Michael Stich

Michael Stich is a former Wimbledon champion whose all-round ability, both from the baseline and at the net, allowed him to become one of the few players to win tournaments on all surfaces.

Michael won Wimbledon in 1991. After a four-set semi final against defending champion Stefan Edberg, Michael faced his compatriot and three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker in the final. Michael triumphed in straight sets to lift his first and only Grand Slam trophy.

The following year, Michael teamed with John McEnroe to win the men's doubles title at Wimbledon in a five-set and five-hour final that stretched into Monday and ended with a 19-17 final set. That year, Michael also joined forces with Becker to win the Olympic doubles gold medal for Germany in Barcelona. In 1993, Michael reached his career high singles ranking - No.2, and he was also a member of the German team that lifted the Davis Cup that year. In the final against Australia, Michael won both his singles rubbers and also teamed up with Patrick Kuhnen to clinch the crucial doubles rubber against the formidable pairing of Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge.

After losing the 1994 US Open final to Andre Agassi, Michael appeared in his third and final Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros in 1996, where he was defeated by Yevgeny Kafelnikov in straight sets. He retired a year later after his final Wimbledon, where he enjoyed another impressive run by reaching the semifinals.

ATP Career and Grand Slam Record.

Michael admitted in 2006 that, had their careers overlapped, he thinks he would have beaten Roger Federer on grass.
He is a respected match-summariser at Wimbledon for the main British news and sport radio station, BBC Radio 5 Live.
Michael devotes much of his time to his foundation which assists children who are infected or ill with HIV or AIDS and also funds awareness campaigns aimed at stopping infections. He also runs a company that helps people with chronic back problems.
His relationship with compatriot Boris Becker was a tempestuous one, but the pair won an Olympic doubles gold medal together at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Michael’s first ATP Champions Tour title came in the Algarve in 2003, where he beat John McEnroe in the final.
More than five years later, Michael is still playing great tennis. His most recent title came in Hamburg in 2008, where he beat Pat Cash, Thomas Muster and Henri Leconte en route to lifting the trophy.