Roger Smith (tennis player)
Encyclopedia
Roger Smith is a former tennis player from the Bahamas
Smith turned professional in 1987. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP
-ranking on August 1, 1988, when he became World Number 96.
for the then Caribbean Davis Cup team in March in a tie against Brazil
losing to Cassio Motta
in four sets and in doubles partnering Doug Burke in live rubbers. He did not appear in any tour grand prix or challenger events and finished the year ranked (on December 29) World No. 482 and No. 610T in doubles.
, in four sets over Chilean Robinson Ureta, but lost the deciding rubber to Ricardo Acuna
in five sets, as the Caribbean lost in their final tie as a team 2-3. (From then Caribbean nations have competed separately.) Smith reached the finals of the Coquitlam Challenger, partnering Puerto Rican player Juan-Oscar Rios. He reached the second round of the 1987 U.S. Open defeating Marián Vajda
before losing to Jim Grabb
, and won two tournaments in November - the 1987 Bossonnens Challenger in singles, defeating Alexander Mronz
in the final, and the Munich Challenger in doubles partnering Tony Mmoh
. The final Nabisco Grand Prix ranking release for the year had Smith ranked World No. 146 in singles and No. 219 in doubles.
2 sets to love before losing 14-16 in the fifth in the first round of the 1988 Australian Open
. He and partner Paul Wekesa
reached the semi-finals in doubles of the grand prix tournament in Washington
. The following week Smith famously knocked off World No. 1 Ivan Lendl
in the second round of the Volvo International in Stratton Mountain, Vermont, 6-2, 6-3, in a match Lendl, forced by the grand prix tour to play this tournament, seemingly tanked. Smith went on to reach the quarters, losing to Darren Cahill
in three sets. This result saw Smith reach his career high singles ranking of World No. 98.
In October, Smith and Wekesa won the Tel Aviv Challenger, defeating Patrick Baur
and Mronz. Roger finished the year World No. 154 in singles and No. 148 in doubles.
in the quarters before falling to World No. 26 Amos Mansdorf
. At the Australian Open, Smith managed to take the second set before losing in four to World No. 5 Stefan Edberg
. The following month, Smith helped the Bahamas Davis Cup team
win their first-ever tie, 5-0 over Venezuela
. Smith handily defeated Juan-Carlos Bianchi
in the first rubber before combining John Farrington to win the doubles 10-8 in the fifth. (Farrington was chosen over a then still 17 years of age Mark Knowles
, who won the second singles rubber). In April, the Bahamas equalled this success, winning 5-0 over the Dominican Republic
, as Smith again won the first rubber and the doubles partnering Farrington. In May he competed for the first time in the main draws at Roland Garros
, losing soundly in straight sets to an up-and-coming Michael Stich
, and in doubles partnering Brad Pearce
. In his next tournament however, the Bristol Open
, Smith and partner Nduka Odizor
reached the semi-finals. Despite going winless in grand prix events, he continued to have success in doubles during the North American hard court season, reaching the semi-finals of the Player's International
in Canada and the third round of the U.S. Open, on both occasions partnering Frenchman Jean-Philippe Fleurian
. Then in October playing with Todd Nelson
, Smith reached the finals of the grand prix event in Toulouse and the semi-finals in Vienna
. Then in November Smith finally found success in singles, winning the Bossonnens Challenger, for the second time in three years. In the final he defeated future World No. 2 Petr Korda
in three sets. On December 18, Smith was World No. 187 in singles and No. 95 in doubles.
1-4. Smith was upset by World No. 1048 Richard Ashby in straight sets in the first rubber, while in the crucial doubles rubber Smith and Farrington lost to Ashby and Bernard Frost 4-6 in the fifth.
After not getting past the second round in doubles in events leading up to August, Smith and partner Shane Burr reached the quarters in New Haven Grand Prix before reaching the quarters of the U.S. Open playing along side Andrew Castle
. Smith's success in doubles continued as he and partner Otis Smith reached the finals in his next tournament, the Coquitlam Challenger in September. In Brazil in October/November, Smith won the Rio de Janeiro Challenger, reached the finals of the Ilheus Challenger, and the semis in São Paulo and Itaparica, all partnering Swede Tobias Svantesson
. Then in Bossonnens, Smith won again, this time playing with Michiel Schapers
. In singles he reached the quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro and Bossonnens, but otherwise had an uneventful year. He finished 1990 World No. 261 in singles and No. 78 in doubles.
