- Karol Kučera
Infobox Tennis player
playername= Karol Kučera
nickname= Little Cat
country= SVK
residence=Monte Carlo ,Monaco
datebirth=March 4 ,1974
placebirth=Bratislava ,Czechoslovakia
height= height|m=1.87
weight= convert|77|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
turnedpro= 1992
plays= Right-handed; two-handed backhand
careerprizemoney= $5,061,125
singlesrecord= 293–244
singlestitles= 6
highestsinglesranking= No. 6 (September 14 ,1998 )
AustralianOpenresult= SF (1998)
FrenchOpenresult= 4R (1996, 1999)
Wimbledonresult= 4R (1999)
USOpenresult= QF (1998)
doublesrecord= 34–41
doublestitles= 0
highestdoublesranking= No. 131 (June 7 ,2004 )
updated=April 25 ,2007 Karol Kučera (born
March 4 ,1974 inBratislava ) is a retired ATP professional maletennis player fromSlovakia . He is a former top 10 player and has been ranked as high as World No. 6.Tennis career
Kučera turned professional in 1992. He was a member of the
Czechoslovakian Galea Cup teams in 1991 and 1992 and the 1992 European championship squad. In 1993 he qualified for his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros.In 1995 when Kučera won his first ATP title in
Rosmalen . In 1996 he played in theSummer Olympics inAtlanta where he lost to eventual gold medalistAndre Agassi .A year later he won his second ATP title in
Ostrava defeatingMagnus Norman . He was runner-up in two other tournaments inNottingham on grass toGreg Rusedski andStuttgart Outdoor toSergi Bruguera on clay.Kučera's best year was in 1998, where he finished the year in the top 10, ranked World No. 8, which qualified him in the ATP Tour World Championship in
Hannover . During the year Kučera won 2 titles inSydney defeatingTim Henman andNew Haven defeatingGoran Ivanišević .He reached another two finals, losing to
Gustavo Kuerten in Stuttgart Outdoor and to World No. 1Pete Sampras inVienna . Overall in 1998, Kučera compiled a career high 53 match victories and earning $1,402,557.Kučera achieved his best Grand Slam result in 1998 reaching the semi-finals of
Australian Open where on his way he defeated defending champion Pete Sampras in the quarter-finals, losing to eventual championPetr Korda in 4 sets.In 1999, Kučera won his fifth ATP title in
Basel defeatingTim Henman in the final. After 1999, Kučera struggled with form due to a right wrist and arm injury.After some injury plagued years, Kučera found some form again in 2003 when he finished in the top 50 for the first time since 1999. During the year he won his sixth and final tour title in
Copenhagen defeatingOlivier Rochus in the final.Recently, Kučera was one of the contributing members on the
Slovakian team which reached the final of theDavis Cup in 2005, eventually losing toCroatia 2–3. He announced his retirement after the final.tyle of play
Miloslav Mečíř known as the "Big Cat" was Kučera's coach from 1997 to 2001. Kučera was nicknamed the "Little Cat" because of his deceptive style of play and his fluid movement around the court resembling his coach.Titles (6)
ingles (6)
External links
* [http://www.atptennis.com/3/en/players/playerprofiles/?playernumber=K237 ATP player profile for Kučera]
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