Albert Costa

2.1. Debut and Early Success (1993-1999)

After turning professional in 1993, Albert Costa rapidly made his mark on the ATP Tour. In 1994, he secured two challenger series events and was recognized as the ATP's Newcomer of the Year, signaling his promising entry into the professional ranks.

His first top-level singles title came in 1995 at Kitzbühel, where he famously defeated the "King of Clay," Thomas Muster, in a five-set final. This victory was particularly significant as it marked one of only two losses for Muster on clay in 1995 and ended Muster's impressive streaks of 40 consecutive clay match wins and 11 consecutive final victories. Costa continued his success on clay, winning three more singles titles in 1996, including tournaments in Gstaad, San Marino, and Bournemouth.

In 1997, he added two more singles titles to his name, winning the Barcelona Open and the Valencia Open. That same year, he also contributed to the Spanish team's victory in the World Team Cup. His strong performances continued into 1998, where he clinched two further singles titles, notably winning the Hamburg Masters, an ATP Masters Series event. His play at the French Open in 1998 was also outstanding, where he reached the fourth round and was only stopped by a brilliant Marcelo Ríos, laying the groundwork for his future Grand Slam success. Costa capped off this period with three more titles in 1999, securing victories at the Estoril Open, Swiss Open Gstaad, and for the second time, the Austrian Open Kitzbühel.

2.2. Olympic and Davis Cup Achievements (2000)

The year 2000 proved to be a landmark for Albert Costa and Spanish tennis, highlighted by significant team achievements. Costa was an integral part of the Spanish squad that secured the nation's first-ever Davis Cup championship. This historic win marked a major milestone for Spanish tennis on the international stage.

Additionally, Costa represented Spain at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Despite an early exit in the men's singles, he achieved notable success in the men's doubles event. Partnering with his compatriot and long-time friend, Álex Corretja, Costa competed fiercely throughout the tournament. The pair reached the semifinals, where they faced the Australian "Woodies" duo, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, and were defeated 3-6, 6-7. However, they rebounded in the bronze medal match, triumphing over the South African team of David Adams and John-Laffnie de Jager with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. This victory earned Costa and Corretja a bronze medal, further cementing Costa's contributions to Spanish tennis on the Olympic stage.

2.3. 2002 French Open Championship

Entering the 2002 French Open, Albert Costa was not considered a favorite for the title. He had not won any tour title since 1999 and was seeded 20th. However, he embarked on a remarkable run, demonstrating his clay-court prowess.

His path to the final included victories over notable players:

• He defeated Richard Gasquet, Nikolay Davydenko, and Andrea Gaudenzi to reach the fourth round.
• In the fourth round, he faced two-time defending champion and former world No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten, whom he defeated in straight sets.
• He then secured a challenging five-set victory against Argentina's Guillermo Cañas in the quarterfinals.
• In the semifinals, Costa overcame his fellow Spaniard, former world No. 2, and long-time friend, Álex Corretja, in a four-set match.

The final saw Costa pitted against another Spanish compatriot, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was widely considered the heavy favorite due to his excellent form leading up to the event and his future status as a world No. 1. Despite Ferrero's strong reputation, Costa delivered a dominant performance, winning in four sets: 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. In the first two sets, Costa overwhelmed Ferrero, allowing him to win only nine points during Costa's service games. This unexpected Grand Slam title marked his 12th career singles victory and propelled him to his career-high singles ranking of World No. 6 in July 2002.

2.4. Later Career and Retirement (2003-2006)

Following his monumental French Open victory, Albert Costa returned to Roland Garros in 2003 as the defending champion. His title defense was marked by extraordinary resilience, as he spent a total of 21 hours and 15 minutes on court, winning four five-set matches through the first, second, third, and quarterfinals before ultimately being eliminated by Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals. Ferrero would go on to win the title that year.

In 2004, despite a generally struggling season, Costa notably defeated Roger Federer in the second round of the Rome Masters, an impressive feat considering Federer was beaten by only six players throughout that entire year. In 2005, Costa achieved his first and only tour doubles title at the ATP Qatar Open in Doha, partnering with fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal. The pair triumphed over Andrei Pavel and Mikhail Youzhny with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

However, 2005 also saw him struggle in Grand Slam events, suffering first-round exits at the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. His first-round loss to Lleyton Hewitt at the 2005 US Open would mark his final appearance in a major tournament. Citing recurring injuries and a waning desire to compete, Costa officially announced his retirement from professional tennis on April 21, 2006. His final competitive appearance was at the Barcelona Open, his hometown tournament, where he reached the third round. In his last match, he faced Juan Carlos Ferrero, the opponent he had defeated in the 2002 French Open final, losing 6-1, 5-7, 7-5.

3.1. Davis Cup Captaincy and Coaching

In December 2008, Albert Costa was appointed the captain of the Spain Davis Cup team, succeeding Emilio Sánchez Vicario. Under his leadership, Spain achieved significant success, winning two Davis Cup titles in 2009 and 2011. His tenure made him the most successful Spanish Davis Cup captain to date. Following these triumphs, he handed over the captaincy to his long-time friend and former doubles partner, Álex Corretja. Beyond his captaincy, Costa also undertook coaching roles for ATP professionals, including Feliciano López.

4.1. Family and Interests

Albert Costa's childhood idol was American tennis legend John McEnroe. Outside of tennis, he maintains a variety of hobbies, including playing cards, table tennis, golf, and soccer. He is an avid fan of the Spanish football club FC Barcelona and also supports his hometown team, UE Lleida. His admiration extends to other sporting icons, including Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and the Brazilian footballer Ronaldo.

Less than a week after his historic 2002 French Open triumph, Albert Costa married his long-time girlfriend, Cristina Ventura. His good friend and former doubles partner, Álex Corretja, served as the best man at their wedding. The couple has twin daughters, Claudia and Alma, who were born on April 21, 2001.

5.1. Grand Slam Tournament Performance Timeline

5.2. Grand Slam Final

5.3. Year-End Championship Performance Timeline

5.4. ATP Tour Singles Finals

5.5. ATP Tour Doubles Finals