Thomas Muster: Difference between revisions
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On 13 September 2011, Muster won his second match after his comeback in the Todi Challenger against fifth seed from Argentina, [[Leonardo Mayer]], 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. His next opponent was countryman [[Martin Fischer (tennis)|Martin Fischer]], to whom Muster lost, 0-6, 6-2, 6-7(2). He then lost in his next Challenger, in Palermo, to Italian [[Alessio di Mauro]]. |
On 13 September 2011, Muster won his second match after his comeback in the Todi Challenger against fifth seed from Argentina, [[Leonardo Mayer]], 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. His next opponent was countryman [[Martin Fischer (tennis)|Martin Fischer]], to whom Muster lost, 0-6, 6-2, 6-7(2). He then lost in his next Challenger, in Palermo, to Italian [[Alessio di Mauro]]. |
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After this, Muster played at the [[Erste Bank Open]], where he lost to countryman [[Dominic Thiem]], 6-2, 6-3. This was the last match of the Austrian at high level tournaments <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/15614667/former-no-1-muster-to-retire-again-at-age-44 |title=Former No. 1 Muster to retire again at age 44 - Tennis |publisher=CBSSports.com |date= |
After this, Muster played at the [[Erste Bank Open]], where he lost to countryman [[Dominic Thiem]], 6-2, 6-3. This was the last match of the Austrian at high level tournaments <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/15614667/former-no-1-muster-to-retire-again-at-age-44 |title=Former No. 1 Muster to retire again at age 44 - Tennis |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=2011-09-21 |accessdate=2012-05-21}}</ref>, meaning that after this he will just compete in Challengers. |
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As he said, 2 weeks after his "high level retire", Muster was playing in a Challenger tournament again, this time in Salzburg. Despite having a good start against German [[Dennis Bloemke]], he lost in a three set fight, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, despite saving a match point in the final set. |
As he said, 2 weeks after his "high level retire", Muster was playing in a Challenger tournament again, this time in Salzburg. Despite having a good start against German [[Dennis Bloemke]], he lost in a three set fight, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, despite saving a match point in the final set. |
Revision as of 18:41, 21 May 2012
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Country (sports) | Austria |
---|---|
Residence | Leibnitz, Austria |
Born | Leibnitz, Austria | 2 October 1967
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
Turned pro | 1985 |
Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $12,252,511 |
Singles | |
Career record | 622–273 (69.79 %) |
Career titles | 44 |
Highest ranking | No. 1 (12 February 1996) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1989, 1997) |
French Open | W (1995) |
Wimbledon | 1R (1987, 1992, 1993, 1994) |
US Open | QF (1993, 1994, 1996) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 56–91 |
Career titles | 1 |
Highest ranking | 94 (7 November 1988) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (1989, 1990) |
US Open | 2R (1986) |
Thomas Muster (born 2 October 1967 in Leibnitz, Styria) is a former world no. 1 tennis player from Austria. One of the world's leading clay court players in the 1990s, Muster won the 1995 French Open and at his peak was known as "The King of Clay."[1] In addition, he won eight Masters 1000 series titles, placing him joint sixth on the all-time list. Muster is one of only three players to win Masters titles on three different surfaces (clay, carpet, and hard court).
Career
Muster first came to prominence when he reached the final of the French Open junior tournament and the Orange Bowl juniors tournament in 1985. He turned professional later that year and won his first tour title at Hilversum, (Netherlands) in 1986.
In 1988, Muster reached six tour finals, winning four of them. He finished the year ranked in the world's top 20 for the first time.
Early in 1989, Muster became the first Austrian to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open and, shortly after that, the first Austrian to be ranked in the world's top 10. In March, he defeated Yannick Noah in the semifinals of the Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida (now known as the Sony Ericsson Open) to set up a final match with world no. 1 Ivan Lendl. But in the hours that followed that semifinal victory, Muster was struck by a drunk driver, severing ligaments in his left knee and forcing him to default the final. He flew back to Vienna to undergo surgery. With the aid of a special chair designed to allow him to practice hitting balls while recovering from knee surgery, Muster returned to competitive tennis just six months later.[2]
Muster's comeback continued in 1990, when he won three titles on clay (among which the Italian Open, defeating Andrei Chesnokov in the final) and one on hardcourts; he was runner-up in three tournaments, and reached the semifinals of the French Open. He also helped Austria reach the semifinals of Davis Cup, where they were eliminated 3–2 by the United States despite Muster winning both his singles rubbers against Andre Agassi and Michael Chang. For these achievements, Muster was named the ATP Tour's "Comeback Player of the Year."