(1), Svantesson (7), and Shelby Cannon
(1) failed to get past the second round until he and Cannnon reached the semis in Bologna in May. They lost in the first round of the French and then Smith and Schapers did likewise at Wimbledon.
Smith redeemed himself from the previous year's disappointment in Davis Cup by first winning all three of his live rubbers to see the Bahamas past Costa Rica
4-1 in February. The following month saw a rematch with Caribbean rival Barbados, played at Carnival Crystal Palace. Smith opened with an easy win over Lionel Eli before Farrington lost in four sets to Ashby. Ashby and Frost won the doubles over Smith and Farrington, 14-12 in the fifth, to give the visitors a 2-1 match lead. Smith next defeated Ashby 7-5, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, leaving Farrington to beat the unheralded Eli, but not before some drama, 6-2, 5-7, 6=7, 6-4, 6-4. Unfortunately, the Bahamians run would come to an end at the hands of Colombia
in July on red clay in Cali
. Although Smith and Farrington managed to take the doubles rubber in straight sets, Maricio Hadad beat Smith in the opening rubber in four sets while Alvaro Jordan
beat Roger in five in the deciding fourth rubber.
Smith's poor run continued during the summer and it was not until September that he won a tournament, in Brasilia partnering Cannon. Here Smith saw his first singles action (in a tournament main draw, at any rate), reaching the third round. In earlier October he and Cannon reached the final of the Ponte Vedra Challenger. Smith again played October on the Brazilian challenger circuit, in doubles, but lost in each tourney in the first round. In singles, once again, playing in Bossonnens brought him fortune, as he reached the semi-finals. In December at the Guan Challenger he reached the quarters. On December 23, Smith's ATP singles ranking was World No. 307 whilst in doubles he was No. 104.
3-2, to begin a run that would see the tiny Caribbean nation reach World Group
Qualifying Round in the autumn of 2003. The win over OECS was not an easy one as it took Smith four sets to dispatch with Gavaskar Williams in the opening rubber. Farrington lost the next match in five sets to Vernon Lewis but redeemed himself as he and Smith took the doubles rubber in four. Smith then needed to be on top of his game to defeat Lewis 6-2 in the fifth. The following month saw Smith the hero as he won the fifth and deciding rubber, handily as it turned out, over Carlos Di Laura
. Things started badly however as Smith lost the opening match to tour veteran Jaime Yzaga
, as he surrendered a two sets to one lead. The now 20 year-old Mark Knowles took the second handily over Di Laura before teaming with Smith to easily defeat the Peruvians in doubles 3, 2, and 3. Knowles was forced to retire up 2 sets to 1 on serve in the fourth, leaving Roger to mop up for the win.
On tour, Smith continued a run of first and second round defeats in doubles while in singles he managed to reach one final before July, the Itu Challenger in Brazil, which he lost to Robbie Weiss
. July saw the Bahamas next Davis Cup tie and success, as they defeated Venezuela in Caracus 5-0. Smith easily defeated the home sides second choice Maurice Ruah
2, 3, and 1 while the fast emerging Knowles handled former Wimbledon junior champion Nicolas Pereira
2, 3, and 4. Smith and Knowles then wrapped the win up taking the doubles rubber over Ruah and Pereira in four sets. The end of July saw Smith qualify for the main singles draw at the 1992 Summer Olympics
, where he was defeated in the first round by Russia's Andrei Cherkasov
. In doubles, he and Knowles lost in five sets to the top-seeded team of John Fitzgerald and Todd Woodbridge
.
Smith and Knowles played the next two weeks on tour as a team, reaching the finals at the Pescara Challenger and the second round of the Segovia Challenger, while in singles in the later tournament Smith reached the quarters. The following week Smith and partner Roberto Saad
the final of the Istanbul Challenger. Two weeks later at Flushing Meadows Smith and partner Wekesa lost in the opening round. During the autumn he reached three semi-finals however, partnering Knowles, Daniel Marcos, and Wekesa respectively. He finished the year strongly in singles reaching the final of the Kuala Lumpur-2 Challenger to Chris Wilkinson
and in the semis in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Smith was on the last ranking release for the year World No. 175 in singles and No. 198 in doubles.
in Santiago
3-2. He opened with a straight sets win over Felipe Rivera while Knowles retired from his match against Sergio Cortes while up two sets to one and 2-1 in the fourth. Smith and Knowles won the doubles however, handily, 2, 1, and 3. Smith, however, lost his next rubber, to Cortes 3-6, 1-6, 3-6. This left Knowles to be the hero, as he dismissed Rivera easily 2, 3, and 1. This win allowed the Bahamas to reach America Group 1 semi-finals against Uruguay
the following month, with the winner advancing to play the World Group Qualifying Round, to be played in September. Smith got matters rolling with a decisive win of Diego Pérez
in the opening match. In the second rubber Knowles eked out a 5-set win over Uruguay No. 1 Marcelo Filippini
. The two Bahamian stars then wrapped the tie up winning the doubles in four sets.
