Àlex Corretja Verdegay (born 11 April 1974, in Barcelona, Spain) is a former professional tennis player from Spain. During his career, he finished runner-up twice at the French Open (in 1998 and 2001). He won the ATP Tour World Championships in 1998 and reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 2 in 1999. He also played a key role in helping Spain win its first-ever Davis Cup title in 2000. He became a temporary coach of British tennis player Andy Murray in April 2008 for the duration of the clay court season.

Early career

Corretja first came to the tennis world's attention as a promising junior player who won the Orange Bowl 16s title in 1990. He turned professional in 1991, and won his first top-level singles title in 1994 at Buenos Aires. His first doubles title came in 1995 at Palermo.

1996

In 1996, Corretja faced Pete Sampras in an epic five-set quarter-final at the US Open. Corretja held a match point during the fifth set, but eventually lost to Sampras in 4 hours and 9 minutes 7–6, 5–7, 5–7, 6–4, 7–6.

1997

In 1997, Corretja captured three titles including his first Tennis Masters Series title in Rome. (He won a second Masters Series title in 2000 at Indian Wells.)

1998

1998 saw Corretja reach his first Grand Slam final at the French Open. In the Third Round, he defeated Argentina's Hernán Gumy in (at the time) the longest match in the tournament's history. Corretja won the 5 hour 31 minute marathon 6–1, 5–7, 6–7, 7–5, 9–7. In the final, Corretja lost to his fellow-Spaniard Carlos Moyà in straight sets 6–3, 7–5, 6–3.

Corretja finished 1998 by winning the most significant title of his career – the ATP Tour World Championships (now known as the Tennis Masters Cup). In the semi-finals, he saved three match points on the way to beating Sampras 4–6, 6–3, 7–6. In the final, Corretja faced Moyà in a five-set marathon and came back from two sets down to win in 4 hours and 1 minute 3–6, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3, 7–5. Corretja won a career-high five singles titles in 1998 and finished the year ranked World No. 3. In February 1999, Corretja reached his career-high ranking of World No. 2.

Later career

2000

In 2000, Corretja helped Spain win its first-ever Davis Cup title. He went 3–0 in singles rubbers during the earlier rounds, and then teamed up with Joan Manuel Balcells to win the doubles match in the final as Spain beat Australia 3–1. Corretja also won a men's doubles Bronze Medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, partnering Albert Costa.

2001

In 2001, Corretja reached the men's singles final at the French Open for the second time. He lost in the final to defending-champion Gustavo Kuerten in four sets 6–7, 7–5, 6–2, 6–0. In July that year, Corretja won a five-set marathon match in final at Amsterdam against Younes El Aynaoui 6–3, 5–7, 7–6, 3–6, 6–4. The 53-game match was the year's longest tour final.

2002

Corretja's biggest win of 2002 came in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup, where he rallied from two sets down to beat Sampras on grass 4–6, 4–6, 7–6, 7–5, 6–4. (Spain eventually lost the tie 3–1.) At the French Open, Corretja saved four match points in the Third Round against Arnaud Clément before going on to win 6–1, 6–2, 4–6, 5–7, 8–6. Corretja then progressed to the semi-finals, where he lost in four sets to Albert Costa (who went on to win the title). One week later, Corretja was the best man at Costa's wedding.

2003

In 2003, Corretja was again part of a Spanish team which reached the Davis Cup final. He won two doubles and one singles rubber in the earlier rounds. But in the final, Corretja and Feliciano López lost the doubles rubber as Spain were beaten 3–1 by Australia.

Life after tennis

Corretja announced his retirement on 24 September 2004. He won a total of 17 top-level singles titles and 3 doubles titles during his career.

On 4 April 2008 it was announced that Corretja would coach Britain's Andy Murray through the 2008 Clay court season.

