| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
In 1997, he became the first Brazilian to win Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros with victories over three former champions: Thomas Muster (3rd round), Yevgeny Kafelnikov (quarterfinal) and Sergi Bruguera (final). He became the second-lowest ranked Grand Slam Champion (ranked 66th) and this led to him entering the ATP top 20.
In 1999, he became one of 3 South Americans to complete the year in the top 10 for the first time in ATP Rankings history. He reached the quarterfinal at Rolland Garros. At Wimbledon, he became the first Brazilian to reach the quarterfinal since Thomaz Koch in 1967Events January January 4 British motorboat racer Donald Campbell dies while attempting a water speed record in Coniston Lake. January 4 Algerian revolutionary Mohammed Khider is shot in Madrid. January 6 Vietnam War: USMC and ARVN troops launch " Operatio. He was defeated by Andre AgassiAndre Kirk Agassi (born April 29, 1970, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) is a American professional tennis player ( 1986-). As of 2004, he has won over $25 million in prize money and achieved a number 1 ranking on the ATP tour. Agassi, an ethnic Armenian, was born in the quarter final but had lost just one set until that stage. In July, he defeated Sebastien Grosjean 9-7 in fifth set of quarterfinal of Davis CupThe Davis Cup is the international team event in men's tennis. The largest annual team competition in sport, the Davis Cup is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from the competing countries in a knock-out, a match which lasted 4 hours and 43 minutes. He also became the first Brazilian to qualify for ATP World Championship.
In 2000, he became the first South American to finish No. 1 in history of ATP Rankings (since 1973Events January events January 1 United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community now known as the European Union January 3 Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led). It was a close contest with Marat SafinMarat Mikhailovich Safin ( Russian: Tatar: Marat Mixail uli Safin pron. Mah-RAT SAH-fin b. January 27, 1980), Russian tennis player, born in Moscow, Russia. He became a professional tennis player in 1997. Safin's career highest singles ranking spot is the with one loss meaning that Safin would have been no. 1. He broke an eight-year reign of USA at the No. 1 position. He also became the first South American to finish in Top 5 in consecutive years since Guillermo Vilas of Argentina in 1977- 78.