Thomas Enqvist
Career High Ranking: 4
With a booming serve, the ability to pulverise the ball from the back of the court with accurate, flat hitting, Enqvist enjoyed much success despite numerous injury problems and reached the Australian Open final of '99 where he was defeated by Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Despite success on the slower Rebound Ace courts of Melbourne, the Swede played his finest tennis indoors and won 11 out of his 19 career titles under a roof.
Augustin Calleri
Nicknamed 'Gordo' meaning Fat, in Spanish, the hefty Argentine could be hailed as one of the games greatest underachievers. 2 titles in ATP IS Gold clay tournaments and a best showing of a 3rd round spot in Roland Garros is absurd for a man of such ability. Calleri was best known for his incredibly power one handed backhand and overall aggressive game.
Patrick Rafter
Career High Ranking: 1
The strapping Aussie is one of the most beloved tennis players of all time. A late bloomer, Pat first broke into the top 10 as a 25 year old in 1997, he soon fulfilled much of his potential by bagging a couple of US Open titles in the late 90's and losing 2 heartbreaking Wimbledon finals to Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic, respectively. He climbed his way to the top through volleying his opponents off the court and keeping a cool head under pressure.
Sjeng Schalken
Career High Ranking: 11
The lanky Dutchman hovered in and around the Top 50 for much of the mid to late 90's before making his charge for the top 20 which he eventually broke into in 2002. Known for having one of the stiffest and most unique service motions around, Schalken won titles on clay, hard (indoor and outdoor) and on grass. He achieved his greatest Grand Slam result by reaching the Semi-finals of the US Open in 2002, losing to eventual champion and all-time great Pete Sampras. This, only months after being edged out in the Wimbledon quarter-finals by eventual champion and World Number 1 Lleyton Hewitt in a titanic 5 set thriller.
The Monte Carlo resident possessed one of the finest backhands on tour and despite his cool demeanour, he was disqualified in a match against Guillermo Canas in Miami in 2004 for verbally abusing the umpire.
Schalken was forced to retire from professional tennis in 2007, after years of illness and injury.
Lleyton Hewitt
Career High Ranking: 1
The tenacious Aussie became the youngest man in men's tennis history to snatch the Number 1 ranking after narrowly surpassing Marat Safin who held the record the previous year. Hewitt took the ATP by storm in 2001 and held the top spot down for 75 weeks. Hewitt has always been known for being a firey, controversial character with steel grit and determination which has been matched by no man since. Hewitt won the 2001 US Open thrashing then Grand Slam tally leader Pete Sampras on home turf before dismantling surprise finalist David Nalbandian in the 2002 Wimbledon final. Holding 2 slams and seemingly untouchable, Hewitt never won another slam title, only reaching a further 2 finals at the 2 hardcourt slams. Since late 2005, Hewitt has been plagued by injury and now at the ripe old age of 31, he's still battling on, ranked outside the world's top 150. There's no doubt in my mind that barring injury, Hewitt would still be tussling for a top 20 place in the world rankings.
Richard Krajicek
Career High Ranking: 4
From one Wimbledon champion to another, the massive Dutchman shocked the world by defeating the invincible grass court master Pete Sampras in the 1996 Wimbledon Quarter-finals. Krajicek went on to lift the trophy fittingly concluding a fort night of non-stop aces and lightning backhand returns. Krajicek was adept on all surfaces, reaching the quarter-finals or better at all of the 4 slams. He won 2 Masters Series titles in the late 90's on the slow hardcourts of Key Biscayne and the lightning quick carpet courts of Bercy. On top of that, he reached the final of Rome in 1996, taking a set off of the machine-like Thomas Muster, which only goes to show his versatility.