Muster was selected Austrian Sportsman of the Year in 1990 and 1995.
Muster won two more titles in 1991 and three in 1992 (all on clay courts).
In 1993, he reached nine tournament finals, winning seven of them. He won 55 of 65 matches on clay.
Muster won three clay-court titles in 1994. He also beat Michael Stich of Germany in a first round Davis Cup tie in Graz. Muster won the five-set, 5 hour 25 minute match 12–10 in the final set. The match was the longest professional tennis match in the world that year.[citation needed]
In 1995, Muster won 12 tournament finals in 14 attempts. Between February and June, he won 40 consecutive clay court matches (the longest winning streak on the surface since Björn Borg had won 46 in 1977–79). He clinched his second Italian Open, defeating Sergi Bruguera, 3–6, 7–6, 6–2, 6–3. At the French Open, Muster won his first and only Grand Slam singles title, when he defeated former champion Michael Chang in the final, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4. Muster is the first, and to date, the only Austrian to win a Grand Slam singles title. Muster had a 65–2 win-loss record on clay during 1995. Although his record on other surfaces was less impressive, a late season victory over Pete Sampras on a fast indoor carpet gave him an outside chance at finishing the year no. 1; however, Sampras finished the year at no. 1.
Muster continued to rack up clay-court victories in 1996. He won seven tournaments, six of them titles he successfully defended after winning them in 1995. His win-loss clay court record in 1996 was 46–3. This made his 1995–96 record on the surface 111–5–the best two-year clay-court record since the open era began in 1968.[citation needed] In February, Muster attained the world no. 1 ranking. He held the ranking initially for just one week, and then regained it for five weeks in March and April. He has a poor record on lawn (having never passed the Wimbledon first round), but had success on hard courts, reaching two Australian Open semifinals and three US Open quarterfinals.
Muster achieved his best results on hard courts in 1997. He won two hard-court titles, including the Lipton International Players Championships, the same tournament where his career had nearly ended just eight years earlier—by defeating Sergi Bruguera in the final, after Bruguera had defeated Pete Sampras in the semifinals. Muster was the runner-up at the ATP Masters Series event in Cincinnati, and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the ATP Masters event in Indian Wells. At both Cincinnati and the Australian Open, Muster lost to Pete Sampras in straight sets. He compiled a 29–8 win-loss record on hard courts, while slumping to 9–9 on clay.
Muster reached his last top-level tournament final in Estoril (on clay) in 1998. That year, Muster mounted one last deep run at Roland Garros, where he reached the quarterfinals, before falling to Spaniard Félix Mantilla in four sets. The Austrian opened 1999 with a strong showing at the Australian Open warm-up event in Sydney, but he struggled mightily in the next few months, eventually disappearing from the tour after an opening-round exit at Roland Garros to Nicolas Lapentti. He remains the only world no. 1 singles player of the open era who has never won a match at Wimbledon.
Muster only lost one Davis Cup singles match on clay during his career, to Goran Ivanišević in 1997. He won 29 Davis Cup singles matches on that surface and 38 overall, far more than any other Austrian.
When he stopped playing tennis in 1999, Muster moved to Noosa Australia and married television presenter Jo Beth Taylor in 2000. The couple lived on a 90-acre estate complete with helipad and had one child (Christian). They divorced in 2002. Muster then moved back to Austria, where he has served as coach of the Austrian Davis Cup team and established a brand named Toms that has included apparel, wine, and bottled water.
On 16 June 2010, Muster announced his comeback to professional tennis by playing a Challenger tournament in Braunschweig in July 2010. He lost in the first round, as well as in the following three Challenger tournaments in Kitzbühel, Como, and Rijeka. Eventually, in his fifth Challenger tournament in Ljubljana, he won the first comeback match, which brought him back into the ATP singles ranking list as number 988. Subsequently, Austrian tennis experts discussed whether his mental fortitude would be sufficient to bring him back into the top 100 in 2011, at age 43.
