won
three titles, including
Key Biscayne and French Open (d. Agassi in first all-American final
since 1954) Also a runner-up at U.S. Open and ATP Tour World
Championship, SF six times and QF at Wimbledon Improved ranking from
25 to No. 2 Became first American to be ranked No. 2 since J.
McEnroe in 1985 1992 Became
the 10th player to rank No. 1 in ATP Tour Rankings on Feb. 10 after his
runner-up showing in San
Francisco Won Australian Open, Tokyo-outdoor, Hong Kong, Rome and
sec c onsecutive French Open Career-best winning streak stretched to
25 matches before 3rd RD loss at Wimbledon (l. to Olhovskiy) Reached
four finals, including ATP Tour World Championship 0. to Becker)
Clinched U.S. victory over Switzerland in Davis Cup final with four-set
win over Hlasek 1993 Won five titles for the second year, with
runner-up efforts in Hong Kong, French Open and Wimbledon
Successfully defended titles at Australian Open and Rome Ranked No.
1 for 17 weeks 1994 Finished out QF Top 10 and did not win a title
for first time since 1990 Runner-up at Nice (l. to Berasategui) and
Lyon (l. to
Rosset) Played in two U.S. Davis Cup ties, posting a 4-0 record
against India and The Netherlands, including a fifth and decisive
victory over Eltingh in QF 1995 Returned to the Top 10 for the
fourth time in the last five years Won four titles in five finals -
all on different continents - Adelaide
(Australia), Scottsdale (North America), Tokyo-outdoor (Asia) and Basel
(Europe) Reached QF at the Australian Open, losing a five-set
marathon to Sampras Helped the U.S. to a 4-1 opening-round Davis Cup
win over France in February Reached U.S. Open SF (l. to Sampras)
Reappeared in the Top 10 (from 11 to No. 9) after the Open for the first
time since Aug. 15, 1994 Appeared in his fourth ATP Tour World
Championship 1996 Finished out QF Top 25 for first time since his
rookie season in 1988 Ranked in Top 10 most QF year until failing
out after U.S. Open where he withdrew because QF a right knee injury
Missed his first Grand Slam tournament since 1989 French Open, a streak
of 30 consecutive Grand Slams played Injury persisted and he missed
two months Reached QF at Australian Open 0. to Agassi) and played in
first U.S. tournament QF year in Philadelphia and won lone title (d.
Woodruff) SF effort in Barcelona fl. to Rios) and QF at French Open 0.
to Sampras) His 45 singles matches played were fewest since 1988
when he played 36.
CAREER TITLES (22):
1989 Basel; 1991 Indian Wells, Key Biscayne,
French Open; 1992 Australian Open, Tokyo-outdoor, Hong Kong, Rome,
French Open; 1993 Australian Open, Memphis, Indian Wells, Rome,
Indianapolis; 1995 Adelaide, Scottsdale, Tokyo-outdoor, Basel.; 1996
Philadelphia; 1997 Doha, Los Angeles, Beijing.
FINALIST (12): 1991
U.S. Open, ATP Tour World Chp.-Frankfurt; 1992 San Francisco,
Brussels, Indianapolis, ATP Tour World Chp.-Frankfurt; 1993 Hong Kong,
French Open, Wimbledon; 1994 Nice, Lyon; 1995 Toulouse,
CAREER DOUBLES TITLES (5). FINALIST (4).
PERSONAL
During junior career, won Orange Bowl in 1986-87 and French Open Junior
doubles title in '87 (w/ Stark) Reached final QF USTA Boys 18s in
'87, losing to Chang A Cincinnati Reds major league baseball fan
Parents, Jim and Linda A member QF winning Davis Cup teams in 1992
and'95 and has a 12-7 career record in 10 ties U.S. has never lost a
tie when he has been on the team Played in 1992 Summer Olympics
In 1992, named ATP Tour Player QF the Year, Florida Pro Athlete QF the
Year and Jim Thorpe Tennis Player QF the Year In '94, donated $20,000
from appearance in Arrow Shirt ad to Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Miami
and Greater Miami Tennis Foundation Enjoys playing drums and guitar
After his QF finish at the 1995 Australian Open, stayed around to
watch one QF his favorite groups, R.E.M., perform in Melbourne Lead
singer Michael Stipe introduced their "special guest" on stage and
Courier took a seat at the drums and joined the group for one song
Served as a captain QF ATP Tour SMASH Tennis in 1995 Served as ATP
Tour Charities chairman in 1996 Coached by Brad Stine for second
time.
© Copyright 1998 washingtonpost.com
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