Vince Spadea
Encyclopedia
Vincent Spadea [SPAY-dee-ya] (born July 19, 1974 in Chicago) is an ATP
Tour professional tennis player from the United States. He is one of only four players in history to defeat Roger Federer 6–0 in set, at a major event.
He reached a career high in the ATP Champions Race position of World No.10 in April 2003, as well as a career-high ATP ranking of World No. 18, achieved in February 2005. He has career prize money earnings of over $5,000,000. Spadea has ATP career singles wins over Roger Federer
(1–2 record), Pete Sampras
(1–4), Andre Agassi
(2–4), Rafael Nadal
(1–1), Andy Roddick
(1–2), Patrick Rafter
, Richard Krajicek
, Yevgeny Kafelnikov
, Jim Courier
, Michael Chang
, Marat Safin
, and Gustavo Kuerten
. He is a 2-time Olympian team member (2000 Sydney/2004 Athens).
after his fall, he successfully recovered and eventually won his first career ATP Tour tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona
, where he defeated James Blake
and Andy Roddick along the way in 2004 . He continued to back to the top of the world rankings from the 200s to a career high 18. This is considered one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history in terms of ranking spots improved.
In 2003, Spadea embarked on a Masters series tear, qualifying at the Pacific Life Open and reaching the semi-finals for the first time in his career, losing to World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.. He went on to the Monte Carlo Masters a month later and reached his 2nd semi-finals in a Masters series . Being one of only a handful of Americans to ever reach that far in a Masters claycourt event . This helped him reach a career high position of No.10 in the ATP Champions Race in April.
In 2005, Vince turned down numerous TV opportunities including a spot on ABC's hit show "The Bachelor" to focus on his inspiring tennis comeback that saw him rise from the bottom of the ranks to No.18 in Feb. Vince then signed a publishing deal with ECW Press to write a candid memoir on the behind the scenes life of a pro tennis player, violating a long-standing tennis rule that players do not reveal locker room secrets to the world in exchange for money.
In 2006 Spadea published his autobiographical book, Break Point: The Secret Diary Of A Pro Tennis Player. Spadea criticized a number of tennis players including James Blake
and Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe
. He called out McEnroe for picking Mardy Fish
ahead of him for the 2004 Davis Cup
final where the Americans lost to Spain
. Spadea criticized Blake for questionable character during a match where Blake allegedly "trash-talked" him. Several sports writers were impressed with Spadea's book, including SI.Com and The Washington Post; book sales were a surprising success, selling out of hardcover copies and reaching the top of the ranks in sports and tennis books during its debut month.
Spadea started 2008 with outstanding results at the Australian Open making it to the third round. In the first round Spadea had an epic comeback from two sets down to defeat former world number 8 Radek Štěpánek, he celebrated with numerous dances and raps. 2008 marked Spadea's 13th year as a top 100 ranked player. He closed the season by winning 2 Challenger titles in Waco,TX and Calabasas,CA. This takes him to a personal best 9 career pro singles titles.
Vince has had an injury-stricken season so far in 2009, plagued by an overuse tendonitis arm issue, as well as a lower extremity staph infection. Only winning a few singles ATP level singles matches before the start of the clay season, while he got to the semi-final of the Carson challenger. 2009 marks his 17th season on the ATP tour.
In July 2009, Vince won the Shotgun 21 Championships in Pacific Palisades, CA . A unisex event where participants included celebrities, WTA and ATP pros. A unique tournament where every competitor must start the point with a groundstroke, excluding the serve as an attempt to equalize the players. Along the way he beat Oscar nominated actress Elizabeth Shue and ATP pro Ramon Delgado in the final.
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
Tour professional tennis player from the United States. He is one of only four players in history to defeat Roger Federer 6–0 in set, at a major event.
He reached a career high in the ATP Champions Race position of World No.10 in April 2003, as well as a career-high ATP ranking of World No. 18, achieved in February 2005. He has career prize money earnings of over $5,000,000. Spadea has ATP career singles wins over Roger Federer
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
(1–2 record), Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player and former world no. 1. During his 15-year tour career, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles and became recognized as one of the greatest tennis players of all time....
(1–4), Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
(2–4), Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
(1–1), Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick
Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
(1–2), Patrick Rafter
Patrick Rafter
Patrick "Pat" Michael Rafter is an Australian former World No. 1 tennis player. He twice won the men's singles title at the US Open and was twice the runner-up at Wimbledon. Rafter was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006. He was known for his natural serve-and-volley style of...
, Richard Krajicek
Richard Krajicek
Richard Peter Stanislav Krajicek is a Dutch former professional tennis player. In 1996 he won the men's singles title at Wimbledon, the only Dutch player to have done so. In the quarterfinals of that tournament he defeated Pete Sampras. This was Sampras' only singles defeat at Wimbledon between...
, Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Russia. He won two Grand Slam singles titles , four Grand Slam doubles titles, and the men's singles gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games. He also helped Russia win the Davis Cup in 2002...
, Jim Courier
Jim Courier
James Spencer "Jim" Courier, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles, two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open...
, Michael Chang
Michael Chang
Michael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
, Marat Safin
Marat Safin
Marat Mikhailovich Safin is a retired Russian tennis player of Tatar descent. Safin won two grand slams and reached the world number 1 ranking during his career. He was also famous for his emotional outbursts and sometimes fiery temper on court. Safin also holds the record for most broken...