On 13 September 2011, Muster won his second match after his comeback in the Todi Challenger against fifth seed from Argentina, Leonardo Mayer, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. His next opponent was countryman Martin Fischer, to whom Muster lost, 0-6, 6-2, 6-7(2). He then lost in his next Challenger, in Palermo, to Italian Alessio di Mauro.
After this, Muster played at the Erste Bank Open, where he lost to countryman Dominic Thiem, 6-2, 6-3. This was the last match of the Austrian at high level tournaments [3], meaning that after this he will just compete in Challengers.
As he said, 2 weeks after his "high level retire", Muster was playing in a Challenger tournament again, this time in Salzburg. Despite having a good start against German Dennis Bloemke, he lost in a three set fight, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, despite saving a match point in the final set.
Equipment
Muster played with Austrian manufactured Head, Kneissl and then Kneissl Tom's Reach tennis racquets during his first Pro Tour era. He continued to use Kneissl Tom's Reach on the Champions Tour. He began making a comeback to the Pro Tour using Head, then switched to Babolat and went back to Head again, always using adidas clothing.
Grand Slam and Masters Series finals
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (1–0)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1995 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2, 6–4 |
Masters Series finals
Singles: 10 (8–2)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1990 | Monte Carlo | Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 3–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 1990 | Rome | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–3, 6–1 |
Winner | 1992 | Monte Carlo | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1, 6–3 |
Winner | 1995 | Monte Carlo | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 5–7, 6–1, 7–6(8–6), 6–0 |
Winner | 1995 | Rome | Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2, 6–3 |
Winner | 1995 | Essen | Carpet | ![]() |
7–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Winner | 1996 | Monte Carlo | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Winner | 1996 | Rome | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 1997 | Key Biscayne | Hard | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 6–3, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 1997 | Cincinnati | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Career finals
Singles: 55 (44–11)
|
|
Outcome | No. | Date | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 4 August 1986 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–3, 6–3 |
Winner | 2. | 11 July 1988 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–2 |
Winner | 3. | 1 August 1988 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–3 |
Winner | 4. | 15 August 1988 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 5–7, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 1. | 19 September 1988 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 3–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
Winner | 5. | 26 September 1988 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
2–6, 6–1, 7–5 |
Runner-up | 2. | 24 October 1988 | ![]() |
Carpet | ![]() |
6–4, 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 3 April 1989 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
W/O |
Winner | 6. | 8 January 1990 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 6–2, 7–5 |
Winner | 7. | 12 March 1990 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–7(6–8), 6–2 |
Runner-up | 4. | 30 April 1990 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 3–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 5. | 7 May 1990 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 8. | 21 May 1990 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–3, 6–1 |
Winner | 9. | 17 June 1991 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–7(2–7), 6–2 |
Winner | 10. | 16 September 1991 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 11. | 27 April 1992 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1, 6–3 |
Winner | 12. | 15 June 1992 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 1–6, 6–1 |
Winner | 13. | 31 August 1992 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 4–6, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 6. | 18 January 1993 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
6–7(7–9), 1–6 |
Winner | 14. | 1 March 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 15. | 14 June 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 7–5 |
Winner | 16. | 21 June 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–3), 6–4 |
Winner | 17. | 9 August 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 7–5, 6–4 |
Winner | 18. | 16 August 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 7–5 |
Winner | 19. | 30 August 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 3–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 20. | 3 October 1993 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–2), 7–5 |
Runner-up | 7. | 25 October 1993 | ![]() |
Carpet | ![]() |
6–4, 4–6, 4–6, 6–7(3–7) |
Winner | 21. | 28 February 1994 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1 |
Winner | 22. | 2 May 1994 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
Winner | 23. | 20 June 1994 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 24. | 6 March 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–4), 7–5 |
Winner | 25. | 10 April 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–2 |
Winner | 26. | 17 April 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–1, 6–4 |
Winner | 27. | 1 May 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 5–7, 6–1, 7–6(8–6), 6–0 |
Winner | 28. | 22 May 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2, 6–3 |
