Yevgeny Kafelnikov


Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov is a Russian former world No. 1 tennis player. He won two Grand Slam singles titles, the 1996 French Open and the 1999 Australian Open, and a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He also won four Grand Slam doubles titles, and is the last male player to have won both the men's singles and doubles titles at the same Grand Slam tournament. In 2019, Kafelnikov was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Career

In his breakthrough year in 1994, Kafelnikov won three titles, reached the Hamburg Masters final and beat world top-5 players on six occasions. His ranking rose from 102 at the beginning of the year, to a year-end ranking of 11.
In 1995, he reached his first Grand Slam semifinals, beating world no. 1 Andre Agassi in straight sets in the quarterfinals. He also defeated three top-10 players on his way to the title in Milan.
At the 1996 French Open, Kafelnikov became the first Russian to ever win a Grand Slam title, defeating Michael Stich in the final in straight sets, having beaten world no. 1 Pete Sampras in the semifinals.
Kafelnikov was finalist at the 1997 ATP Tour World Championships, and won three titles during that season. In doubles, he won both the French Open and US Open partnering Daniel Vacek.
At the 1999 Australian Open, 10th seed Kafelnikov won his second singles Grand Slam title, defeating Thomas Enqvist in the final in four sets. He also won in Rotterdam and Moscow, was runner-up at the Canadian Open and reached the semifinals of the US Open.
Seeded fifth, Kafelnikov won the gold medal in the men's singles tournament at the 2000 Olympic Games, beating second seed Gustavo Kuerten in the quarterfinals and Tommy Haas in the final in five sets. He also reached the final of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of the French Open.
In 2001, he defeated world no. 1 Gustavo Kuerten in the quarterfinals of the US Open for the loss of just seven games, before losing to Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinals. Kafelnikov was also a finalist at the Paris Masters, quarterfinalist at the Australian Open and French Open, and won a record fifth consecutive title in Moscow.
Kafelnikov won his fourth and final doubles Grand Slam at the French Open in 2002, partnering Paul Haarhuis, and his final career singles title, in Tashkent. He was also a member of Russia's Davis Cup-winning team in 2002.
Kafelnikov played his last ATP-tour match in October 2003. In total, he won 53 titles across singles and doubles during his career, and he remains the last male player to win both singles and doubles titles at the same Grand Slam.

Post-retirement

Since retiring from tennis, Kafelnikov cashed three times at the 2005 World Series of Poker. He also played golf on the European Tour at the 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Russian Open, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Austrian Open, and the 2014 Czech Masters, plus several Challenge Tour events, without making any cuts.
During the 2008 Miami Masters, Kafelnikov coached Marat Safin. In 2009 and 2010, he participated in the ATP Champions Tour, finishing in third place in tournaments in Chengdu, Bogota and São Paulo.

Major finals

Grand Slam: 8 (6–2)

Singles: 3 (2–1)

Doubles: 5 (4–1)

OutcomeYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponents in the finalScore in the final
Winner1996French OpenClay Daniel Vacek Jakob Hlasek
Guy Forget
6–2, 6–3
Winner1997French OpenClay Daniel Vacek Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
7–6, 4–6, 6–3
Winner1997US OpenHard Daniel Vacek Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
7–6, 6–3
Winner2002French OpenClay Paul Haarhuis Mark Knowles
Daniel Nestor
7–5, 6–4
Runner-up2003French OpenClay Paul Haarhuis Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–7, 3–6

Olympic Games

Singles: 1 (1 gold medal)

Year-End Championships

Singles: 1 (0–1)

ATP Masters Series: 16 (7–9)

Singles: 5 (0–5)

Doubles: 11 (7–4)