Guillermo Coria
Career High Ranking: 3
The Roland Garros champion that never was. Before being best known for throwing away a commanding 2 set lead against compatriot Gaston Gaudio in the 2004 Roland Garros final, 'Guille' was often tagged as a clay court genius, a man who would almost certainly go on to win multiple titles in the French capital and staple his name into the books as one of the all-time clay court masters. Coria was a nimble man of incredible court sense, a drop shot that could mix it with anyone in history and for his stature, he had a surprising arsenal of tools from the back of the court, being able to hit clean winners from either side with no problems. Coria's rise and fall was a quick one, having raised his game considerably in 2003, the last we seen of the 'real' Guillermo Coria was in 2005 where he lost a thriller to Rafael Nadal in Rome. Coria was plagued by shoulder injuries and a mental block, serving over 20 double faults in some matches in 2007. His last appearance on the big stage was at the 2008 Roland Garros championships which was his first match back since losing the unforgettable match against Gaudio in 2004. He fought a spirited fight against Tommy Robredo and had his chances to possibly win the match but to no avail. The little Argie soon hung up his rackets and is now rarely seen around the tennis circuit.
Paradorn Srichaphan
Career High Ranking: 9
The highest ranked ever Asian tennis player, Paradorn carried the hopes of many and despite being the most successful Asian tennis player in history, you could easily call 'Ball' an underachiever. Srichaphan did not reach past the 4th round of any Grand Slam and did not reach a Masters Series final, which to say the least, is ridiculous for a man of such ability. Srichaphan possessed tremendous power off both wings and had accomplished skills at the net, coupled with his mesmerising flexibility and movement, it's a wonder how the Thai didn't do more in the men's game. Scrichaphan's downfall was a wrist injury he sustained in early 2007 which promptly ended his career. Paradorn is probably best known for his marathon match at the 2005 US Open against Davide Sanguinetti, a match played in great spirit and a wonderful level of play.
Todd Martin
Career High Ranking: 4
The towering American is looked upon as one of the greatest sportsmen of tennis. Martin possessed a flowing serve and volley game but could also hold his own from the baseline using flat, powerful strokes. Todd reached 2 Grand Slam finals, losing out to fellow Americans Sampras and Agassi. His best chance of capturing glory was against Agassi in the 1999 US Open final where he led 2 sets to 1 before falling 6-2 in the fifth set. Aside from that, Martin is best known for his famous celebration after defeating Carlos Moya in 5 sets after trailing 2 sets down. Immediately after winning the match, Martin ran to the baseline, smashed his racket on the ground before raising his arms and feeding off of the home crowds energy.
Marcelo Rios
Career High Ranking: 1
Hailed by the majority as a genius and often referred to as the most talented tennis player of all time, Rios had it all. I believe Rios is the greatest player to never win a Grand Slam. It's mind boggling to think that a man of his ability could only reach one slam final, where he was trounced by Petr Korda in straight sets in Australia. Rios had his fair share of injury problems and played very few matches since 2002, having retired in 2004. Words simply cannot illustrate the things this man could do with a tennis ball.
Fernando Gonzalez
Career High Ranking: 5
Is this the owner of the most powerful forehand of all time? It would be hard to bet against it. When one thinks of the Chilean, one instinctively thinks of a ferocious forehand. Gonzalez started out the 2000's with an erratic game, he would hit the ball as hard as he could from anywhere on the court and it would often be his downfall. Gonzalez was also known for his tendency to side step out wide on the AD court return, in order to make room to smash a forehand as hard as he possibly could, often leaving his opponent with an open court if they could get their racket on the ball. Before Larry Stefanki took Gonzalez under his wing, it seemed like Gonzalez would be another frustrating talent without any significant achievement to his name, but with the help of Stefanki, Gonzalez tightened his up his game and became more tactically astute which lead him to the Australian Open final in 2007 before going down against a prime Roger Federer after holding a set point in the opener. Gonzalez' final match will take place this year in Miami, where the courts tend to inhibit many Chilean supporters.
