User:TheShadowCrow/sandbox/Sargis Sargsian

Sargis Sargsian (Սարգիս Սարգսյան; born 3 June 1973) is an Armenian retired professional tennis player. He is the first tennis player from Armenia to win an ATP Tour title in both singles and doubles. Sargsian reached career-high rankings of World No. 38 in singles and World No. 33 in doubles during 2004.

Early life
Sargis Sargsian was born in Yerevan, Armenian SSR (now Armenia) on 3 June 1973. He and his family lived under the socialist system of the USSR for most of his childhood and teens. His father worked as an engineer and made the equivalent of $2 to $3 a month, which was good pay amongst the Soviet Union. Sargsian grew up playing tennis since he was 7 years old and received a full tennis scholarship to Arizona State University. Deciding his game wasn't ready for the ATP circuit, Sargsian considered it the perfect option and attended the University for two years. Sargsian paired up with an Armenian woman tennis player named Kuregian to compete in tennis at the 1993 Summer Universiade in mixed doubles. They both won silver medals. He earned all-America honors twice and became ASU’s first NCAA singles champion in 1995.

Career
Sargsian turned professional in 1995. He began competing in the ATP Challenger Tour tournaments in the early years of his career. At the 1995 Challenger Banque Nationale de Granby, he lost in finals to Robbie Weiss. It was the last time the tournament was played in Granby, Quebec. The next year, Sargsian won the 1996 Zagreb Open, defeating Marcos Aurelio Gorriz in the finals. He made it to the finals of the 1996 Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger, but lost to Vincenzo Santopadre. Sargsian represented Armenia at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He is the first and only Olympian from Armenia in tennis. Sargsian defeated Daniel Nestor in the first round and lost to Thomas Enqvist in the second round.

Sargis Sargsian defeated Brett Steven at the 1997 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships singles tournament and had won his first ATP Tour title. He lost to Johan van Herck in the finals of the 1997 XL Bermuda Open. Sargsian lost in the 1999 Ciutat de Barcelona Tennis Tournament finals to defending champion Fernando Vicente. On 31 May 1999, Sargsian won the 1999 Surbiton Trophy in singles. He defeated Roger Federer in three straight sets (7–6, 6–3, 7–6) in one of the rounds. At the 1999 Stella Artois Championships, he lost to finalist Tim Henman, but defeated defending champion Scott Draper in the third round. Along with Chris Woodruff, he made it to the finals of the 1999 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in doubles, where they both lost to Wayne Arthurs and Leander Paes. Sargsian teamed up with Andre Agassi in doubles at the 2000 Citi Open. The each made it to the finals and played against Alex O'Brien and Jared Palmer, whom they lost to. Agassi had formed a deep friendship with Sargsian throughout their tennis careers. Sargsian considered Agassi an older brother to him.

He made his Olympic return for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he lost in the first round to Kristian Pless.

Sargsian competed at the 2001 Davis Cup with the Armenia Davis Cup team. The Armenia Davis Cup team reached the Group II quarterfinals, a record performance. Sargsian defeated Iurie Gorban in the 1st Round and the Armenia Davis Cup team defeated the Moldova Davis Cup team 3-2. losing a singles rubber in each of two ties. In the Quarterfinal, Sargsian lost to Solon Peppas and the Armenia Davis Cup team lost to the Greece Davis Cup team 0-5.

He lost to Karol Kučera in the finals of the 2001 Slovak Open. Sargsian defeated Andy Roddick at the 2003 French Open.

At the 2003 International Raiffeisen Grand Prix, Sargsian teamed up with Serbian Nenad Zimonjić. Sargsian and Zimonjić defeated a defending champion, Petr Pála, and his new partner David Adams in the quarterfinals. They both lost to Simon Aspelin and Massimo Bertolini in the finals. Sargsian and Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia both defeated defending champions Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett in the first round of the 2003 Legg Mason Tennis Classic – Doubles and went on to defeat No. 3 seeded Chris Haggard and Paul Hanley in the final, winning the tournament. Sargisian had won his first ATP Tour title in doubles. The Armenian and Russian teamed up again at the 2003 Citi Open, where they again faced Chris Haggard and Paul Hanley in the finals, and again emerged victorious. Sargisian now won his third and final ATP Tour title. He competed at the 2003 St. Petersburg Open, where he lost to Gustavo Kuerten in finals, though defeated No. 1 seeded Rainer Schüttler in semifnals.

For the 2003 Kroger St. Jude International, he teamed up with Davide Sanguinetti in doubles. They beat defending champion half Brian MacPhie and his new partner Chris Haggard in quarterfinals and lost to brothers Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the semifinals. Sargsian and Karsten Braasch both won the 2003 BCR Open Romania in doubles. He lost in finals of the 2003 Kremlin Cup to Taylor Dent. Sargsian and Braasch made it to the 2004 French Open doubles finals. They both lost in their first match in the quarter-finals. His match at the 2004 US Open, in which Sargsian competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens as a three-time Olympian. In the 1st round, he lost to Ivan Ljubičić. Sargsian defeated Nicolás Massú, lasted over 5 hours and is one of the longest tennis matches ever. 2004 was the most successful year in Sargsian's career. He reached career-high rankings of World No. 38 in singles on 12 January 2004 and World No. 33 in doubles on 9 August 2004.

Sargsian announced his retirement on 6 September 2005 at the 2005 US Open. He now resides in Florida.