'Blast from the past' thread.

[Aristotle Pickett]

Nominate a player from the past, male or female, who is almost forgotten, and state their accomplishments and state whether they got the best out of themselves.

- Marcelo Ríos, Chile
Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career record : 391–192 (67.1%)
Career titles 18
Highest ranking No. 1 (30 March 1998)

Grand Slam singles results:
Australian Open F (1998)
French Open QF (1998, 1999)
Wimbledon 4R (1997)
US Open QF (1997)

Ríos is also the only man in the Open Era to have been world No. 1 without ever winning a Grand Slam singles tournament. His best major result was as runner-up at the 1998 Australian Open, losing to Petr Korda in straight sets.

After achieving number one in singles, an Argentine reporter asked him what it felt like to be at the same status as Guillermo Vilas; he answered, "I've been compared to Vilas for a while now. I do not know him. All I know is that he was No. 2, and I'm No. 1.'

Got the most out of ability but couldn't snag a grand slam title. An entertaining player with issues.

 

[10Dulkar]

I would go for MaliVai Washington who famously reached the 1996 Wimbledon final where he lost to Richard Krajicek. He never got anywhere near that before or since save for a QF here in Melbourne. I have vague memories of him having a tantrum in the final.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Another Chilian...

Fernando González. One of the best Forehands in the game. That shot went BANG!!. Had not have much else but still got a career-high rank of 5 plus the Aus Open Final. Did well at the Olympics as well.

 

[Hamingja]

Andrew Ilie. Career high of 38. Won two titles but best known for a couple of 4th round runs at the Australian Open and ripping his Target shirt in celebration.

 

[Hamingja]

Byron Black. Career high of 22. Two career singles titles. Made the QF at Wimbledon and the US, and the 4th round at the Australian Open. Career high of 1 in doubles with 22 titles including the French Open. As pictured above Byron played with a two handed forehand which makes him rather unique for a professional tennis player. Golden era of Zimbabwe sport with his brother Wayne and sister Cara also racking up the doubles grand slams at the same time as Andy & Grant Flower, Heath Streak etc made Zimbabwe competitive in the cricket.

 

[BloodRet]

Guillermo Coria



I remember watching this guy as a kid, he was a little bulldog. Tiny but made up for it in intensity and effort. Reached number 4 in a really difficult era.

 

[Hamingja]

Ryan Sweeting. Career high of 64. A fringe tour / challenger player who won 1 title beating Nishikori in the final on the green clay in Houston. Unless you were a degenerate tennis gambler at the time you've probably never heard of him as a tennis player. Ryan made his big bang off court.

 

[BobbyMorri]

I Think we need a female

Monica Niculescu

Highest Rank was 28. Which is amazing, considering he hit 90% slices on her forehand


it was an amazing weird shot. A favourite down the years in Hobart and she even made the final in 2017.

Still playing doubles.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Gaston Gaudio.

 

[JamisonRun40]

My favourite thing about Fernando Gonzalez was him wiping his arse on the clay at the FO due to a bad call. He also dated Gizele Dulko.
Females, Nadia Petrova she had worse dress sense than Ostapenko but she was so nice and had great groundstrokes. Natasha Zverva another Russian who did really well at Wimbledon and was a great doubles player.

 

[Hamingja]

Paradorn Srichaphan. Career high of 9 and was the first player from Asia to reach the top 10 on the ATP. Won 5 titles. Made round of 16 at Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Thailand is a very random place for a tennis player to pop up from, particularly in the 90s. More and more women have come through on the WTA side but I guess it is still really only Srichaphan and Nishikori that have made a dent in the ATP tour from east Asia.

 

[DEVO]

Anke Huber (Germany)

Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career record - 447–225 (66.5%)
WTA titles - 12
WTA Finalist - 11
Highest ranking - No. 4 (14 October 1996)

Finalist Australian Open - 1996
Semi-Finalist French Open - 1993
Quarter Finalist US Open - 1999, 2000
4th Round Wimbledon - 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2001

Finalist WTA Tour Finals - 1995

Favourite Tournament - Australian Open

Retired 31 October 2001 after losing to Justine Henin in End of Year Sanex Championships.

 

[Hamingja]

Mikhail Youhzny. Career high of 8. Won 10 career titles. Made the QF at all 4 slams with a couple of SF at the US. Known as the "Colonel" for his salute celebration after winning matches. Mikhail did nothing to stop perpetuating the crazy Russian stereotype when, pictured above, he repeatedly bashed himself in the head with his racquet after losing a point.