Andrei Cherkasov


Andrei Gennadievich Cherkasov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.

Career

Born in Ufa, Soviet Union, Cherkasov first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1987, he was ranked the World No. 3 junior player and finished runner-up in the boys' singles at the US Open.
Cherkasov turned professional in 1988. In 1990, Cherkasov claimed his first top-level singles titles when he won the inaugural Kremlin Cup in Moscow, defeating Tim Mayotte in the final 6–2, 6–1. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 1990 Australian Open and US Open.
In June 1991 Cherkasov reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 13. In November he successfully defended his Kremlin Cup title, saving two match points in a 7–6, 3–6, 7–6 win in the final against Jakob Hlasek.
In 1992 Cherkasov was a quarter-finalist at the French Open and won a men's singles bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, notably rallying from 2 sets down to beat Pete Sampras in the third round.
In 1993 Cherkasov saved three match points in 3-hour, 54-minute quarter-final victory over Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi at Tel Aviv, to win 6–7, 7–6, 7–5 in what was the longest best-of-three set match in tour history.
In the end, his two victories at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow proved to be the only top-level titles of Cherkasov's career. He retired from the professional tour in 2000.

ATP career finals

Singles: 6 (2 titles, 4 runner-ups)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1[1989 New South Wales Open – Men's singles|]Sydney, AustraliaGrand PrixHarddts|Nov 1990

Doubles: 2 (2 runners-up)


ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1[Croatia Open|]Umag, CroatiaWorld SeriesClay

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 9 (5–4)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1-0Oporto, PortugalChallengerClaydts|Apr 1989

Doubles: 7 (3–4)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Tashkent, UzbekistanChallengerClay