Emilio Sánchez
Emilio Ángel Sánchez Vicario is a Spanish former doubles List of [ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players|world No. 1] tennis player. He won five Grand Slam doubles titles and the men's doubles silver medal at the Tennis at the [1988 Summer Olympics – Men's doubles|1988 Olympic Games]. Sánchez is the older brother of multiple Grand Slam winner Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, with whom he partnered to win the Hopman Cup in 1990. After retiring, he captained Spain to Davis Cup victory in 2008.
Career
Sánchez turned professional in 1984 and won his first top-level singles title in Nice, France in 1986. He won 15 singles titles during his career, including the Italian Open in 1991. During his singles career, he achieved wins over top 5 players including Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker and Mats Wilander. Sánchez's career-high singles ranking was world No. 7.In doubles, Sánchez captured 50 doubles titles including three at Grand Slam events. In 1988, he won the doubles titles at both the French Open and the US Open. He won the French Open title again in 1990. Sánchez and Casal were also the doubles runners-up at Wimbledon in 1987, and the pair won the silver medal for Spain at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Sánchez was ranked world No. 1 in men's doubles in 1989.
He won two Grand Slam mixed-doubles titles in 1987, at the French Open and at the US Open.
Sánchez often played for Spain in international team events. He was a member of Spain [Davis Cup team|Spain's Davis Cup team] from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, compiling a 32–23 record. Sanchez was also part of the Spanish teams that won the Hopman Cup in 1990 and the World Team Cup in 1992.
Sánchez is the brother of Javier Sánchez Vicario. In 1987, Emilio and Javier met in the final at Madrid, with Emilio winning the match 6–3, 3–6, 6–2. Emilio and Javier faced each other 12 times during their professional careers, with Emilio winning 10 of their matches. In their two grand slam encounters, Emilio defeated Javier in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships">Wimbledon Championships">Wimbledon Championships in straight sets, and the third round of the 1992 US Open in five sets. They also frequently played together in doubles.
Emilio Sánchez retired from the professional tour in 1998.
Post-retirement
In 1998, alongside his former doubles partner Casal, Sánchez set up the Sánchez-Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona. Former students have included Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Daniela Hantuchova and Svetlana Kuznetsova.Sánchez was the captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team for three years; his tenure there culminated in Spain's 2008 Davis Cup victory. He resigned as captain after the win.
In 2009, he signed a contract with the Brazilian tennis confederation to coordinate the sport in Brazil.
Sánchez was tournament director for two wheelchair tennis events in 2012.
In 2017, Sánchez was awarded by the ITF its highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for his contributions to tennis.
Personal life
Sánchez was born in Madrid to Emilio Sánchez Benito and Marisa Vicario Rubio. His mother, Marisa, introduced Emilio, his brother and his two sisters to tennis.As well as siblings Arantxa Sánchez and Javier, he also has an older sister – Marisa Sánchez Vicario – who briefly played professional tennis, peaking at world No. 368 in 1990.
In 1999, Sánchez married his Italian-born wife Simona, with whom he has four children.
Grand Slam record
French Open- Singles quarterfinalist: 1988
- Doubles champion: 1988, 1990
- Mixed doubles champion: 1987
- Singles quarterfinalist: 1988
- Doubles champion: 1988
- Mixed doubles champion: 1987
- Doubles finalist: 1987
- Mixed doubles semifinalist: 1986
Career finals
Doubles (50 wins – 29 losses)
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score | |||||||||||
| Loss | 1. | Apr 1985 | Munich, West Germany | Clay |  Singles (15 wins – 12 losses)
|