Tommy Haas
Career High Ranking: 2
Despite achieving a ranking of number 2, in 2002 and winning a Masters Series title, Haas' career is one of the most tragic in recent memory. Multiple shoulder surgeries and father time have left the German a shadow of his former self, now at the age of 34, Haas is on the comeback trail once more, almost certainly for the final time. Haas' best chance at glory came at the 2002 Australian Open where he led Marat Safin 2 sets to 1 and looked like a very likely winner as the Russian struggled with energy, the rain poured down and with it , washed away Haas' chances to beat Thomas Johansson in the final. Haas is known for having an exquisite backhand, being able to slice well and hit powerful shots in any direction but particularly down the line. His all round game has taken him to at least the 4th round of all Grand Slams, reaching 4 slam semi-finals in his career.
Martin Verkerk
Career High Ranking: 14
Don't pop the kettle on or take a trip to the toilet, you may end up missing Verkerk's career.
Verkerk's 15 minutes (or days) of fame came when he smashed his way through a star studded field at the 2003 French Open. His first test of the tournament came in the 2nd round where he battled through an epic that went the distance against Luis Horna, a tough match for anyone on clay having defeated Roger Federer in the previous round. He then defeated Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler in the fourth round in straight sets before beating 1998 champion Carlos Moya 8-6 in the fifth, in the quarter-finals which is arguably the match of the tournament. The biggest shock of the tournament came when he defeated one of the hot favourites and then touted 'future French Open champion' Guillermo Coria in straight sets in semi-final before succumbing to the occasion in the final against Juan Carlos Ferrero. Verkerk's success was down to his booming serve and powerful groundstrokes. He made use of his towering figure by making himself a nuisance at the net showing good touch throughout the fortnight. The rest of the 6'5'' Dutchman's career after winning Amersfoort in 2004 was plagued by injury and the mysterious figure of Verkerk rarely popped up ever again.
Greg Rusedski
Career High Ranking: 4
The Canadian born Brit held the record for the most powerful serve at 149mph before being surpassed by Andy Roddick. Some believe Rusedski may still hold the most powerful serve record as radar gun speed's seem to constantly be rising. An example of this is Pete Sampras in exhibitions serving harder than he did during his prime. Besides the monumental serve, Rusedski made full use of this by attacking the net, playing a traditional serve and volley game. Rusedski reached the 1997 US Open final, losing in 4 sets to Patrick Rafter. His biggest win came against Pete Sampras in the 1998 Bercy final where he straight setted the world number 1 in a thrilling display of attacking tennis.
Mark Philippoussis
Career High Ranking: 8
One of the game's great underachievers. Between injuries and a questionable level of dedication, Scud's career never took off the way it was expected to. After the 19 year old Australian got the better of Pete Sampras at the 1996 Australian Open, slam titles were expected to come his way sooner or later. Philippoussis was a player who was looked upon as one of those big time players who could beat anyone on any given day. From the excellent serve, to his enormous groundstrokes, to his prowess in the forecourt, the big man did have the ability to beat the best players in the world and he did on many of an occasion. The most heartbreaking loss of his career came in the 1999 Wimbledon quarter-finals where he led defending champion Pete Sampras by a set before having to retire with a knee injury which required surgery days later. He was once quoted for having said
“I'm definitely going to hold that trophy up before I retire, that's for sure”.
Despite reaching 2 slam finals, one at Wimbledon in 2003 and winning a Masters Series title, Philippousis never did win that inevitable Wimbledon title.
Younes El Aynaoui
Career High Ranking: 14
A late bloomer, El Aynaoui achieved his best success came in 2003 when he reached the quarter-finals of both hardcourt slams, being narrowly beaten in both encounters. After defeating World Number 1 Lleyton Hewitt on his home soil in Australia in a close 4 setter, El Aynaoui, at the age of 31, contested the longest fifth set in slam history when he faced 20 year old American Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals. El Aynaoui lost the set 21-19 but captured the hearts of all on a packed Rod Laver arena. El Aynaoui won 5 titles in his career, 4 of which coming passed the age of 30. He is also the oldest man to win an ATP main draw singles match since Jimmy Connors after defeating Ryler DeHeart in Doha at the age of 38.