Smith reached the first or second round in a handful of challenger events before taking June off. In July, a refreshed Smith reached the semi-finals of the Aptos Challenger, losing in that round to a young Patrick Rafter
. In August he and partner Jean-Philippe Fleurian won the Istanbul Challenger, while the following week in Segovia Smith and Maurice Ruah reached the final. Then in early September he and Bryan Shelton
won the doubles title of the Azores Challenger. To qualify for the Davis Cup 1994 World Group the Bahamas needed to upset the Andre Agassi
-led U.S. away, in a tie held in late September in Charlotte, North Carolina
. The opening tie pitted Agassi and Smith with the later coming up second best 2-6, 2-6, 3-6. In the second rubber, Knowles was up two-sets to one on Malivai Washington
when, again, he retired from the match. This meant the Bahamian tandem needed to win the doubles match to keep their faint hopes for an upset alive. They took the first set in a tie-break but succumbed in four.
Smith bounced back from the Davis Cup disappointment to reach the finals of the Monterrey Challenger, partnering Frenchman Fleurian. The following week he reached the semi-finals of the Ponte Vedra Challenger, while one week later he reached the semis of the Caracas-3 Challenger. Smith finished the year strongly reaching the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Challenger, partnering Kenny Thorne
. The final ATP ranking release had him at No. 224 in singles and No. 132 in doubles.
Smith turned professional in 1987. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
-ranking on August 1, 1988, when he became World Number 96.
Career highlights
Smith played for Ohio State University for four years finishing his collegiate career in 1986. While a senior, he earned All-America honors. Also, he won the Ohio Inter-Collegiate Championship by besting a scrappy sophomore from Bowling Green State University, Ken Bruce, in a thrilling final 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Bruce would go on to win the singles title the next year.1986
Smith played two singles and one doubles matches in Davis CupDavis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
for the then Caribbean Davis Cup team in March in a tie against Brazil
Brazil Davis Cup team
The Brazil Davis Cup team represents Brazil in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation.Brazil currently compete in the Americas Zone of Group I...
losing to Cassio Motta
Cassio Motta
Cassio Motta is a former professional tennis player from Brazil.- Runner-ups :- Doubles :- Singles :- Doubles :- External links :*...
in four sets and in doubles partnering Doug Burke in live rubbers. He did not appear in any tour grand prix or challenger events and finished the year ranked (on December 29) World No. 482 and No. 610T in doubles.
1987
Smith won his next Davis Cup match, in a tie played in NassauNassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, in four sets over Chilean Robinson Ureta, but lost the deciding rubber to Ricardo Acuna
Ricardo Acuña
Ricardo Acuña is a former tennis player from Chile, who won three doubles titles during his career. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on March 17, 1986, when he reached 47th in the world....
in five sets, as the Caribbean lost in their final tie as a team 2-3. (From then Caribbean nations have competed separately.) Smith reached the finals of the Coquitlam Challenger, partnering Puerto Rican player Juan-Oscar Rios. He reached the second round of the 1987 U.S. Open defeating Marián Vajda
Marián Vajda
Marián Vajda is a former Slovak tennis player.Vajda was a member of the Olympic Team of Czechoslovakia where in 1992 he competed in the Olympic Games of Barcelona, being easily eliminated in the first round against Israel by 7–6, 6–1, 6–0.Vajda is a former captain of the Slovakia Davis Cup and Fed...
before losing to Jim Grabb
Jim Grabb
Jim Grabb is a 6' 4" former professional tennis player.Grabb was twice ranked the World No. 1 doubles player, in 1989 and in 1993. A right-handed serve-and-volleyer, Grabb's best singles ranking was World No. 24, a ranking he achieved in February 1990.-College:Grabb is Jewish, and was born in...