ATP Career finals

Singles: 46 (26 titles, 20 runner-ups)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.10 January 1994Adelaide, AustraliaHard Alexander Volkov6–4, 6–3
Winner2.7 March 1994Copenhagen, DenmarkCarpet Daniel Vacek6–3, 7–5
Runner-up1.9 May 1994Hamburg, GermanyClay Andrei Medvedev4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Winner3.29 August 1994Long Island, USAHard Cédric Pioline5–7, 6–1, 6–2
Winner4.20 February 1995Milan, ItalyCarpet Boris Becker7–5, 5–7, 7–6
Winner5.27 March 1995St. Petersburg, RussiaCarpet Guillaume Raoux6–2, 6–2
Runner-up2.24 April 1995Nice, FranceClay Marc Rosset4–6, 0–6
Winner6.17 July 1995Gstaad, SwitzerlandClay Jakob Hlasek6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Winner7.28 August 1995Long Island, USAHard Jan Siemerink7–6, 6–2
Winner8.8 January 1996Adelaide, AustraliaHard Byron Black7–6, 3–6, 6–1
Runner-up3.11 March 1996Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet Goran Ivanišević4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Runner-up4.1 April 1996St. Petersburg, RussiaCarpet Magnus Gustafsson2–6, 6–7
Winner9.6 May 1996Prague, Czech RepublicClay Bohdan Ulihrach7–5, 1–6, 6–3
Winner10.10 June 1996French Open, Paris, FranceClay Michael Stich7–6, 7–5, 7–6
Runner-up5.24 June 1996Halle, GermanyGrass Nicklas Kulti7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up6.22 July 1996Stuttgart, GermanyClay Thomas Muster2–6, 2–6, 4–6
Winner11.7 October 1996Lyon, FranceCarpet Arnaud Boetsch7–5, 6–3
Runner-up7.4 November 1996Paris, FranceCarpet Thomas Enqvist2–6, 4–6, 5–7
Runner-up8.11 November 1996Moscow, RussiaCarpet Goran Ivanišević6–3, 1–6, 3–6
Winner12.16 June 1997Halle, GermanyGrass Petr Korda7–6, 6–7, 7–6
Winner13.18 August 1997New Haven, USAHard Patrick Rafter7–6, 6–4
Winner14.10 November 1997Moscow, RussiaCarpet Petr Korda7–6, 6–4
Runner-up9.17 November 1997Year-End Championships, HanoverHard Pete Sampras3–6, 2–6, 2–6
Runner-up10.9 February 1998Marseille, FranceHard Thomas Enqvist4–6, 1–6
Winner15.2 March 1998London, UKCarpet Cédric Pioline7–5, 6–4
Winner16.15 June 1998Halle, GermanyGrass Magnus Larsson6–4, 6–4
Runner-up11.21 September 1998Tashkent, UzbekistanHard Tim Henman5–7, 4–6
Runner-up12.2 November 1998Stuttgart, GermanyHard Richard Krajicek4–6, 3–6, 3–6
Winner17.16 November 1998Moscow, RussiaCarpet Goran Ivanišević7–6, 7–6
Winner18.1 February 1999Australian Open, Melbourne, AustraliaHard Thomas Enqvist4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 7–6
Winner19.22 February 1999Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet Tim Henman6–2, 7–6
Runner-up13.9 August 1999Montreal, CanadaHard Thomas Johansson6–1, 3–6, 3–6
Runner-up14.23 August 1999Washington, D.C., USAHard Andre Agassi6–7, 1–6
Winner20.15 November 1999Moscow, RussiaCarpet Byron Black7–6, 6–4
Runner-up15.30 January 2000Australian Open, Melbourne, AustraliaHard Andre Agassi6–3, 3–6, 2–6, 4–6
Runner-up16.28 February 2000London, UKHard Marc Rosset4–6, 4–6
Winner21.2 October 2000Olympics, Sydney, AustraliaHard Tommy Haas7–6, 3–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Winner22.30 October 2000Moscow, RussiaCarpet David Prinosil6–2, 7–5
Runner-up17.27 November 2000Stockholm, SwedenHard Thomas Johansson2–6, 4–6, 4–6
Winner23.19 February 2001Marseille, FranceHard Sébastien Grosjean7–6, 6–2
Runner-up18.17 September 2001Tashkent, UzbekistanHard Marat Safin2–6, 2–6
Winner24.8 October 2001Moscow, RussiaCarpet Nicolas Kiefer6–4, 7–5
Runner-up19.5 November 2001Paris, FranceCarpet Sébastien Grosjean6–7, 1–6, 7–6, 4–6
Winner25.17 June 2002Halle, GermanyGrass Nicolas Kiefer2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Winner26.16 September 2002Tashkent, UzbekistanHard Vladimir Voltchkov7–6, 7–5
Runner-up20.3 February 2003Milan, ItalyCarpet Martin Verkerk4–6, 7–5, 5–7