, and Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten is a retired former World No. 1 tennis player from Brazil. He won the French Open three times between 1997 and 2001, and was the Tennis Masters Cup champion in 2000...
. He is a 2-time Olympian team member (2000 Sydney/2004 Athens).
Tennis career
In 1999, he broke into the Top 20 players in the world for the first time. In 2000, had a string of injuries that dropped him drastically to a world ranking of 237 from 19. Vince set a new ATP benchmark with a 21-match losing streak in 2000. Working hard on the challenger circuitATP Challenger Series
The ATP Challenger Tour, known until the end of 2008 as the ATP Challenger Series, is a series of international men's professional tennis tournaments...
after his fall, he successfully recovered and eventually won his first career ATP Tour tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, where he defeated James Blake
James Blake
James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances...
and Andy Roddick along the way in 2004 . He continued to back to the top of the world rankings from the 200s to a career high 18. This is considered one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history in terms of ranking spots improved.
In 2003, Spadea embarked on a Masters series tear, qualifying at the Pacific Life Open and reaching the semi-finals for the first time in his career, losing to World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.. He went on to the Monte Carlo Masters a month later and reached his 2nd semi-finals in a Masters series . Being one of only a handful of Americans to ever reach that far in a Masters claycourt event . This helped him reach a career high position of No.10 in the ATP Champions Race in April.
In 2005, Vince turned down numerous TV opportunities including a spot on ABC's hit show "The Bachelor" to focus on his inspiring tennis comeback that saw him rise from the bottom of the ranks to No.18 in Feb. Vince then signed a publishing deal with ECW Press to write a candid memoir on the behind the scenes life of a pro tennis player, violating a long-standing tennis rule that players do not reveal locker room secrets to the world in exchange for money.
In 2006 Spadea published his autobiographical book, Break Point: The Secret Diary Of A Pro Tennis Player. Spadea criticized a number of tennis players including James Blake
James Blake
James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances...
and Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe
Patrick McEnroe
Patrick John McEnroe is a former professional tennis player and the former captain of the United States Davis Cup team.Born in Manhasset, New York, he is the younger brother of John McEnroe...
. He called out McEnroe for picking Mardy Fish
Mardy Fish
Mardy Simpson Fish is an American professional tennis player, and Olympic silver medalist. He is a hardcourt specialist...
ahead of him for the 2004 Davis Cup
2004 Davis Cup
The 2004 Davis Cup was the 93rd edition of the most important tournament between nations in men's tennis. A total of 131 nations participated in the tournament...
final where the Americans lost to Spain
Spain Davis Cup team
The Spain Davis Cup team represents Spain in the Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Real Federación Española de Tenis, presided over by José Luis Escañuela....
. Spadea criticized Blake for questionable character during a match where Blake allegedly "trash-talked" him. Several sports writers were impressed with Spadea's book, including SI.Com and The Washington Post; book sales were a surprising success, selling out of hardcover copies and reaching the top of the ranks in sports and tennis books during its debut month.
Spadea started 2008 with outstanding results at the Australian Open making it to the third round. In the first round Spadea had an epic comeback from two sets down to defeat former world number 8 Radek Štěpánek, he celebrated with numerous dances and raps. 2008 marked Spadea's 13th year as a top 100 ranked player. He closed the season by winning 2 Challenger titles in Waco,TX and Calabasas,CA. This takes him to a personal best 9 career pro singles titles.
Vince has had an injury-stricken season so far in 2009, plagued by an overuse tendonitis arm issue, as well as a lower extremity staph infection. Only winning a few singles ATP level singles matches before the start of the clay season, while he got to the semi-final of the Carson challenger. 2009 marks his 17th season on the ATP tour.
In July 2009, Vince won the Shotgun 21 Championships in Pacific Palisades, CA . A unisex event where participants included celebrities, WTA and ATP pros. A unique tournament where every competitor must start the point with a groundstroke, excluding the serve as an attempt to equalize the players. Along the way he beat Oscar nominated actress Elizabeth Shue and ATP pro Ramon Delgado in the final.
Off the court
The veteran continues to pursue his off court interests of rap and clothing design. As pro tennis's house rapper, he's performed on national television numerous times including NBC's Today Show with Katie Couric at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, ESPN at Wimbledon, USA Network, CBS's SuperSet Series Special, and The Tennis Channel. His "No Strings" episode on The Tennis Channel has been a regularly rotated show for the last 3 years. Spadea is due to release rap songs in the next 12 months. In July 2009, Vince shot an exclusive feature for the new ATP Official Magazine Show titled "Uncovered" which can be watched presently on www.atpworldtour.com. He raps, gives insight on the past, present and future of the tennis world, and guides viewers around cities including Eastbourne, England and Hollywood, California.Singles Titles
| Legend (Singles) |
| Grand Slam (0) |
| Tennis Masters Cup (0) |
| ATP Masters Series (0) |
| ATP Tour (1) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score |
| 1. | March 1, 2004 |  ScottsdaleTennis Channel Open The Tennis Channel Open was a tennis tournament on the ATP International Series which was held for the first time in Las Vegas, Nevada from February 27 to March 5, 2006. In the men's singles final, James Blake defeated Lleyton Hewitt 7–5, 2–6, 6–3... , United States |
Hard |  Nicolas KieferNicolas Kiefer Nicolas Kiefer , is a former German professional tennis player. His mother, Nicole, is French. He won a silver medal in men's doubles with partner Rainer Schüttler at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.... |
7–5 6–7(5) 6–3 |