, and won two tournaments in November - the 1987 Bossonnens Challenger in singles, defeating Alexander Mronz
Alexander Mronz
Alexander Mronz is a former tennis player from Germany, who turned professional in 1987.Mronz played right-handed, and won one doubles title in his career. Mronz reached his highest individual ranking on the ATP Tour on April 8, 1991, when he became the World Number 73.Mronz dated Steffi Graf in...
in the final, and the Munich Challenger in doubles partnering Tony Mmoh
Tony Mmoh
Tony Mmoh is a former tennis player from Nigeria, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he was defeated in the second round by Holland's wild card entry Michiel Schapers. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on October 19, 1987, when he...
. The final Nabisco Grand Prix ranking release for the year had Smith ranked World No. 146 in singles and No. 219 in doubles.
1988
Smith went up on World No. 8 Yannick NoahYannick Noah
Yannick Noah is a former professional tennis player from France. He is best remembered for being the last French man to win the French Open in 1983, and as a highly-successful captain of France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams...
2 sets to love before losing 14-16 in the fifth in the first round of the 1988 Australian Open
1988 Australian Open - Men's Singles
Mats Wilander defeated Pat Cash 6–3 6–7 3–6 6–1 8–6 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1988 Australian Open.See also:-Key:* Q = Qualifier* WC = Wild Card* LL = Lucky Loser* r. = retired-Final Eight:-Section 1:-Section 2:...
. He and partner Paul Wekesa
Paul Wekesa
Paul Wekesa is a former professional tennis player from Kenya. Prior to turning professional, he won the doubles tournament at the 1987 Division II NCAA Men's Tennis Championships while attending Chapman University. During his career, Wekesa won 3 ATP Tour doubles titles...
reached the semi-finals in doubles of the grand prix tournament in Washington
Legg Mason Tennis Classic
The Legg Mason Tennis Classic is an annual late-summer men's tennis tournament played in Washington, D.C. as part of the ATP Tour. It was first held in 1969. It was later known as the Sovran Bank Classic. . Originally an event of the Grand Prix Tennis Tour and part of the Grand Prix Championship...
. The following week Smith famously knocked off World No. 1 Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl became a United States citizen. He was one of the game's most dominant players in the 1980s and remained a top competitor into the early 1990s. He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis...
in the second round of the Volvo International in Stratton Mountain, Vermont, 6-2, 6-3, in a match Lendl, forced by the grand prix tour to play this tournament, seemingly tanked. Smith went on to reach the quarters, losing to Darren Cahill
Darren Cahill
Darren Cahill is a tennis coach and former professional tennis player from Australia.Nicknamed "Killer", Cahill turned professional in 1984...
in three sets. This result saw Smith reach his career high singles ranking of World No. 98.
In October, Smith and Wekesa won the Tel Aviv Challenger, defeating Patrick Baur
Patrick Baur
Patrick Baur , is a former professional tennis player from Germany.During his career Baur won 2 singles titles and 2 doubles titles. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 74 in 1991 and a career-high doubles ranking of World No...
and Mronz. Roger finished the year World No. 154 in singles and No. 148 in doubles.
1989
In his second tournament of the year, Smith reached the semi-finals of Auckland Outdoor grand prix event, defeating home country favourite Kelly EverndenKelly Evernden
Kelly Graeme Evernden is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand.Evernden turned professional in 1985 and won his first tour doubles title in 1986 at Cologne. His first top-level singles title came in 1987 at Bristol...
in the quarters before falling to World No. 26 Amos Mansdorf
Amos Mansdorf
Amos Mansdorf is a former professional tennis player.His best singles world ranking of 18 was the highest ever for any male, Israeli tennis player, reached in November 1987. His best doubles world ranking was 67, reached in May 1986.-Early life:...
. At the Australian Open, Smith managed to take the second set before losing in four to World No. 5 Stefan Edberg
Stefan Edberg
Stefan Bengt Edberg is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He also won one season ending championship title the Masters Grand Prix...
. The following month, Smith helped the Bahamas Davis Cup team
Bahamas Davis Cup team
The Bahamas Davis Cup team represents the Bahamas in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association.The Bahamas currently compete in the Americas Zone of Group II. They reached the World Group Play-offs in 1993....
win their first-ever tie, 5-0 over Venezuela
Venezuela Davis Cup team
The Venezuela Davis Cup team represents Venezuela in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Venezolana de Tenis.Venezuela currently compete in the Americas Zone Group II. They have never competed in the World Group, but reached the Play-offs in 1995 and 2002....
