Richard Krajicek

Born: December 6, 1971 in Rotterdam (Zuid-Holland)
Height: 1.96 m
Plays: Right-handed

Born in Rotterdam, but initiated his tennis journey in Amsterdam at the tender age of three, Krajicek grew up in the Netherlands with his Czech parents, Peter and Ludmila Krajíček, who had fled Czechoslovakia in the aftermath of the invasion by five Warsaw Pact countries – the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Hungary. His father, a sports enthusiast, had previously pursued handball professionally in his native country. From a young age, Krajicek displayed remarkable dedication to the sport, emerging as a prodigy in the early 1980s. A striking photograph from London in 1982 juxtaposes him with John McEnroe, highlighting Krajicek’s significant growth over the subsequent decade, as he stood approximately 30 cm shorter than the BigMac, the best player in the world at the time.
At the age of 12, Krajicek, being the biggest Dutch talent, made a pivotal decision to transition from a two-handed to a one-handed backhand, mirroring the choices made by tennis greats such as Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg during their formative years. However, his posture among peers remained modest, leading him to keep a defensive playing style during his early teenage years when he was winning the championships in the Netherlands year after year. The sudden growth of his body at 16 slowed down the progress, somewhat mirrored the case of his Aussie namesake, excellent junior Richard Fromberg, whose style – as opposed to Krajicek – didn’t evolve gradually with his growth.
Krajicek’s fortunes changed when he became a member of a group led by Stanley Franker of Surinam in the late 80s. Training alongside slightly older compatriots, serve-and-volleyers such as Jan Siemerink and Jacco Eltingh, Krajicek honed his volley skills, deciding to change his game-style, eventually ascending to the Top 100 in the early 90s with an attacking approach. Notably, he clinched a title in his Challenger debut as a qualifier in Verona ’90, triumphing over Eltingh in the final, marking a significant milestone in both friends’ careers.
Despite early big results with the help a tremendous serve (semifinals vs Jim Courier at the Australian Open ’92 and French Open ’93), Krajicek faced challenges on his journey to the top, including persistent injuries to his shoulder and knees, as well as a perceived weakness in his offensive backhand. However, his formidable serve-and-volley game, as well as his powerful forehand – particularly his cross-court shots on the run – set him apart from his many contemporaries. Notably, he boasted a favorable head-to-head record against the likes of Sampras, initiating it in Los Angeles ’93.
The turning point in Krajicek’s career came during the rainy Wimbledon of 1996. Seeded with a bizarre No. 17 due to Thomas Muster‘s withdrawal, Krajicek, who had lost Wimbledon first rounds in his two previous trips, defied expectations by dispatching former champions Michael Stich (fourth round) and Sampras (quarterfinal) in consecutive matches without dropping a set. Displaying newfound confidence, he emerged as the heavy favorite in the semifinal and final, ultimately clinching the Wimbledon title in an edition that challenged conventional wisdom. The runner-up MaliVai Washington said: “If he continues playing like this, he’ll be thebest in the world.” 
Three years later, shortly after winning the Stuttgart and Key Biscayne titles, only five matches separated Krajicek from Washington’s prophecy. The Dutchman arrived in Hamburg ’99 as the No. 4 in the ATP ranking, top seeded, and winning the title seemed within his reach, despite clay being his least favorite surface. Krajicek had showcased his prowess on the red surface before, having reached the French Open ’93 semifinals, the Rome ’96 final, and triumphed in Barcelona ’94. However, his dreams were dashed in his first match as he lost to the unpredictable Hicham Arazi, despite having won their two previous meetings. Following this defeat, Krajicek faced recurring physical issues, coupled with mediocre results, which prevented him from seizing opportunities in the years 1999-2000 when Sampras lost his dominance, and as many as five players reached the No. 1 spot for the first time. With better timing to avoid health issues, Krajicek could have easily been among them.
Krajicek missed the entire 2001 singles season due to injury; he returned after a twenty-month absence following two elbow surgeries. Remarkably, in only his second event after his comeback, he mirrored Guy Forget‘s achievement from 1994 by reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals with a very low ranking. This feat came after a remarkable three-day contest against Mark Philippoussis, consisting of four tie-breaks. However, a few weeks later, a heel injury forced Krajicek to retire from the US Open.
Krajicek had planned to conclude his career at Wimbledon ’03, but the draw presented a formidable obstacle – facing Lleyton Hewitt, the world No. 1 and defending champion. A recent humiliating defeat on grass to Andre Agassi made Krajicek apprehensive about a similar fate on Centre Court. Consequently, he opted to withdraw, paving the way for another big server, relatively unknown at the time, the Croatian giant – Ivo Karlović, to step in – his stunning victory over Hewitt in four sets remains one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history.
Trivia: all three of Franker’s pupils made their Slam debuts in the same event, and each found success – at the Australian Open ’91: Krajicek [113] and Siemerink [132, qualifier] reached the fourth round, while Eltingh [125] advanced to the third round.

Career record: 411-219 [ 222 events ]
Career titles: 17
Highest ranking: No. 4
Best GS results:
Australian Open (semifinal 1992)
Roland Garros (semifinal 1993; quarterfinal 1996)
Wimbledon (champion 1996; semifinal 1998; quarterfinal 2002)
US Open (quarterfinal 1997, 99-00)