Circuit Player of the Week: Mardy Fish

Mardy Fish© Jamie Squire/Getty Images

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After a left wrist injury led to two operations in 2005 and kept him out of action for much of the year, Mardy Fish proved that he is well on his way back with a win at last week’s 2006 USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in Tallahassee, Fla.

Fish, who was making his first appearance on the USTA Pro Circuit since November 2002, had an excellent week in Tallahassee, opening the $50,000 tournament with a stunning 6-3, 6-2 upset over top-seed Justin Gimelstob. He posted a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Alberto Francis in the second round and then cruised to victory in his remaining three matches, defeating Brendan Evans, 6-0, 6-1, in the quarterfinals, No. 3 seed Igor Kunitsyn, 6-2, 6-3, in the semifinals and Zack Fleishman, 7-5, 7-6 (6), in the final.

Fish first suffered the injury to his wrist in a practice session in Rome last May. He underwent his first surgery on June 13 and returned to action in July, but after playing in just three events, had a second operation on Sept. 15 and then missed the remainder of the year.

The 24-year-old right-hander from Miami began playing a full schedule again in 2006, and over the last few weeks, has posted encouraging results. At the beginning of March, he reached the third round at Indian Wells, where he lost to Rafael Nadal, and then in his next tournament, qualified into the Nasdaq-100 Open and advanced to the second round, where he fell to Nikolay Davydenko. And now, he captured his third career USTA Pro Circuit singles title in Tallahassee.

Fish, whose career highlights include winning the 2004 Olympic silver medal and representing the United States six times in Davis Cup, was once ranked as high as No. 17 in the world in March 2004. He continues his comeback this week at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston, where he will take on eighth-seeded Juan Monaco in his opening-round match Tuesday.

– Sally Milano, USTA.com

YEAR-END RANKING HISTORY
2005 – 227 (ATP)
2004 – 37 (ATP)
2003 – 20 (ATP)
2002 – 81 (ATP)
2001 – 141 (ATP)
2000 – 304 (ATP)

PRO CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2006

• Won the singles title at the $50,000 USTA Tallahassee Challenger, defeating Zack Fleishman, 7-5, 7-6 (6), in the final.
• Qualified into the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami and advanced to the second round, where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 7-5.
• As a wild card, reached the third round at Indian Wells, before falling to Rafael Nadal, 6-1, 6-4.

2005

• Suffered a left wrist injury that forced Fish to undergo two operations and limited him to just three tournaments after Roland Garros… First suffered the injury during practice in Rome on May 2. He underwent his first surgery on June 13 and returned to action in July, but after just three events, had a second operation on Sept. 15.
• Opened the season by reaching the second round in five of his first six events, including the Australian Open (lost to Gaudio), Indian Wells (lost to Federer) and Miami (lost to Haas)… After Miami, played Houston (lost to Ginepri) before suffering the injury in Rome…Took three weeks off before Roland Garros (lost to Malisse)…Returned to action after his first operation in Indianapolis (def. Murray, then retired vs. Bastl)… Lost in the first round at New Haven and the US Open (to Karlovic) in his final match of the year.
• In doubles, reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open (with James Blake).

2004

• Finished runner-up at the ATP events in San Jose (defeated No. 5 Agassi, lost to Roddick) and Halle (lost to Federer), while finishing in the top 40 for the second straight season.
• Reached the semifinals at Memphis (lost to J. Johansson) and the fourth round at Indian Wells (lost to Federer).
• Played one match on clay in April and then was sidelined for seven weeks due to tendonitis in his hip… Returned at Halle on grass in June and reached the final.
• During the summer, reached the quarterfinals in Los Angeles and earned the silver medal at the Athens Olympics (lost to Massu of Chile in five sets).
• In doubles, won titles in San Jose and Houston (with James Blake).