. Smith handily defeated Juan-Carlos Bianchi
Juan-Carlos Bianchi
Juan Carlos Bianchi is a former tennis player from Venezuela, who represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Partnering Nicolas Pereira he was defeated in the first round of the doubles competition...
in the first rubber before combining John Farrington to win the doubles 10-8 in the fifth. (Farrington was chosen over a then still 17 years of age Mark Knowles
Mark Knowles
Mark Knowles is a former World number 1 doubles professional male tennis player from the Bahamas, who will go down as one of the greatest athletes of his country for his longevity within his sport and charitable contributions off the court.After being awarded a scholarship to the Nick...
, who won the second singles rubber). In April, the Bahamas equalled this success, winning 5-0 over the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic Davis Cup team
The Dominican Republic Davis Cup team represents the Dominican Republic in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Dominicana de Tenis....
, as Smith again won the first rubber and the doubles partnering Farrington. In May he competed for the first time in the main draws at Roland Garros
1989 French Open
List of the 1989 French Open Champions. For the first time in French Open history the Singles championships were won by two teenagers – Michael Chang and Arantxa Sánchez . Chang still holds the record for youngest ever male Grand Slam singles title winner. He gained many admirers for his audacious...
, losing soundly in straight sets to an up-and-coming Michael Stich
Michael Stich
Michael Detlef Stich is a former professional tennis player from Germany. He is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1991...
, and in doubles partnering Brad Pearce
Brad Pearce
----Brad Pearce is a former tennis player from the United States, who turned professional in 1986. He won four doubles titles during his career. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP ranking on October 8, 1990, when he became the World No...
. In his next tournament however, the Bristol Open
1989 Bristol Open
The 1989 Bristol Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts in Bristol in England that was part of the 1989 Nabisco Grand Prix. The tournament was held from June 19 through June 26, 1989.-Men's Singles:...
, Smith and partner Nduka Odizor
Nduka Odizor
Nduka Odizor is a former tennis player from Nigeria, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he was defeated in the first round by American lucky loser Robert Seguso. The right-hander won one career title in singles and seven doubles titles...
reached the semi-finals. Despite going winless in grand prix events, he continued to have success in doubles during the North American hard court season, reaching the semi-finals of the Player's International
Canada Masters
The Canada Masters , currently sponsored as the Rogers Cup, is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association tour...
in Canada and the third round of the U.S. Open, on both occasions partnering Frenchman Jean-Philippe Fleurian
Jean-Philippe Fleurian
Jean-Philippe Fleurian is a former tennis player from France, who turned professional in 1985. He won one doubles title during his career. The right-hander reached his highest individual ranking on the ATP Tour on 30 April 1990, when he became the number 37 of the world...
. Then in October playing with Todd Nelson
Todd Nelson (tennis)
Todd Nelson , is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Nelson enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he finished runner-up in 4 doubles events. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 48 in 1987.-Doubles runner-ups :-Singles...
, Smith reached the finals of the grand prix event in Toulouse and the semi-finals in Vienna
1989 CA-TennisTrophy - Doubles
Alex Antonitsch and Balázs Taróczy were the defending champions but lost in the semifinals to Jan Gunnarsson and Anders Järryd.Gunnarsson and Järryd won in the final 6–2, 6–3 against Paul Annacone and Kelly Evernden.-Seeds:...
. Then in November Smith finally found success in singles, winning the Bossonnens Challenger, for the second time in three years. In the final he defeated future World No. 2 Petr Korda
Petr Korda
Petr Korda is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. He is best known for winning the Australian Open in 1998 and for testing positive for the banned substance, nandrolone, following a match at Wimbledon that same year.-Career:Korda was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia.He first...
in three sets. On December 18, Smith was World No. 187 in singles and No. 95 in doubles.
1990
Smith defeated Evernden for a second time before losing to World No. 5 Edberg in three sets at the Lipton International in March. In doubles the week prior, he and Todd Nelson reached the final of the Martinique Challenger. At Key Biscayne, the same partnership went out in the second round. In July in Davis Cup, the Bahamas dissppointingly lost to BarbadosBarbados Davis Cup team
The Barbados Davis Cup team represents Barbados in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Barbados Tennis Association.Barbados currently compete in the Americas Zone of Group III. They reached the Group II semifinals on their debut in 1990....
