Kafelnikov impressed commentators and fans alike when he first came to prominence in 1994. He won 3 titles, and pushed the then seemingly invincible Pete Sampras to 5 sets at the Australian Open, losing after holding 2 match points.
1996 was a watershed year, in which the Russian won his first grand slam at the French Open. He demolished Sampras and Michael Stich in straight sets over the semis and final of the event. It seemed Kafelnikov's time had come.
But after that he had a drought in the grand slams. The Russian failed to go past the 4th round in any apart from the French Open in 1997 when he made the quarter-finals. He also began losing again to the top players he had been beating previously.
Kafelnikov's luck changed at the 1999 Australian Open, where he took advantage of Pete Sampras' absence to take the title. He even thanked Sampras for allowing him to win, suggesting he didn't believe he could have if the American had been present. These are not the words of a tennis champion. Later that year the Russian was widely derided for reaching the number 1 ranking during an embarrassing losing streak which stretched to 6 consecutive matches.
In 2000 Kafelnikov had a flourish, reaching the Australian Open final and winning at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. But frankly, the major wins were too few and far between for someone of Kafelnikov's abilities. He seems content to cruise along, wracking up minor titles and occasionally major ones in the absence of Sampras and Agassi. If the reader will forgive a cliche, it truly seems that when the going gets tough Kafelnikov 'gets going.'
Rather than walk out of the game however, Kafelnikov would be better served by following Andre Agassi's example. After some brilliant but inconsistent years, Agassi rededicated himself to the game in 1994. The result is the champion we see today, who at the age of 31 is still hotly contesting the top of men's tennis. And this while 28 year-old Kafelnikov contemplates retirement!
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