MaliVai Washington
![]() Washington at the US Open, 2010 | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Residence | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, US |
Born | Glen Cove, New York, US | June 20, 1969
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Turned pro | 1989 |
Retired | 1999 |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $3,232,565 |
Singles | |
Career record | 254–184 |
Career titles | 4 |
Highest ranking | No. 11 (October 26, 1992) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1994) |
French Open | 4R (1993) |
Wimbledon | F (1996) |
US Open | 4R (1992) |
Other tournaments | |
Grand Slam Cup | QF (1996) |
Olympic Games | QF (1996) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 27–44 |
Highest ranking | No. 172 (April 20, 1992) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
US Open | 2R (1991) |
MaliVai "Mal" Washington (/mælɪˈviːə/ mal-ih-VEE-ə)[1] (born June 20, 1969) is an American former professional tennis player. He reached the men's singles final at Wimbledon in 1996, won four ATP titles and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 11 in October 1992.
Family
[edit]Washington began playing tennis aged five.[2] Washington's younger sister, Mashona, is also a former top-50 professional tennis player. His younger brother, Mashiska, received All-America honors at Michigan State University, before joining the men's professional tour. MaliVai's older sister Michaela also played professionally.[3]
Amateur tennis
[edit]As a high school senior, Washington was coached by former ATP Tour participant Victor Amaya. For two seasons, Washington played tennis for the University of Michigan and was the top ranked college player in the United States at the end of his sophomore season.[3] He left college two years into his studies to pursue a professional tennis career.[2]
Professional career
[edit]Washington turned professional in 1989. In 1990, while ranked no. 103, he defeated world number 2 Ivan Lendl in New Haven (6–3, 6–2).
During his breakthrough year in 1992, Washington won the Memphis title (defeating seventh-seeded Wayne Ferreira in the final) and the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina, winning the final against Claudio Mezzadri.[4][5] He reached a career high ranking of 11 in October.
In 1993, Washington reached his first Masters final in Miami, losing to Pete Sampras in straight sets.
At the 1994 Australian Open, Washington reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, after a win over second-seeded Michael Stich in the first round and a five-set victory against Mats Wilander in the fourth round. He also had wins over Michael Chang and Stefan Edberg during the US Summer hard court season, and won his third ATP-title in Ostrava in October.
In 1995, he beat world no. 1 Andre Agassi in the third round of the Essen Masters on his way to the final (where he lost to Thomas Muster).
Washington's biggest success at a Grand Slam event came in 1996 when he was a runner-up at the Wimbledon Championships. On his way to the final he defeated ninth-seeded Thomas Enqvist in the second round, and came back from a 1–5 deficit in the fifth set of the semifinal to beat Todd Martin, finally winning 10–8. Before the tournament had started, his odds of winning the title were 300–1.[6][7] He eventually lost the final to Richard Krajicek.[5][8] He gained revenge against Krajicek in the Grand Slam Cup in October later that year, beating him for the loss of just three games (6–1, 6–2).
Washington suffered from a recurring knee injury from the beginning of 1997, causing him to miss most of the 1997 and 1999 seasons, and precipitating his retirement in December 1999.[9]
Awards
[edit]In 2009 Washington won the ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award, for his positive work through the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation.[10]
In 2015 Washington won the NJTL Founders' Service Award (The USTA's National Junior Tennis League), for his continued contribution since retirement to support education and tennis among children and young people (particularly those underprivileged).[11]
Grand Slam finals
[edit]Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)
[edit]Result | Date | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1996 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
ATP Tour finals
[edit]Singles (4 titles, 9 runner-ups)
[edit]Legend |
---|
Grand Slam (0) |
Tennis Masters Cup (0) |
ATP Masters Series (0) |
ATP Championship Series (1) |
ATP Tour (3) |
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Jan 1992 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | ![]() |
6–7(6–8), 4–6 |
Win | 1–1 | Feb 1992 | Memphis, U.S. | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 1–2 | Apr 1992 | Tampa, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 1–6 |
Win | 2–2 | May 1992 | Charlotte, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–3 |
Loss | 2–3 | Jun 1992 | Manchester, England | Grass | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 2–4 | Aug 1992 | New Haven, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–7(4–7), 1–6 |
Loss | 2–5 | Jan 1993 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | ![]() |
6–7(2–7), 4–6 |
Loss | 2–6 | Mar 1993 | Miami, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 3–6 | Oct 1994 | Ostrava, Czech Republic | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Loss | 3–7 | Oct 1995 | Ostrava, Czech Republic | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 3–8 | Oct 1995 | Essen, Germany | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 3–6, 4–6 |
Win | 4–8 | Apr 1996 | Bermuda | Clay | ![]() |
6–7(6–8), 6–4, 7–5 |
Loss | 4–9 | Jul 1996 | Wimbledon, England | Grass | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