1-4. Smith was upset by World No. 1048 Richard Ashby in straight sets in the first rubber, while in the crucial doubles rubber Smith and Farrington lost to Ashby and Bernard Frost 4-6 in the fifth.
After not getting past the second round in doubles in events leading up to August, Smith and partner Shane Burr reached the quarters in New Haven Grand Prix before reaching the quarters of the U.S. Open playing along side Andrew Castle
Andrew Castle
Andrew Nicholas Castle is an English retired tennis professional, former British No. 1, and now television presenter.-Biography:...
. Smith's success in doubles continued as he and partner Otis Smith reached the finals in his next tournament, the Coquitlam Challenger in September. In Brazil in October/November, Smith won the Rio de Janeiro Challenger, reached the finals of the Ilheus Challenger, and the semis in São Paulo and Itaparica, all partnering Swede Tobias Svantesson
Tobias Svantesson
Tobias Svantesson , is a former professional tennis player from Sweden. He enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 2 doubles titles. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 65 in 1991.-Doubles titles :-Runner-ups :-External links:...
. Then in Bossonnens, Smith won again, this time playing with Michiel Schapers
Michiel Schapers
Michiel Schapers is a former tennis player from The Netherlands.Turning professional in 1982, Schapers represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where he was defeated in quarter-finals by eventual winner Miloslav Mečíř of Slovakia.The right-hander Schapers reached his...
. In singles he reached the quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro and Bossonnens, but otherwise had an uneventful year. He finished 1990 World No. 261 in singles and No. 78 in doubles.
1991
Smith's high doubles ranking allowed him to compete in all the big tournaments of the Australian tennis season, the American indoor season, outdoors in Florida, and the European clay court season, but he and partners Castle (2), Odizor (1), Tomás CarbonellTomas Carbonell
Tomás Carbonell Lladó is a former professional tennis player from Spain.Carbonell won 2 singles and 22 doubles titles on the ATP Tour in his career. He twice reached the semifinals of the French Open in doubles, in 1999 with Pablo Albano, and in 2000 with Martín García. Carbonell reached his...
(1), Svantesson (7), and Shelby Cannon
Shelby Cannon
Shelby Cannon , is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Cannon enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 3 doubles titles and finished runner-up an additional 6 times. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No...
(1) failed to get past the second round until he and Cannnon reached the semis in Bologna in May. They lost in the first round of the French and then Smith and Schapers did likewise at Wimbledon.
Smith redeemed himself from the previous year's disappointment in Davis Cup by first winning all three of his live rubbers to see the Bahamas past Costa Rica
Costa Rica Davis Cup team
The Costa Rica Davis Cup team represents Costa Rica in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Costarricense de Tenis.Costa Rica currently compete in the Americas Zone of Group III. They have reached Group II on five occasions, but have yet to win a match at that level....
4-1 in February. The following month saw a rematch with Caribbean rival Barbados, played at Carnival Crystal Palace. Smith opened with an easy win over Lionel Eli before Farrington lost in four sets to Ashby. Ashby and Frost won the doubles over Smith and Farrington, 14-12 in the fifth, to give the visitors a 2-1 match lead. Smith next defeated Ashby 7-5, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, leaving Farrington to beat the unheralded Eli, but not before some drama, 6-2, 5-7, 6=7, 6-4, 6-4. Unfortunately, the Bahamians run would come to an end at the hands of Colombia
Colombia Davis Cup team
The Colombia Davis Cup team represents Colombia in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Colombiana de Tenis.Colombia currently competes in the Americas Zone of Group I and have never competed in the World Group...
in July on red clay in Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
. Although Smith and Farrington managed to take the doubles rubber in straight sets, Maricio Hadad beat Smith in the opening rubber in four sets while Alvaro Jordan
Álvaro Jordan
Álvaro Jordan is a male former tennis player from Colombia.Jordan represented his native country in the doubles competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, partnering Luis Arturo González...
beat Roger in five in the deciding fourth rubber.
Smith's poor run continued during the summer and it was not until September that he won a tournament, in Brasilia partnering Cannon. Here Smith saw his first singles action (in a tournament main draw, at any rate), reaching the third round. In earlier October he and Cannon reached the final of the Ponte Vedra Challenger. Smith again played October on the Brazilian challenger circuit, in doubles, but lost in each tourney in the first round. In singles, once again, playing in Bossonnens brought him fortune, as he reached the semi-finals. In December at the Guan Challenger he reached the quarters. On December 23, Smith's ATP singles ranking was World No. 307 whilst in doubles he was No. 104.
