Karim Alami

2000 IN REVIEW

The Moroccan had an up-and-down season but still finished with his second-best career year-end ranking (51)...Opened season with 3rd RD at Australian Open (l. to Kiefer) and followed with SF in Dubai (d. Norman in 1st RD, l. to Ferrero)...Went 1-6 in his next six tournaments before turning things around with his first career TMS SF in Monte Carlo...Posted wins over Johansson, Norman, Ruud and Costa before losing to eventual champion Pioline...Struggled again with 1-5 record in next two months but reached QF on grass in 's-Hertogenbosch (l. to Rafter in three sets)...Returned to clay in July and advanced to QF in San Marino...At Olympics in Sydney lost to Federer in QF...Compiled records of 13-15 on hard, 9-9 on clay 2-3 on grass and 0-2 on carpet...Earned a career-high $407,346.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1991-Represented Morocco in Davis Cup...1992-Qualifier at ATP stop in Florence and represented country at Barcelona Olympics (l. to Rosset)...1993-Posted first Davis Cup win vs. Ireland...1994-Beat No. 1 Sampras in 1st RD of Doha as a qualifier (ranked No. 205)...Reached first ATP final in native Casablanca (l. to Furlan)...1995-Broke through at Tashkent to win first career Challenger title (d. Arrese)...1996-Became the first player from Morocco to win an ATP title in Atlanta (d. Kulti)...1997-Reached SF in Casablanca and Bologna in singles and won first ATP doubles title at Marbella (w/Alonso)...Also finalist at Cairo Challenger (l. to Berasategui)...1998-Reached Bologna final (l. to Alonso) and SF in Casablanca and Estoril...Broke his right wrist in July and did not return for three and one-half months on Oct. 19...1999-Reached singles finals in Barcelona (l. Mantilla) and Bucharest (l. to A. Martin) and finished as No. 1 Moroccan for first time at No. 30.

PERSONAL

Reached US Open Juniors final, Roland Garros SF and won doubles at Wimbledon (w/Rusedski) and US Open (w/de Jager) in 1991...Finished No. 2 in the world in singles and No. 1 in doubles that year...Member of the Moroccan Davis Cup team since 1990 with a 31-13 career record (19-8 in singles) in 18 ties...Speaks six languages fluently (Arabic, French, English, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish)...Coached by Carlos Gattiker and fitness trainer is Francois Ribeyre...Wife, Nathalie (married July 2, 1999); son, Rayane (born Jan. 17, 2000)