| Malivai Washington |
Website Links For Washington |
Information AboutMalivai Washington |
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An African-American , Washington began playing tennis at the age of five. In the late- 1980s he played tennis for the University Of Michigan and was ranked the No. 1 college player in the US at the end of his sophomore season. He then turned professional in 1989 . He first notable tour result came in 1990 , when he defeated Ivan Lendl in straight-sets in the second round of the tournament at New Haven, Connecticut . Just a week earlier, Lendl had lost the World No. 1 ranking to Stefan Edberg , and he would have regained it if he had won that match. Washington won his first top-level singles title in 1992 at Memphis, Tennessee . In 1996 , Washington reached his first (and only) Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. In the final, he faced the Dutch player Richard Krajicek and lost in straight-sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. During his career, Washington won four tour singles titles. His career-high singles ranking was World No. 11 in 1992 . The later years of Washington's career were plagued by injuries, and he retired from the professional tour in 1999 . Since retiring, he has served as a TV analyst with ESPN . In 1994 , Washington established the ''MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation'' to "teach achievement and positive life skills through the game of tennis". His sister Mashona Washington is also a professional tennis player. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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