Mark Philippoussis

Mark Philippoussis was an Australian tennis player who played professionally from 1994 to 2008. Philippoussis achieved a career-best singles ranking of #8 in the world in April 1999, and a doubles ranking of #18 in the world in August 1997. During his career he reached two Grand Slam singles finals and helped Australia win the Davis Cup on two occasions.

In 1994 Philippoussis and compatriot Ben Ellwood won the boys’ doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Philippoussis won his first of three ATP doubles titles the following year at the Hong Kong Open with American Tommy Ho as his partner. As a singles player Philippoussis won 11 ATP titles between October 1996 and July 2006. At Grand Slams Philippoussis was a two-time runner-up, losing at the 1998 US Open to Pat Rafter, and at Wimbledon in 2003 to Roger Federer. In 1996 he and Rafter reached the doubles semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Philippoussis played on Australia’s Davis Cup team from 1995 to 2006, helping the team to win the title in 1999 and 2003. He also competed in the singles at three consecutive Olympic Games; 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, and 2004 Athína. He reached the third round at his first two Olympics, losing in Sydney to the eventual gold medallist Yevgeny Kafelnikov. At the 2004 Games he lost in the first round to Olivier Rochus.