1992
After opening the year with a first round doubles loss at the Australian Open, Smith helped the Bahamas defeat the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States 4-1 and then PeruPeru Davis Cup team
The Peru Davis Cup Team is the Davis Cup team that represents the nation of Peru. The team is governed by the Federación de Tenis de Peru. They currently compete in the Americas Zone Group I, and their best result was reaching the World Group in 2008....
3-2, to begin a run that would see the tiny Caribbean nation reach World Group
Davis Cup structure
The Davis Cup tennis competition is structured around a number of groups, with promotion and relegation between them.At the top is the World Group, which competes in a knockout competition. Below that it becomes regional, with an American Zone, Euro/African Zone and Asia/Oceania Zone. Each of these...
Qualifying Round in the autumn of 2003. The win over OECS was not an easy one as it took Smith four sets to dispatch with Gavaskar Williams in the opening rubber. Farrington lost the next match in five sets to Vernon Lewis but redeemed himself as he and Smith took the doubles rubber in four. Smith then needed to be on top of his game to defeat Lewis 6-2 in the fifth. The following month saw Smith the hero as he won the fifth and deciding rubber, handily as it turned out, over Carlos Di Laura
Carlos di Laura
Carlos di Laura is a former tennis player from Peru.Di Laura participated in the 1984 Summer Olympics for his native country. The left-hander won three tour doubles titles during his profeesional career....
. Things started badly however as Smith lost the opening match to tour veteran Jaime Yzaga
Jaime Yzaga
Jaime Yzaga Tori is a former professional tennis player from Peru.Yzaga played on the professional tour from 1984 to 1996....
, as he surrendered a two sets to one lead. The now 20 year-old Mark Knowles took the second handily over Di Laura before teaming with Smith to easily defeat the Peruvians in doubles 3, 2, and 3. Knowles was forced to retire up 2 sets to 1 on serve in the fourth, leaving Roger to mop up for the win.
On tour, Smith continued a run of first and second round defeats in doubles while in singles he managed to reach one final before July, the Itu Challenger in Brazil, which he lost to Robbie Weiss
Robbie Weiss
Robbie Weiss is a former tour professional tennis player and NCAA Division 1 singles champion. The resident of Atlanta, GA achieved a career-high ATP ranking in singles of World No. 85, which he reached on the heels of winning his only ATP Tour event, the 1990 Sao Paulo Grand Prix...
. July saw the Bahamas next Davis Cup tie and success, as they defeated Venezuela in Caracus 5-0. Smith easily defeated the home sides second choice Maurice Ruah
Maurice Ruah
Maurice Ruah , is a former professional tennis player from Venezuela. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 82 in 1994....
2, 3, and 1 while the fast emerging Knowles handled former Wimbledon junior champion Nicolas Pereira
Nicolas Pereira
Nicolás Pereira is a former tennis player from Venezuela, who became International Tennis Federation Junior World Champion in 1988 after winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open....
2, 3, and 4. Smith and Knowles then wrapped the win up taking the doubles rubber over Ruah and Pereira in four sets. The end of July saw Smith qualify for the main singles draw at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, where he was defeated in the first round by Russia's Andrei Cherkasov
Andrei Cherkasov
Andrei Cherkasov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Born in Ufa, Soviet Union, Cherkasov first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player. In 1987, he was ranked the World No. 3 junior player and finished runner-up in the boy's singles at the US Open...
. In doubles, he and Knowles lost in five sets to the top-seeded team of John Fitzgerald and Todd Woodbridge
Todd Woodbridge
Todd Andrew Woodbridge is an Australian former tennis player. He was born in Sydney and turned professional in 1988. He is best known for his successful Doubles partnerships with Mark Woodforde and later Jonas Björkman...
.
Smith and Knowles played the next two weeks on tour as a team, reaching the finals at the Pescara Challenger and the second round of the Segovia Challenger, while in singles in the later tournament Smith reached the quarters. The following week Smith and partner Roberto Saad
Roberto Saad
Roberto Saad , is a former professional tennis player from Argentina.Saad enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 2 doubles titles. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 36 in 1988.-Doubles titles :-Runner-ups :-External links:...
the final of the Istanbul Challenger. Two weeks later at Flushing Meadows Smith and partner Wekesa lost in the opening round. During the autumn he reached three semi-finals however, partnering Knowles, Daniel Marcos, and Wekesa respectively. He finished the year strongly in singles reaching the final of the Kuala Lumpur-2 Challenger to Chris Wilkinson
Chris Wilkinson
Chris Wilkinson may refer to:* Chris Wilkinson, British tennis player* Chris Wilkinson , British architect...
and in the semis in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Smith was on the last ranking release for the year World No. 175 in singles and No. 198 in doubles.