Radek Stepanek
Career High Ranking: 8
Nicknamed 'Sexy' by fans, Stepanek has somewhat of a cult following. An eccentric character with a game to match, the womanising Czech has been one of the most entertaining players of the decade, not least for his 'worm' celebration. Still playing and inside the top 25, Sexy is still a force to be reckoned with, particularly on faster surfaces which suits his attacking game. He has reached 2 Masters Series finals and has won a handful of ATP titles.
Xavier Malisse
Career High Ranking: 19
The Belgian is another one of these underachievers, the difference being from most cases is that Malisse hasn't even had a taste of where his potential may have led him to, if the circumstances could have been different. Malisse has struggled with long term injury problems throughout his career but to this day remains one of the sweetest ball strikers on tour. His biggest chance at major success was at the 2002 Wimbledon championships where he got caught up in a 5 set battle with David Nalbandian. Malisse experienced chest and breathing problems during this match. To cut a long story short, this cost him. Malisse has proven he has (or had) the game to better the finest players of the decade. He has triumphed over Federer, Safin, Hewitt, Roddick, Nadal, Djokovic, Davydenko and Nalbandian in the past. His lonely 3 ATP titles do not begin to tell the story of what could have been.
Michael Llodra
Career High Ranking: 21
The Frenchman, to this day, still has one of the most graceful styles on tour. With his wonderful lefty serve and incredible volleying ability, Llodra has always excelled indoors, despite winning titles on grass and slow hard courts. Llodra competed in one of the most exciting matches in history when he took to the courts of Bercy against title favourite Robin Soderling, where he held a match point. Llodra lost the match on a third set tie break. Llodra is also known for his eccentric personality off court and once was found naked in the locker of Ivan Ljubicic.
Mariano Puerta
Career High Ranking: 9
Puerta is most commonly known for his run to the French Open final in 2005, where he led Rafael Nadal by a set before losing in 4 sets. His career was then ended by a doping suspension where he appealed and had the ban reduced to 1 year. Puerta was a typical claycourter known for his heavy top spin shots, he was a very aggressive player often coming into the net and hitting drop shots.
Albert Costa
Career High Ranking: 6
Another claycourter, Costa was one of the finest claycourters of the mid 90's to early 2000's. He won the Roland Garros title in 2002 by overcoming a tough draw which included Richard Gasquet, Nikolay Davydenko, Andrea Gaudenzi, Gustavo Kuerten, Guillermo Canas, Albert Corretja and Juan Carlos Ferrero. All of whom were accomplished clay court players. It wouldn't have been a surprise had Costa won the title in the late 90's but many doubted him and seen him as a shock winner, aged almost 27. He also won a Masters Series title on his favourite surface and won 12 titles in total, all of which coming on clay. Costa had an entertaining game style, having versatile groundstrokes, the ability to hit drop shots from anywhere on the court and good foot speed. He reached the semi finals a year later after may 5 set battles, finally losing to the man he defeated in the previous years final, Juan Carlos Ferrero. Roland Garros 2002 was to be his last title.
Carlos Moya
Career High Ranking: 1
Moya's finest hour was winning the French Open title in 1998, defeating fellow Spaniard Alex Corretja in the final. Moya also reached the 1997 Australian Open final and won a few Masters Series tournaments on hardcourt and clay. His best shot was certainly his forehand, which was considered one of the biggest in the game and one of the finest forehands ever seen.
Guillermo Canas
Career High Ranking: 8
The Argentine will be most famously remembered for defeating Roger Federer in back to back Masters Series tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami in 2007, where Federer was the defending champion in each. This was his first full season back after a doping suspension he received in summer of 2005. He won 7 titles in his career including the 2002 Toronto Masters Series. Canas defeated 4 World Number 1s that week, a world number 2 and a top 10 player, only losing one set the entire week.
Canas was accomplished on all surfaces but found that his most consistent results came on clay.
