Andrey Chesnokov

Born: February 2, 1966 in Moscow (Moskva Oblast in Soviet Union)
Height: 1.87 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Андрей Эдуардович Чесноков… In the Soviet era, the name ‘Андрей’ was transcribed as ‘Andrei’ in line with rigid state conventions, but post-USSR, the more phonetic ‘Andrey’ became standard – a subtle marker of changing times. On my website, you’ll find both forms for him and Andrey Cherkasov – the second-best Russian player in the early 90s – reflecting this linguistic shift.
Chesnokov was a specialist of saving his best tennis for the biggest stages. This most accomplished Russian born in the 60s, contested fifteen main-level finals, with five (Monte Carlo and Rome ’90, Montreal ’91, Indian Wells ’92, Hamburg ’93) of his last seven occurring at Masters Series events (then called Mercedes Super 9). The explanation for this clutch performance might lie in financial motivation – having begun his career under the Soviet Union’s communist regime, he seemed galvanized by higher stakes.
Chesnokov’s 1980s statements often revealed the surreal pressures of his era. During the 1988 Antwerp exhibition final against John McEnroe, he sprained his ankle in the second set of a ‘best-of-five’ match. Despite the hopeless odds on fast carpet against a superior opponent, he soldiered on, limping through five more games. “I said I cannot play anymore,” Chesnokov admitted, “but He said, <You must!>” He refused to identify who pressured him: “It is my secret.” The year 1988 may be considered as his best, the most consistent. He won 73% of his matches (47-17 record with Antwerp); admittedly he captured just one title (Orlando), but played four more finals on three surfaces (including Antwerp, deprived of ranking points), and two Grand Slam quarterfinals.
The following year, he reached his career pinnacle at Roland Garros, ousting defending champion Mats Wilander in straight sets (he had done the same in 1986) en route to the semifinals. Even then, he shrouded his earnings in mystery: “I want to keep my secret about prize money. I will take some, maybe not $73,000. Maybe a little less. Maybe $72,000. Maybe I’ll buy a ticket to the United States before going back to Moscow,” he joked, referring to communistic collectivism.
In 2019, a former Soviet player (also born in the 1960s) told me at Lago di Garda that Chesnokov – despite neither he nor Alexander Volkov (second best Russian born in the 60s) cracking the USSR’s top five – had somehow slipped the Iron Curtain first, competing globally even before Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika loosened the regime’s grip.
In 1985, being completely unknown, Chesnokov made a trip to Paris, went through the qualifying rounds and stunned the Top 10 player, Eliot Teltscher in the second round before losing to Heintz Günthardt in the third round after one of the longest matches of the 80s at Roland Garros (it lasted 4 hours 40 minutes). “Before this tournament I thought they (the international touring pros) were so strong. But now I realize they can be beaten.” said Chesnokov, a physical education student at a special Moscow sports institute, ranked 307th in the world on the ATP computer.
Trivia: Before Isner-Mahut’s legendary marathon, Chesnokov had already etched his name into tennis history with one of the longest sets in the Open Era. In a freakish coincidence, I met him just as Isner and Mahut – near their court – were beginning the third set. When I asked him about the duration of his 1987 Davis Cup epic 1st set against Michiel Schapers (Chesnokov won 24-22, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2), he replied without hesitation: “Two hours, fifty-seven minutes.” Likely the longest non-deciding set ever played.
Chesnokov’s Davis Cup heroics didn’t stop there. In the 1995 Moscow semifinal, he saved nine match points in a single game on return (!) to topple Michael Stich in a decisive rubber. Later that year, in the Moscow final, he pushed Pete Sampras to the brink on the same, exceptionally slow clay – a surface that left the world No. 1 so exhausted after match point that he collapsed, unable to walk. Had Chesnokov saved one more match point, who knows? Another miracle might have been born. From a technical standpoint, Chesnokov’s backhand was the weapon he could most rely on, the type of shot that gives you the impression he can’t miss if the ball is close to the left side of his body at the torso level.

Career record: 344–259 [ 244 events ]
Career titles: 7
Highest ranking: No. 9
Best GS results:
Australian Open (quarterfinal 1988)
Roland Garros (semifinal 1989; quarterfinal 1986, 1988)