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15. Petr
Korda
Age:
29
Height:
6'3"
Weight:
160
Birthplace:
Prague, Czech
Republic
Highest Rank:
5 (July
1992)
Current:
16
Career Titles:
7
Best U.S. Open Finish:
Quarterfinals,
1995
Last year:
Third
round
Nickname: Woodstock. Korda's spiky hair and close-set eyes give him
an uncanny resemblance to the bird in the comic strip
Peanuts.
Claim to a Modest
Fame: At the 1993 Grand Slam Cup, Korda beat then-No. 1 Pete
Sampras (13-11 in the fifth) and then-No. 2 Michael Stich
within 24
hours.
Brush with
Greatness: During a Davis Cup match in Czechoslovakia when he was a
kid, Korda was a ball boy for Ivan Lendl.
Career
Highlight: Korda was a finalist at the 1992 French Open (he lost to
Jim
Courier).
16. Albert
Costa
Age:
22
Height:
5'11"
Weight:
163
Birthplace:
Lerida,
Spain
Highest Rank:
13
Current:
17
Career Titles:
4
Best U.S. Open Finish: Winless in two
appearances
Hollow
Victory: When 13th-seeded Boris Becker withdrew from this
year's
Open, three players (Rafter, Philippoussis and Korda) were
bumped up a spot, opening the No. 16 slot for Costa. It
brings added attention and pressure to someone who has
never won a match at the
Open.
Hey, Are You Whatshisname's
Brother?: No, Albert is not related to countryman Carlos
Costa.
¡Olé!: Costa finished 1996 as the top-ranked Spaniard (13th
overall). But at the Open, Costa is the last of five seeded
Spanish
men.
Profiles by Stephen Thomas
Women's seeds
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