2003

• The third-ranked American (behind No. 1 Roddick and No. 4 Agassi) compiled his best pro season, winning his first ATP title in Stockholm (defeated Soderling) and reaching three other finals.
• Reached his first ATP final at Delray Beach (lost to Gambill), then posted runner-up finishes at Nottingham (lost to Rusedski) and Cincinnati (defeated year-end top-10 players Philippoussis, Nalbandian and Schuettler; before losing to Roddick in a third-set tie-break after holding two match points)…Held serve 74 straight games in Cincinnati and extended his streak to 92 games before losing to Kucera in the second round of the US Open.

2002

• Went 25-6 in Challengers.
• Reached the quarterfinals at the ATP event in Newport, then won his first two pro titles at the $50,000 USTA Challengers in the Bronx and San Antonio.
• In doubles, won his first ATP title in Houston (with Roddick)… Also took home the championship at the $50,000 event in Birmingham, Ala. (with Morrison).

2001

• Reached the quarterfinals at the ATP event in Scottsdale and the final of the $50,000 USTA event in Kerrville, Texas (lost to A. Kim).
• In doubles, won three Challengers and one Futures (with Morrison).

2000

• Reached his first ATP quarterfinal at Newport.
• In doubles, won his first pro title at the $50,000 USTA event in Champaign-Urbana, Ill. (with Dent).

OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS

• Earned a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games… Unseeded in the draw, defeated No. 5 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero and No. 16 Fernando Gonzalez en route, with three of his five matches going three sets… Lost to No. 10 seed Nicolas Massu of Chile in a five-set final, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

DAVIS CUP HIGHLIGHTS

• Represented the United States in six ties, from 2002-04, posting a 5-5 overall record (4-4 in singles).
• Davis Cup highlight came in the 2003 World Group Playoff vs. Slovak Republic, in which he won the second match vs. Karol Kucera after teammate Andy Roddick lost the opener. (Team USA won, 3-2, to remain in World Group competition in 2004.)
• In 2004, helped the U.S. reach the Davis Cup final with a four-set win over Max Mirnyi in their semifinal victory over Belarus… Also won dead rubbers against Thomas Johansson (Sweden) and Tommy Robredo (Spain) in 2004.
• In his singles debut in 2003, lost to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in the opening match of the first-round tie in Zagreb, won by Croatia, 4-1… Also lost the doubles point with James Blake to Ljubicic-Goran Ivanisevic.
• Was named to the U.S. team for the 2002 semifinal vs. France at Roland Garros but did not play in the 3-2 loss… Became the 130th man to play Davis Cup for the U.S. in Oklahoma City, Okla., for the 2002 first round against the Slovak Republic… Ended a five-match U.S. losing streak in doubles with James Blake after clinching a 5-0 win, with a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Jan Kroslak-Karol Beck.
• Served as a practice partner for the U.S. team that lost, 5-0, to Spain in the 2000 semifinal in Santander, Spain.

JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS

1999

• Finished No. 11 in the ITF World Junior Rankings.
• Reached the quarterfinals at the US Open.
• Finished runner-up at the USTA Boys’ 18 Nationals (lost to P. King).
• Had the best showing by any American at both the French Open and Wimbledon, reaching the third round of both.
• Won the singles title at the Wimbledon tune-up event in Surrey, England… Also took home the championship at the Thailand Open.
• Represented the United States in Sunshine Cup play.

1998

• Reached semifinals at the USTA Boys’ 18 Nationals.

PERSONAL

• Father, Tom, is a teaching pro in Vero Beach. Mother, Sally, is a homemaker. Younger sister, Meredith, played at Flagler College and Florida State and now works for The Tennis Channel.
• Moved from Minnesota to Vero Beach, Fla., at age 4 in 1985.
• Attended Vero Beach High School for three years and then moved to Boca Prep in Boca Raton, Fla., for his senior year.
• Lived with Andy Roddick’s family in 1999 and played on the same high school basketball and tennis teams with Roddick that year.
• Trains in Tampa.
• Is a big fan of the 2004 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
• During the 2004 US Open, hit a 370-foot home run over the right field wall during batting practice at Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets.
• Is coached by former ATP pros Todd Martin and Scott Humphries.