Doubles: 41 (27–14)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1.7 February 1994Marseille, FranceCarpet Martin Damm Jan Siemerink
Daniel Vacek
7–6, 4–6, 1–6
Winner1.11 April 1994Barcelona, SpainClay David Rikl Jim Courier
Javier Sánchez
5–7, 6–1, 6–4
Runner-up2.25 April 1994Monte Carlo, MonacoClay Daniel Vacek Nicklas Kulti
Magnus Larsson
6–3, 6–7, 4–6
Winner2.2 May 1994Munich, GermanyClay David Rikl Boris Becker
Petr Korda
7–6, 7–5
Winner3.16 May 1994Rome, ItalyClay David Rikl Wayne Ferreira
Javier Sánchez
6–1, 7–5
Winner4.24 October 1994Lyon, FranceCarpet Jakob Hlasek Martin Damm
Patrick Rafter
6–7, 7–6, 7–6
Runner-up3.27 March 1995St. Petersburg, RussiaCarpet Jakob Hlasek Martin Damm
Anders Järryd
4–6, 2–6
Winner5.10 April 1995Estoril, PortugalClay Andrei Olhovskiy Marc-Kevin Goellner
Diego Nargiso
5–7, 7–5, 6–2
Winner6.15 May 1995Hamburg, GermanyClay Wayne Ferreira Byron Black
Andrei Olhovskiy
6–1, 7–6
Runner-up4.26 June 1995Halle, GermanyGrass Andrei Olhovskiy Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Winner7.31 July 1995Montreal, CanadaHard Andrei Olhovskiy Brian MacPhie
Sandon Stolle
6–2, 6–2
Winner8.23 October 1995Lyon, FranceCarpet Jakob Hlasek John-Laffnie de Jager
Wayne Ferreira
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up5.26 February 1996Antwerp, BelgiumCarpet Menno Oosting Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
4–6, 4–6
Winner9.1 April 1996St. Petersburg, RussiaCarpet Andrei Olhovskiy Nicklas Kulti
Peter Nyborg
6–3, 6–4
Winner10.6 May 1996Prague, Czech RepublicClay Daniel Vacek Luis Lobo
Javier Sánchez
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Winner11.10 June 1996French Open, ParisClay Daniel Vacek Jakob Hlasek
Guy Forget
6–2, 6–3
Runner-up6.24 June 1996Halle, GermanyGrass Daniel Vacek Byron Black
Grant Connell
1–6, 5–7
Winner12.30 September 1996Basel, SwitzerlandHard Daniel Vacek David Adams
Menno Oosting
6–3, 6–4
Winner13.14 October 1996Vienna, AustriaCarpet Daniel Vacek Pavel Vízner
Menno Oosting
7–6, 6–4
Runner-up7.4 November 1996Paris, FranceCarpet Daniel Vacek Jacco Eltingh
Paul Haarhuis
4–6, 6–4, 6–7
Winner14.9 June 1997French Open, ParisClay Daniel Vacek Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
7–6, 4–6, 6–3
Winner15.14 July 1997Gstaad, SwitzerlandClay Daniel Vacek Trevor Kronemann
David Macpherson
4–6, 7–6, 6–3
Winner16.8 September 1997US Open, New YorkHard Daniel Vacek Jonas Björkman
Nicklas Kulti
7–6, 6–3
Winner17.23 February 1998Antwerp, BelgiumHard Wayne Ferreira Tomás Carbonell
Francisco Roig
7–5, 3–6, 6–2
Runner-up8.2 March 1998London, EnglandCarpet Daniel Vacek Martin Damm
Jim Grabb
4–6, 5–7
Winner18.19 October 1998Vienna, AustriaCarpet Daniel Vacek David Adams
John-Laffnie de Jager
7–5, 6–3
Runner-up9.16 November 1998Moscow, RussiaCarpet Daniel Vacek Jared Palmer
Jeff Tarango
4–6, 7–6, 2–6
Winner19.19 April 1999Barcelona, SpainClay Paul Haarhuis Massimo Bertolini
Cristian Brandi
7–5, 6–3
Runner-up10.21 February 2000Rotterdam, NetherlandsHard Tim Henman David Adams
John-Laffnie de Jager
7–5, 2–6, 3–6
Winner20.24 April 2000Monte Carlo, MonacoClay Wayne Ferreira Paul Haarhuis
Sandon Stolle
6–3, 2–6, 6–1
Runner-up11.15 May 2000Rome, ItalyClay Wayne Ferreira Martin Damm
Dominik Hrbatý
4–6, 6–4, 3–6
Winner21.16 October 2000Vienna, AustriaHard Nenad Zimonjić Jiří Novák
David Rikl
6–4, 6–4
Winner22.19 March 2001Indian Wells, United StatesHard Wayne Ferreira Jonas Björkman
Todd Woodbridge
6–2, 7–5
Winner23.14 May 2001Rome, ItalyClay Wayne Ferreira Daniel Nestor
Sandon Stolle
6–4, 7–6
Winner24.29 October 2001St. Petersburg, RussiaHard Denis Golovanov Irakli Labadze
Marat Safin
7–5, 6–4
Runner-up12.22 April 2002Monte Carlo, MonacoClay Paul Haarhuis Jonas Björkman
Todd Woodbridge
3–6, 6–3,
Winner25.10 June 2002French Open, ParisClay Paul Haarhuis Mark Knowles
Daniel Nestor
7–5, 6–4
Winner26.17 March 2003Indian Wells, United StatesHard Wayne Ferreira Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
3–6, 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up13.9 June 2003French Open, ParisClay Paul Haarhuis Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–7, 3–6
Runner-up14.21 July 2003Stuttgart, GermanyClay Kevin Ullyett Tomáš Cibulec
Pavel Vízner
6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Winner27.4 August 2003Washington, D.C., United StatesHard Sargis Sargsian Chris Haggard
Paul Hanley
7–5, 4–6, 6–2

Performance timelines

Singles

Doubles

Top 10 wins

Team titles

2002 – Davis Cup winner with Russia
2000, 2001, 2002 - World Team Cup finalist with Russia

Tennis records

;1994–2001: The Russian Cup in the nomination Male Player of the Year
;2002: The Russian Cup in the nomination Team of the Year