Robin Soderling
Career High Ranking: 4
Robin Soderling's career looked like it was going to be a waste up until 2009 Roland Garros. Soderling caused arguably the biggest upset in tennis history when he sent 4 time defending champion and seemingly unstoppable Rafael Nadal home in 4 breathtaking sets. He went on to reach the final only to lose to Roger Federer who achieved the career Grand Slam by winning the championship match. He got revenge the following year, defeating Federer in 4 sets, breaking Federer's 22 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final streak which is often looked upon as the most impressive in history. Again, Soderling reached the final, to lose to the man he famously defeated the previous year. Many blame the occasion on Soderling's poor performances in both finals. He has won a Masters Series title in Paris, Bercy and is currently sidelined with Mononucleosis. His career is left in doubt.
Ivan Ljubicic
Career High Ranking: 3
Known as 'Legenda' amongst fans, the big Croat captured his biggest title at the age of 31 by winning Indian Wells in 2010, defeating Andy Roddick in the final. Ljubicic had previously reached 3 other Masters Series finals but not since 2006. He heroically took Croatia to a Davis Cup title in 2005 alongside Mario Ancic and Ivo Karlovic. Ljubicic had a 7-1 record in Davis Cup that year. His most memorable wins came against Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick defeating them in front of the home California crowd. His biggest weapon is his serve, which could be considered one of the all-time great serves.
Sebastien Grosjean
Career High Ranking: 4
Grosjean played his best tennis on faster surfaces, reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon twice and winning the Paris Masters Series title in 2001 in front of a home crowd. He possessed a great serve for his height of 5'9'' and had one of the most feared forehands on tour.
Nicolas Escude
Career High Ranking: 17
Despite being plagued by injuries, the slim Frenchman won the deciding rubber of the 2001 Davis Cup final in front of an Australian crowd on grass. He was the winner of 4 ATP titles. Escude was a unique player, playing on all areas of the court. His versatility made him one of the most dangerous lower ranked players in any draw. He reached the 4th round or better at all Grand Slams before cutting his career short at the age of 27.
Gaston Gaudio
Career High Ranking: 6
Gaudio will be forever remember as the man who came back from 2 sets down against the king of clay Guillermo Coria in the 2004 Roland Garros final. Known as 'El Gato', Gaudio's favourite surface was clay and rarely performed outside of the surface, mainly due to lack of motivation. He was a very temperamental player who once ripped his shorts in frustration, having to change on court, much to the amusement of the German crowd.
Tim Henman
Career High Ranking: 4
He carried the hopes of a nation for a decade and if you ask me, I'd say he done exceptionally well. Henman reached 4 Wimbledon semi-finals, 1 US Open semi-final and a surprising French Open semi-final. Henman's best chance of Grand Slam success probably came in the 2001 Wimbledon semi-final, where he led Goran Ivanisevic 2 sets to 1 before the rain began to pour. He had the Croat on the ropes that day and if it hadn't rained, history may have looked on Henman in a far different light. The man from Oxford won his only Masters Series title in Paris in 2003, edging his way through a tough draw that included 2 top 5 players and 3 world number 1's.
Irakli Labadze
Career High Ranking: 42
Unfortunately Irakli Labadze didn't win any ATP titles during his short stint on the ATP. He was known as the man with 'child bearing hips' to commentators. His lively persona was a crowd favourite, including his antics were climbing the umpires chair, ripping his shirts mid match and smashing many a racket. If Irakli had applied himself to tennis a lot more, titles would have certainly flown his way. He had one of the biggest serves on tour and was a steady all-court player with a flashy game.
Marat Safin
Career High Ranking: 1
Often referred to as the biggest underachiever of all time, the Russian still managed to win 2 Grand Slam titles, 5 Masters Series titles, 2 Davis Cup titles and achieve a number 1 ranking, of which he was the youngest man to ever reach the top spot. Safin's career was very injury plagued. After he became number 1, he had a year full of niggling injuries. After a steady year climbing back up the rankings in 2002, he injured his wrist which sidelined him for the rest of the season. After winning the Australian Open in 2005, he injured his knee and never fully recovered. If it weren't for injuries, Marat Safin would almost certainly have won several more Grand Slams, even despite his huge temperamental liability. Despite his height of around 1,95m, he was quick on his feet and could play every shot in the book. His best shot was undoubtedly his backhand which is arguably the greatest of all time.
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