1993
Smith began the year smartly reaching the final of the Wellington Challenger in doubles partnering Knowles and the second round in singles. In February Smith won two of three rubbers he competed in as the Bahamas upset ChileChile Davis Cup team
The Chile Davis Cup Team represents Chile in Davis Cup tennis tournament and is governed by Chile Tennis Federation. The team is currently captained by former Chilean tennis player Hans Gildemeister.-History:...
in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
3-2. He opened with a straight sets win over Felipe Rivera while Knowles retired from his match against Sergio Cortes while up two sets to one and 2-1 in the fourth. Smith and Knowles won the doubles however, handily, 2, 1, and 3. Smith, however, lost his next rubber, to Cortes 3-6, 1-6, 3-6. This left Knowles to be the hero, as he dismissed Rivera easily 2, 3, and 1. This win allowed the Bahamas to reach America Group 1 semi-finals against Uruguay
Uruguay Davis Cup team
The Uruguay Davis Cup team represents Uruguay in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Asociación Uruguaya de Tenis.Uruguay had been playing in Group II since being relegated in 1996...
the following month, with the winner advancing to play the World Group Qualifying Round, to be played in September. Smith got matters rolling with a decisive win of Diego Pérez
Diego Pérez (tennis)
Diego Pérez is a retired professional tennis player from Uruguay. Pérez turned pro in 1981, and won one ATP Tour singles and three doubles titles in his career, which lasted until 1996...
in the opening match. In the second rubber Knowles eked out a 5-set win over Uruguay No. 1 Marcelo Filippini
Marcelo Filippini
Marcelo Filippini is a former professional tennis player from Uruguay.In 1996, Filippini played what was longest known game in ATP Tour history at Casablanca, going to deuce 20 times with Alberto Berasategui in one game of a 6–2, 6–3 first round loss...
. The two Bahamian stars then wrapped the tie up winning the doubles in four sets.
Smith reached the first or second round in a handful of challenger events before taking June off. In July, a refreshed Smith reached the semi-finals of the Aptos Challenger, losing in that round to a young Patrick Rafter
Patrick Rafter
Patrick "Pat" Michael Rafter is an Australian former World No. 1 tennis player. He twice won the men's singles title at the US Open and was twice the runner-up at Wimbledon. Rafter was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006. He was known for his natural serve-and-volley style of...
. In August he and partner Jean-Philippe Fleurian won the Istanbul Challenger, while the following week in Segovia Smith and Maurice Ruah reached the final. Then in early September he and Bryan Shelton
Bryan Shelton
Bryan Shelton is a former tennis player from the United States who played collegiately for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 1985 to 1988 and professionally from 1989 to 1997. He subsequently returned to his alma mater to coach women's tennis. Shelton was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of...
won the doubles title of the Azores Challenger. To qualify for the Davis Cup 1994 World Group the Bahamas needed to upset the Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
-led U.S. away, in a tie held in late September in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. The opening tie pitted Agassi and Smith with the later coming up second best 2-6, 2-6, 3-6. In the second rubber, Knowles was up two-sets to one on Malivai Washington
MaliVai Washington
MaliVai "Mal" Washington is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He is best remembered for reaching the men's singles final at Wimbledon in 1996.-Family:...
when, again, he retired from the match. This meant the Bahamian tandem needed to win the doubles match to keep their faint hopes for an upset alive. They took the first set in a tie-break but succumbed in four.
Smith bounced back from the Davis Cup disappointment to reach the finals of the Monterrey Challenger, partnering Frenchman Fleurian. The following week he reached the semi-finals of the Ponte Vedra Challenger, while one week later he reached the semis of the Caracas-3 Challenger. Smith finished the year strongly reaching the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Challenger, partnering Kenny Thorne
Kenny Thorne
Kenny Thorne , is a former professional tennis player from the United States.Thorne enjoyed most of his tennis success while playing doubles. During his career he won 2 doubles titles. He achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 67 in 1995.-Doubles titles :-External links:...
. The final ATP ranking release had him at No. 224 in singles and No. 132 in doubles.