Andrei Cherkasov
Encyclopedia
Andrei Cherkasov is a former professional tennis
player from Russia
.
Born in Ufa
, Soviet Union
, Cherkasov first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1987, he was ranked the World No. 3 junior player and finished runner-up in the boy's singles at the US Open
(lost to David Wheaton
in the final).
Cherkasov turned professional in 1988. In 1990, Cherkasov claimed his first top-level singles titles when he won the inaugural Kremlin Cup
in Moscow
, defeating Tim Mayotte
in the final 6–2, 6–1. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 1990 Australian Open
and US Open.
1991 saw Cherkasov successfully defend his Kremlin Cup title, saving two match points in a 7–6, 3–6, 7–6 win in the final against Jakob Hlasek
. Cherkasov reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 13 in June that year.
In 1992, Cherkasov was a quarter-finalist at the French Open and won a men's singles Bronze Medal at the Olympic Games
in Barcelona
.
In 1993, Cherkasov saved three match points in 3-hour, 54-minute quarter-final victory over Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi
at Tel Aviv
, to win 6–7, 7–6, 7–5 in what was the longest best-of-three set match in tour history.
In the end, his two victories at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow proved to be the only top-level titles of Cherkasov's career. He retired from the professional tour in 2000, having earned prize-money totalling US$2,259,875.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Born in Ufa
Ufa
-Demographics:Nationally, dominated by Russian , Bashkirs and Tatars . In addition, numerous are Ukrainians , Chuvash , Mari , Belarusians , Mordovians , Armenian , Germans , Jews , Azeris .-Government and administration:Local...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Cherkasov first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1987, he was ranked the World No. 3 junior player and finished runner-up in the boy's singles at the US Open
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
(lost to David Wheaton
David Wheaton
David Wheaton is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Born in Minneapolis, Wheaton played in his first tournament at age eight, and won the Minnesota State High School tennis title in 1984, as a ninth grader. In 1987, he won the US Open junior title and was ranked the No. 1...
in the final).
Cherkasov turned professional in 1988. In 1990, Cherkasov claimed his first top-level singles titles when he won the inaugural Kremlin Cup
Kremlin Cup
The Kremlin Cup is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour and is a Premier Tournament on the WTA Tour...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, defeating Tim Mayotte
Tim Mayotte
Timothy "Tim" Mayotte is a former professional tennis player from the United States.- Career :...
in the final 6–2, 6–1. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 1990 Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
and US Open.
1991 saw Cherkasov successfully defend his Kremlin Cup title, saving two match points in a 7–6, 3–6, 7–6 win in the final against Jakob Hlasek
Jakob Hlasek
Jakob Hlasek is a former professional tennis player from Switzerland.-Career:The major highlights of Hlasek's career came in 1992. He won the French Open men's doubles title that year...
. Cherkasov reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 13 in June that year.
In 1992, Cherkasov was a quarter-finalist at the French Open and won a men's singles Bronze Medal at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
In 1993, Cherkasov saved three match points in 3-hour, 54-minute quarter-final victory over Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi
Andrea Gaudenzi
Andrea Gaudenzi is a former tennis player from Italy, who turned professional in 1990.Gaudenzi was born in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna. A right-hander, he represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was defeated in the third round by America's eventual...
at Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, to win 6–7, 7–6, 7–5 in what was the longest best-of-three set match in tour history.
In the end, his two victories at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow proved to be the only top-level titles of Cherkasov's career. He retired from the professional tour in 2000, having earned prize-money totalling US$2,259,875.
Singles titles (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
| 1. | November 5, 1990 | Moscow Kremlin Cup The Kremlin Cup is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour and is a Premier Tournament on the WTA Tour... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Carpet (i) |  Tim MayotteTim Mayotte Timothy "Tim" Mayotte is a former professional tennis player from the United States.- Career :... |
6-2, 6–1 |
| 2. | November 4, 1991 | Moscow Kremlin Cup The Kremlin Cup is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour and is a Premier Tournament on the WTA Tour... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Carpet (i) |  Jakob HlasekJakob Hlasek Jakob Hlasek is a former professional tennis player from Switzerland.-Career:The major highlights of Hlasek's career came in 1992. He won the French Open men's doubles title that year... |
7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(5) |
Singles finalist (4)
- 1989: Sydney (lost to Aaron KricksteinAaron KricksteinAaron Krickstein , nicknamed "Marathon Man", is a former American professional tennis player, who competed on the ATP Tour from 1983 to 1996. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he currently competes on the Outback Champions Series Over-30 tour.Krickstein reached his career high ATP ranking of World No....
) - 1991: BrusselsDonnay Indoor ChampionshipsThe Brussels Indoor was a defunct professional tennis tournament played on indoor carpet courts at Forest National in Brussels. It was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit initially and later, for three years, the ATP Championship Series of the ATP Tour...
(lost to Guy ForgetGuy ForgetGuy Forget is a former French professional tennis player. During his career, he helped France win the Davis Cup in both 1991 and 1996. Since retiring as a player, he has served as France's Davis Cup team captain.-Career:...
) - 1993: BolognaATP Bologna OutdoorThe Bologna Outdoor is a defunct Grand Prix and ATP affiliated tennis tournament played from 1985 to 1998. It was held in Bologna in Italy and held on outdoor clay courts.-Singles:-Doubles:-External links:*...
(lost to Jordi BurilloJordi BurilloJordi Burillo Puig is a retired professional tennis player from Spain. He won one singles title and a doubles title on the ATP Tour in his career...
) - 1993: Bucharest (lost to Goran IvaniševićGoran IvaniševicGoran Ivanišević is a retired Croatian professional tennis player. He is best remembered for being the only person to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon as a wildcard. He achieved this in 2001, having previously been runner-up at the championships in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Ivanišević is famous...
)
Doubles finalist (2)
- 1990: UmagCroatia Open UmagThe ATP Studena Croatia Open is a tennis tournament held in Umag, Croatia that is part of the 250 series of the ATP Tour.The first Croatia Open was held in 1990 as the Yugoslavia Open and has been played every year since. It is played on red clay courts. Carlos Moyá has won the tournament a record...
(with Andrei OlhovskiyAndrei OlhovskiyAndrei Olhovskiy is a former tennis player from Russia, who turned professional in 1989....
, lost to Vojtech FleglVojtěch FléglVojtěch Flégl , is a former professional tennis player from the former Czechoslovakia and later Czech Republic....
/Daniel VacekDaniel VacekDaniel Vacek is a former tennis player from Czechoslovakia and the Czechia who turned professional in 1990.Vacek represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was defeated in the second round...
) - 1991: MoscowKremlin CupThe Kremlin Cup is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is currently part of the ATP World Tour 250 series of the ATP Tour and is a Premier Tournament on the WTA Tour...
(with Alexander VolkovAlexander Vladimirovich VolkovAlexander Vladimirovich Volkov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Volkov turned professional in 1988.Volkov finished runner-up in three tournaments over 1989 and 1990; in the latter year he defeated World No. 1 Stefan Edberg in straight sets in the first round of the US Open....
, lost to Eric JelenEric JelenEric Jelen is a former tennis player from Germany, who won one singles and five doubles titles during his professional career....
/Carl-Uwe SteebCarl-Uwe SteebCarl-Uwe Steeb is a former professional tennis player from Germany.Steeb turned professional in 1986. He won his first top-level singles title in 1989 in Gstaad...
)