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MaliVai Washington

Washington at the US Open, 2010
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, US
Born	(1969-06-20) June 20, 1969 (age 55) Glen Cove, New York, US
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) (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

Washington began playing tennis aged five. 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.

Amateur tennis

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. He left college two years into his studies to pursue a professional tennis career.

Professional career

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. 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. He eventually lost the final to Richard Krajicek. 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.

Awards

In 2009 Washington won the ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award, for his positive work through the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation.

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).

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result	Date	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1996	Wimbledon	Grass	Richard Krajicek	3–6, 4–6, 3–6

ATP Tour finals

Singles (4 titles, 9 runner-ups)

Result	W/L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Jan 1992	Auckland, New Zealand	Hard	Jaime Yzaga	6–7, 4–6
Win	1–1	Feb 1992	Memphis, U.S.	Hard (i)	Wayne Ferreira	6–3, 6–2
Loss	1–2	Apr 1992	Tampa, U.S.	Clay	Jaime Yzaga	6–3, 4–6, 1–6
Win	2–2	May 1992	Charlotte, U.S.	Clay	Claudio Mezzadri	6–3, 6–3
Loss	2–3	Jun 1992	Manchester, England	Grass	Jacco Eltingh	3–6, 4–6
Loss	2–4	Aug 1992	New Haven, U.S.	Hard	Stefan Edberg	6–7, 1–6
Loss	2–5	Jan 1993	Auckland, New Zealand	Hard	Alexander Volkov	6–7, 4–6
Loss	2–6	Mar 1993	Miami, U.S.	Hard	Pete Sampras	3–6, 2–6
Win	3–6	Oct 1994	Ostrava, Czech Republic	Carpet (i)	Arnaud Boetsch	4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss	3–7	Oct 1995	Ostrava, Czech Republic	Carpet (i)	Wayne Ferreira	6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Loss	3–8	Oct 1995	Essen, Germany	Carpet (i)	Thomas Muster	6–7, 6–2, 3–6, 4–6
Win	4–8	Apr 1996	Bermuda	Clay	Marcelo Filippini	6–7, 6–4, 7–5
Loss	4–9	Jul 1996	Wimbledon, England	Grass	Richard Krajicek	3–6, 4–6, 3–6

Doubles (1 runner-up)

Result	W/L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	0–1	Sep 1995	Bogotá, Colombia	Clay	Steve Campbell	Jiří Novák David Rikl	6–7, 2–6

Performance timeline

Singles

* Washington withdrew prior to his second-round match at the 1998 Australian Open

Wins over Top 10 players

#	Player	Rank	Event	Surface	Rd	Score	Washington Rank
1990
1.	Ivan Lendl	2	New Haven, US	Hard	2R	6–2, 6–3	103
1991
2.	Brad Gilbert	8	Orlando, US	Hard	QF	6–2, 6–7, 6–2	85
1992
3.	Goran Ivanišević	5	New Haven, US	Hard	QF	6–4, 7–5	16
1993
4.	Goran Ivanišević	3	Stockholm Masters, Sweden	Carpet	QF	6–4, 7–5	33
1994
5.	Michael Stich	2	Australian Open	Hard	1R	7-6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2	26
6.	Michael Chang	6	Canada Masters	Hard	3R	6–4, 6–4	36
7.	Stefan Edberg	5	Long Island, US	Hard	3R	6–0, 3–6, 6–3	31
1995
8.	Alberto Berasategui	8	Rome Masters, Italy	Clay	1R	7–5, 6–2	44
9.	Andre Agassi	1	Essen, Germany	Carpet	3R	4–6, 6–1, 6–1	54
10.	Thomas Enqvist	9	Essen, Germany	Carpet	QF	7–5, 6–4	54
1996
11.	Thomas Enqvist	9	Wimbledon	Grass	QF	6-4, 7–6, 6–3	20
12.	Richard Krajicek	7	Grand Slam Cup, Germany	Carpet	3R	6–1, 6–2	20

References

1. Arace, Michael (August 15, 1990). "Pronounce MaliVai Fit for Tennis". LA Times. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
2. ^ "Our Team". MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
3. ^ "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.
4. "Former champions". www.mensclaycourt.com. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
5. ^ John Barrett, ed. (1997). ITF World of Tennis 1997. London: CollinsWillow. pp. 303–304. ISBN 9780002187145.
6. Jennifer Frey (July 7, 1996). "Heir to King Arthur's court". The Washington Post.
7. Robin Finn (July 7, 1996). "Washington Shocks Wimbledon". The New York Times.
8. "Krajicek wins strangest of Wimbledons". The Fort Scott Tribune. AP. July 8, 1996. p. 8.
9. "1996 Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington retires". The Independent. December 4, 1999. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
10. "MaliVai Washington honored as 2009 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year". The Florida Times Union. March 27, 2010.
11. "MaliVai Washington Receives NJTL Founders' Service Award". Arthur Ashe Learning Center. April 21, 2015.

External links

• MaliVai Washington at the Association of Tennis Professionals
• MaliVai Washington at the International Tennis Federation
• MaliVai Washington at the Davis Cup
• MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation website

• 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
• American tennis commentators
• Tennis players from Michigan
• Tennis players from New York (state)
• Tennis players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
• 21st-century African-American sportsmen
• 20th-century African-American sportsmen