Winner | 29. | 12 June 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 30. | 26 June 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 3–6, 6–1 |
Winner | 31. | 24 July 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 8. | 7 August 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 4–6, 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 4–6 |
Winner | 32. | 14 August 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–0 |
Winner | 33. | 28 August 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–4 |
Winner | 34. | 18 September 1995 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 9. | 23 October 1995 | ![]() |
Carpet | ![]() |
5–7, 2–6, 6–1, 5–7 |
Winner | 35. | 30 October 1995 | ![]() |
Carpet | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Winner | 36. | 11 March 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–3), 6–2 |
Winner | 37. | 15 April 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
Winner | 38. | 22 April 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
Winner | 39. | 29 April 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Winner | 40. | 20 May 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 41. | 22 July 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 42. | 16 September 1996 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–3 |
Winner | 43. | 17 February 1997 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
7–5, 7–6(7–3) |
Winner | 44. | 31 March 1997 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 6–3, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 10. | 11 August 1997 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Runner-up | 11. | 13 April 1998 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 1–6, 3–6 |
Singles
Tournament | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2010 | 2011 | SR | W–L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | NH | A | 1R | SF | 3R | A | 3R | 2R | QF | 3R | 4R | SF | 1R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 11 | 23–11 |
French Open | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | SF | 1R | 2R | 4R | 3R | W | 4R | 3R | QF | 1R | A | A | 1 / 14 | 32–13 |
Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 0–4 |
US Open | A | 1R | 3R | 1R | A | 4R | A | A | QF | QF | 4R | QF | 1R | 3R | A | A | A | 0 / 10 | 22–10 |
Win–Loss | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–3 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 10–3 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 10–4 | 12–2 | 10–3 | 7–3 | 6–3 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1 / 39 | 77–38 |
Year-End Championship | |||||||||||||||||||
ATP Tour World Championships | A | A | A | A | A | RR | A | A | A | A | RR | RR | RR | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 2–8 |
Super 9 Series/Tennis Masters Series | |||||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | 2R | A | 3R | QF | QF | 2R | SF | SF | 1R | A | A | 0 / 9 | 14–9 |
Miami | A | A | 3R | 3R | F | A | A | A | 3R | A | A | 2R | W | A | A | A | A | 1 / 6 | 18–4 |
Monte Carlo | A | 2R | 3R | 1R | A | F | 1R | W | SF | QF | W | W | 2R | 1R | 2R | A | A | 3 / 13 | 32–10 |
Hamburg | A | QF | 1R | 1R | A | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | A | 3R | QF | A | A | A | 0 / 9 | 11–9 |
Rome | A | A | 1R | 3R | A | W | 3R | 1R | 2R | 3R | W | W | 2R | 3R | 1R | A | A | 3 / 12 | 28–9 |
Canada | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 3R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 | 1–2 |
Cincinnati | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | SF | F | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 8–4 |
Stockholm/Essen/Stuttgart | A | A | A | 3R | 3R | A | A | 3R | A | 2R | W | 2R | 1R | A | A | A | A | 1 / 7 | 8–6 |
Paris | NH | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | 2R | 2R | QF | A | A | A | A | 0 / 7 | 3–7 |
Win–Loss | 0–0 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 6–6 | 7–3 | 11–1 | 2–4 | 8–4 | 9–5 | 9–7 | 20–2 | 14–6 | 18–8 | 10–5 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 8 / 69 | 123–60 |
Year End Ranking | 98 | 47 | 56 | 16 | 21 | 7 | 35 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 189 | 980 |
Note: These events were designated as the 'Masters Series' and the 'ATP Tour World Championships' only after the ATP took over the running of the men's tour in 1990.
Private life
Thomas Muster was married to Jo Beth Taylor, an Australian television personality, from 2000 to 2005.[4] They have a son, Christian, who was born in 2001. In 2010, Muster married Caroline Ofner and they have a daughter, Maxim, born in 2009. Thomas Muster lives in Styria, a province in Southern Austria and also has a villa on the Adriatic Sea in Croatia.[5]
References
- ^ "Muster, King of Clay, Gets His Slam Crown". New York Times. 1995-06-12. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ S.L. Price (1995-06-19). "Back In The Swing". Vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ "Former No. 1 Muster to retire again at age 44 - Tennis". CBSSports.com. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ^ "Gold Coast agency Celebrities Entertainment guest speakers master of ceremonies emcees MC's Brisbane Queensland hosts coordinators stars hosting award performers Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Adelaide Perth Darwin Canberra Mt Isa". Addictiveentertainment.com.au. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ "Thomas Muster heiratet heute". Oe24.at. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
External links
- Thomas Muster at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- {{ITF profile}} template using deprecated numeric ID.
- Thomas Muster at the Davis Cup
- www.thomasmuster.at
Template:Thomas Muster start boxes
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