Grand Slam singles finals

Runner-ups (2)

Year	Championship	Opponent in Final	Score in Final
1998	French Open	Carlos Moyá	6–3, 7–5, 6–3
2001	French Open	Gustavo Kuerten	6–7(3), 7–5, 6–2, 6–0

Singles finals (30)

Wins (17)

No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent in the final	Score
1.	14 November 1994	Buenos Aires	Clay	Javier Frana	6–3, 5–7, 7–6(5)
2.	14 April 1997	Estoril	Clay	Francisco Clavet	6–3, 7–5
3.	19 May 1997	Rome	Clay	Marcelo Ríos	7–5, 7–5, 6–3
4.	21 July 1997	Stuttgart Outdoor	Clay	Karol Kučera	6–2, 7–5
5.	16 February 1998	Dubai	Hard	Félix Mantilla Botella	7–6(0), 6–0
6.	13 July 1998	Gstaad	Clay	Boris Becker	7–6(5), 7–5, 6–3
7.	24 August 1998	Indianapolis	Clay	Andre Agassi	2–6, 6–2, 6–3
8.	26 October 1998	Lyon	Carpet	Tommy Haas	2–6, 7–6(6), 6–1
9.	30 November 1998	Tennis Masters Cup	Hard	Carlos Moyà	3–6, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3, 7–5
10.	20 March 2000	Indian Wells	Hard	Thomas Enqvist	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
11.	17 July 2000	Gstaad	Clay	Mariano Puerta	6–1, 6–3
12.	30 July 2000	Kitzbühel	Clay	Emilio Benfele Álvarez	6–3, 6–1, 3–0 retired
13.	21 August 2000	Washington	Hard	Andre Agassi	6–2, 6–3
14.	23 October 2000	Toulouse	Hard	Carlos Moyà	6–3, 6–2
15.	23 July 2001	Amsterdam	Clay	Younes El Aynaoui	6–3, 5–7, 7–6, 3–6, 6–4
16.	15 July 2002	Gstaad	Clay	Gastón Gaudio	6–3, 7–6(3), 7–6(3)
17.	29 July 2002	Kitzbühel	Clay	Juan Carlos Ferrero	6–4, 6–1, 6–3

Runner-ups (13)

No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent in the final	Score
1.	2 November 1992	Guarujá, Brazil	Hard	Carsten Arriens	7–6, 6–3
2.	3 October 1994	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Alberto Berasategui	2–6, 7–6, 6–4
3.	13 May 1996	Hamburg, Germany	Clay	Roberto Carretero	2–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
4.	29 July 1996	Kitzbühel, Austria	Clay	Alberto Berasategui	6–2, 6–4, 6–4
5.	7 October 1996	Marbella, Spain	Clay	Marc-Kevin Goellner	7–6, 7–6
6.	28 April 1997	Monte Carlo, Monaco	Clay	Marcelo Ríos	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
7.	5 May 1997	Munich, Germany	Clay	Mark Philippoussis	7–6, 1–6, 6–4
8.	11 May 1998	Hamburg, Germany	Clay	Albert Costa	6–2, 6–0, 1–0, ret.
9.	8 June 1998	French Open, Paris	Clay	Carlos Moyà	6–3, 7–5, 6–3
10.	18 January 1999	Sydney, Australia	Hard	Todd Martin	6–3, 7–6
11.	30 August 1999	Long Island, U.S.	Hard	Magnus Norman	7–6, 4–6, 6–3
12.	20 September 1999	Mallorca, Spain	Clay	Juan Carlos Ferrero	2–6, 7–5, 6–3
13.	11 June 2001	French Open, Paris	Clay	Gustavo Kuerten	6–7, 7–5, 6–2, 6–0

Singles performance timeline

A = did not participate in the tournament

Personal and family life

Corretja married Marta Cors in 2001. The couple has two daughters – Aroa, born in 2003, and Carla, born in 2005.

External links

• Alex Corretja at the Association of Tennis Professionals
• Alex Corretja at the International Tennis Federation
• Alex Corretja at Davis Cup