Sergi Bruguera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sergi Bruguera

Country (sports)	Spain
Residence	Barcelona, Spain
Born	(1971-01-16) 16 January 1971 (age 54) Barcelona, Spain
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Turned pro	1988
Retired	2002
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$11,632,199
Singles
Career record	447–271 (62.3%)
Career titles	14
Highest ranking	No. 3 (1 August 1994)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (1993)
French Open	W (1993, 1994)
Wimbledon	4R (1994)
US Open	4R (1994, 1997)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (1994)
Grand Slam Cup	QF (1993, 1994)
Olympic Games	F (1996)
Doubles
Career record	49–50 (49.5%)
Career titles	3
Highest ranking	No. 49 (6 May 1991)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	3R (1990)
US Open	QF (1990)
Medal record Representing  Spain Olympic Games Silver 1996 Atlanta Singles

Sergi Bruguera (born January 16, 1971) is a famous Spanish tennis coach and former professional player. He is best known for winning the French Open men's singles title two years in a row, in 1993 and 1994. He also won a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Sergi Bruguera reached his highest ranking as the World No. 3 tennis player in August 1994.

Sergi Bruguera has a special record: he is the only player to have won more matches against both Roger Federer and Pete Sampras than he lost. He won three out of five matches against Sampras. In his only match against Federer at the 2000 Barcelona Open, Bruguera won easily. This match was Federer's biggest loss in terms of games won in his whole career.

In 2018, Sergi Bruguera became the captain of the Spain Davis Cup team. He coached famous players like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2019-2022) and Alexander Zverev (2022-2023). He also coached Arthur Fils from late 2023 until the end of the 2024 French Open.

Sergi Bruguera's Tennis Journey

Sergi Bruguera won a total of 14 major singles titles and 3 doubles titles during his career. His highest singles ranking was World No. 3. Today, he is the director of the Bruguera Tennis Academy Top Team.

Starting Out in Tennis

Sergi Bruguera was Spain's national junior champion in 1987. He became a professional player in 1988. In 1989, his first full year, he won a Challenger title in Cairo. He also reached the semifinals in Rome and the fourth round of the French Open. He finished that year ranked World No. 26 and was named the ATP's newcomer of the year.

King of Clay: 1990-1994

In the early 1990s, Sergi Bruguera became known as a top player on clay courts. He reached many finals and won titles in places like Monte Carlo and Athens.

In 1993, Bruguera became even more famous. At the French Open, he reached the quarterfinals without losing a single set. He even won a match 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, which is called a "triple bagel." This was against Thierry Champion and is still the last time a player has done this in a Grand Slam singles match.

He then beat Pete Sampras and Andrei Medvedev to reach his first Grand Slam final. He faced Jim Courier, who had won the French Open twice before. Bruguera won the tough five-set match, becoming the first Spanish man to win the French Open since 1972. He also won four more titles that year, including another Monte Carlo Masters. He ended 1993 as World No. 4.

In 1994, Bruguera continued his strong play on clay. He successfully defended his title at the French Open, losing only two sets in the whole tournament. He beat Alberto Berasategui in the final. In August 1994, he reached his highest ranking of World No. 3. He was the first Spanish player to finish two years in a row in the Top 5.

Between 1990 and 1994, he reached 25 clay court singles finals and won 13 of them. He also won 3 doubles titles on clay.

Challenges and Comeback: 1995-1997

In 1995, Sergi Bruguera faced new challenges. He reached the semifinals of the French Open but lost to Michael Chang. This ended his 19-match winning streak at Roland Garros. He also reached the final of the Rome Masters but lost to Thomas Muster. In December, he injured his right ankle, which affected his 1996 season.

Despite his injury, Bruguera had a big moment in 1996. He won a silver medal in men's singles at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He lost to Andre Agassi in the final. His ranking dropped to No. 81 because of his injuries.

In 1997, Bruguera made a strong comeback. He reached finals in Milan, Miami, and Umag. He also played very well at the French Open, reaching the final for the third time. He beat former champion Michael Chang and future World No. 1 Patrick Rafter. However, he lost the final to a less-known player, Gustavo Kuerten.

Because of his great return from injury, Sergi Bruguera received the ATP's Comeback Player of the Year award in 1997. He improved his ranking from World No. 81 to World No. 8.

Later Career and Retirement

After 1997, Sergi Bruguera struggled with more injuries. He found it harder to play his best tennis. He retired from professional tennis in 2002.

Coaching Career

Sergi Bruguera has had a successful coaching career after retiring as a player.

• He was chosen to be the captain of the Spain Davis Cup team in 2018.
• He coached French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from 2019 to 2022.
• He then coached German star Alexander Zverev starting in May 2022. They stopped working together after the 2023 Mutua Madrid Open in 2023.
• He co-coached French player Arthur Fils with Sébastien Grosjean from late 2023 until the end of the 2024 French Open.

Beyond the Tennis Court

Sergi Bruguera is a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. He often watched their games when he played tournaments in the United States. In 1997, he even won $500 by making three shots during a Lakers game, which he donated to charity. Sergi Bruguera has also played semi-professional football in Spain.

In a 2006 interview, Sergi Bruguera said that he thought Roger Federer was much better than Pete Sampras.

Grand Slam Finals

Sergi Bruguera played in three Grand Slam singles finals, winning two of them.

Singles: 3 (2 Wins, 1 Loss)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1993	French Open	Clay	Jim Courier	6–4, 2–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Win	1994	French Open (2)	Clay	Alberto Berasategui	6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–1
Loss	1997	French Open	Clay	Gustavo Kuerten	3–6, 4–6, 2–6

Other Important Finals

Olympic Games Finals

Sergi Bruguera won one silver medal at the Olympics.

Singles: 1 (1 Silver Medal)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Silver	1996	Olympic Games	Hard	Andre Agassi	2–6, 3–6, 1–6

Masters Series Finals

Sergi Bruguera reached five Masters Series singles finals, winning two. He also won one Masters Series doubles final.

Singles: 5 (2 Wins, 3 Losses)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1991	Monte-Carlo Masters	Clay	Boris Becker	5–7, 6–4, 7–6(6), 7–6(4)
Win	1993	Monte-Carlo Masters (2)	Clay	Cédric Pioline	7–6(2), 6–0
Loss	1994	Monte-Carlo Masters	Clay	Andrei Medvedev	5–7, 1–6, 3–6
Loss	1995	Italian Open	Clay	Thomas Muster	6–3, 6–7(5), 2–6, 3–6
Loss	1997	Miami Open	Hard	Thomas Muster	6–7(6), 3–6, 1–6

Doubles: 1 (1 Win)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1990	Hamburg Masters, West Germany	Clay	Jim Courier	Udo Riglewski Michael Stich	7–6, 6–2

Career Highlights and Records

Sergi Bruguera won 14 singles titles and 3 doubles titles in his career. He had a strong winning record, especially on clay courts.

• He won 33 matches against players ranked in the Top 10.
• In 1993, he achieved a "triple bagel" (6-0, 6-0, 6-0) win at the French Open. This is a very rare feat in tennis.

See also

In Spanish: Sergi Bruguera para niños