Doubles (1 runner-up)
[edit]Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Sep 1995 | Bogotá, Colombia | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 2–6 |
Performance timeline
[edit]W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Singles
Tournament | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | Career SR | Career win–loss | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | A | 1R | 3R | 4R | QF | 1R | 4R | 4R | 2R* | A | 0 / 8 | 16–7 | |||
French Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 2R | 4R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | A | A | 0 / 7 | 5–7 | |||
Wimbledon | A | A | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | F | A | A | A | 0 / 7 | 9–7 | |||
US Open | A | 2R | 2R | 3R | 4R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 9 | 11–9 | |||
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 31 | N/A | |||
Annual win–loss | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 6–4 | 9–4 | 5–4 | 1–4 | 10–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | N/A | 41–30 | |||
ATP Masters Series | |||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | A | A | A | A | A | 3R | 1R | 1R | A | A | 2R | A | 0 / 5 | 5–5 | |||
Miami | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | F | 2R | 4R | 3R | A | 2R | A | 0 / 7 | 10–7 | |||
Monte Carlo | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | |||
Rome | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | 3R | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 3–3 | |||
Hamburg | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 2 | 2–2 | |||
Montreal/Toronto | A | A | 1R | 2R | SF | 2R | QF | QF | 3R | A | 3R | A | 0 / 8 | 13–8 | |||
Cincinnati | A | A | A | 3R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 1R | 2R | A | A | 1R | 0 / 7 | 6–6 | |||
Stockholm/Essen/Stuttgart | A | A | A | A | 2R | SF | 1R | F | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 5 | 9–5 | |||
Paris | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 3R | A | A | A | 0 / 5 | 4–5 | |||
Masters Series SR | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 7 | 0 / 5 | 0 / 8 | 0 / 8 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 42 | N/A | |||
Annual win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–4 | 3–5 | 13–7 | 7–5 | 15–8 | 6–7 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 0–1 | N/A | 52–41 | |||
Year-end ranking | 329 | 199 | 93 | 50 | 13 | 23 | 30 | 26 | 20 | 258 | 178 | 1115 | N/A |
* Washington withdrew prior to his second-round match at the 1998 Australian Open
Wins over Top 10 players
[edit]Season | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | Total |
Wins | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
# | Player | Rank | Event | Surface | Rd | Score | Washington Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | |||||||
1. | ![]() |
2 | New Haven, US | Hard | 2R | 6–2, 6–3 | 103 |
1991 | |||||||
2. | ![]() |
8 | Orlando, US | Hard | QF | 6–2, 6–7(6), 6–2 | 85 |
1992 | |||||||
3. | ![]() |
5 | New Haven, US | Hard | QF | 6–4, 7–5 | 16 |
1993 | |||||||
4. | ![]() |
3 | Stockholm Masters, Sweden | Carpet | QF | 6–4, 7–5 | 33 |
1994 | |||||||
5. | ![]() |
2 | Australian Open | Hard | 1R | 7-6(4), 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 | 26 |
6. | ![]() |
6 | Canada Masters | Hard | 3R | 6–4, 6–4 | 36 |
7. | ![]() |
5 | Long Island, US | Hard | 3R | 6–0, 3–6, 6–3 | 31 |
1995 | |||||||
8. | ![]() |
8 | Rome Masters, Italy | Clay | 1R | 7–5, 6–2 | 44 |
9. | ![]() |
1 | Essen, Germany | Carpet | 3R | 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 | 54 |
10. | ![]() |
9 | Essen, Germany | Carpet | QF | 7–5, 6–4 | 54 |
1996 | |||||||
11. | ![]() |
9 | Wimbledon | Grass | QF | 6-4, 7–6, 6–3 | 20 |
12. | ![]() |
7 | Grand Slam Cup, Germany | Carpet | 3R | 6–1, 6–2 | 20 |
References
[edit]- ^ Arace, Michael (August 15, 1990). "Pronounce MaliVai Fit for Tennis". LA Times. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "Our Team". MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "A Long Way From Durkeeville to Wimbledon". Big Ten Conference. CBS Interactive. February 23, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
- ^ "Former champions". www.mensclaycourt.com. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
- ^ a b John Barrett, ed. (1997). ITF World of Tennis 1997. London: CollinsWillow. pp. 303–304. ISBN 9780002187145.
- ^ Jennifer Frey (July 7, 1996). "Heir to King Arthur's court". The Washington Post.
- ^ Robin Finn (July 7, 1996). "Washington Shocks Wimbledon". The New York Times.
- ^ "Krajicek wins strangest of Wimbledons". The Fort Scott Tribune. AP. July 8, 1996. p. 8.
- ^ "1996 Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington retires". The Independent. December 4, 1999. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ "MaliVai Washington honored as 2009 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year". The Florida Times Union. March 27, 2010.
- ^ "MaliVai Washington Receives NJTL Founders' Service Award". Arthur Ashe Learning Center. April 21, 2015.
External links
[edit]- 1969 births
- Living people
- African-American sports journalists
- American sports journalists
- African-American tennis players
- American male tennis players
- American color commentators
- Hopman Cup competitors
- Michigan Wolverines men's tennis players
- Olympic tennis players for the United States
- Sportspeople from Glen Cove, New York
- People from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
- Sportspeople from St. Johns County, Florida
- Sportspeople from Flint, Michigan
- Tennis commentators
- Tennis players from Michigan
- Tennis players from New York (state)
- Tennis players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople