Sergi Bruguera - Spanish Tennis Champion

Career

Bruguera was Spain's national junior champion in 1987. He turned professional in 1988. In his first full year on the tour, 1989, he won the Cairo Challenger title as a qualifier (defeating Jordi Arrese in the final) and reached the semi-finals in Rome. He finished 1989 ranked World No. 26, and was named the ATP's Newcomer of Year.

Sergi Bruguera earned a reputation as a top clay court player in the early 1990s, winning titles in Estoril, Monte Carlo and Athens in 1991, and in Madrid, Gstaad and Palermo in 1992.

In 1993, following wins over Pete Sampras and Andrei Medvedev, Bruguera reached his first Grand Slam final at the French Open, where he faced two-time defending champion and the current world's No. 1 player Jim Courier. Courier was overwhelmingly favoured to win his third title, but ultimately Bruguera won a gruelling five-set final, 6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3. The victory was one of five titles that Bruguera captured that year.

In 1994, Sergi Bruguera defended his title at the French Open, defeating, once again, Courier and Medvedev, and fellow Spaniard Alberto Berasategui in the final, 6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–1.

Bruguera won the men's singles Silver Medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was defeated in straight sets in the final by Andre Agassi 6–2, 6–3, 6–1. Bruguera reached the French Open final for the third time in 1997 and was considered the favorite to win his third title against the unseeded Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten. But Kuerten surprisingly defeated Bruguera in straight sets 6–3, 6–4, 6–2. (Kuerten was completely unknown at the time, but would go on to win the French Open three times and become the World No. 1 ranked player in 2000.)

Outside tennis, Bruguera is a long-time fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and would often attend their games while playing at tournaments in United States. In Miami on March 28, 1997, during the same tournament where he defeated World No. 1 Pete Sampras in the semi-finals, Bruguera sank three shots (layup, free throw, top of key) during a time-out of a game between the Lakers and the Miami Heat to earn $500. This money was given to ATP Charities in his name.

Bruguera earned the ATP's Comeback Player of Year award in 1997 after returning from an ankle injury the previous year and improving his ranking from No. 81 to No. 8.

Bruguera won a total of 14 top-level singles titles and 3 doubles titles during his career. His career-high singles ranking was No. 3. He is currently the director of the Bruguera Tennis Academy Top Team.

In a 2006 interview featuring questions from fans by the BBC Sport website, a question was asked about the frequent comparisons between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras. In his reply, Bruguera claimed that Federer is ten times better than Sampras.

Sergi Bruguera is one of the few players to have a winning record against Sampras, winning three of their five matches: 1–0 on hardcourt, 2–1 on clay, and 0–1 on carpet.

Grand Slam singles finals

Wins
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1993 French Open Jim Courier 6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
1994 French Open Alberto Berasategui 6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–1

Runners-up
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1997 French Open Gustavo Kuerten 6–3, 6–4, 6–2

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