ITF

56 ANDREI CHERKASOV Unified Team BARCELONA 1992 MEN'S SINGLES BRONZE I t was fantastic, a great memory, and I'd put it as No. 1 in my career. It's on the same level as the Moscow tournament, the Kremlin Cup, held first time in 1990 when I won it. But a bronze medal for your country is more important. There were a lot of things happening at that moment. It was not Russia. It was CIS – Commonwealth of Independent States. I played two times. In Barcelona I finished third. And I played in Seoul. I was still a junior, it was 1988, and I was 18 years old. In '92 I was more mature and my ranking was much better, so I knew I might have a chance to win a medal. But still, I played [Pete] Sampras on the way, so. It was the third round. I lost the second set, and it was a very close third set. Then I saw Sampras was tired at the end of the set, and he was very tired in the fourth, and then it was two sets all and I knew I had a chance. The conditions were very tough, like 40 degrees centigrade and sunny, tough conditions to play five sets. I felt like I could go another couple of sets because I was that strong physically. I was fresh at the end and in five sets that is very important. For every athlete it is a dream to compete for your country, especially Russia which is a very big country. We had a lot of good players. I was lucky I achieved a lot and had a good ranking. Even though we didn't have any prize money at that Olympics I played for my country and I wanted to do well, and I got the bronze medal. I knew when I played the quarterfinal that if I won I would get the first medal in tennis for Russia because back then there was no game for the third and fourth place, which I think is fair. There were two bronzes – Goran Ivanisevic got the bronze like me. It was a special moment on the podium and I just tried to enjoy it. It's only once in four years you have such an opportunity so you want to play your best tennis. For me, it's even more prestigious than a Grand Slam. Yevgeny Kafelnikov got the gold medal in Sydney, but people said then that it was the second medal for Russia and mentioned I won the first. I was happy for what he achieved because we're actually good friends. In Barcelona my dad was there to support me. He came to see me. He stayed separate, not in the Olympic Village. I remember he came into the Village without a badge and I said, "How come you get in?" because there was a lot of security. He had to use somebody's badge. After my medal we celebrated in the city, in Barcelona, and I also had a Russian friend who lives in Barcelona so we stayed one day more and we had a small celebration. Everyone who comes to my home is not interested in any of the other trophies, just the Olympic medal because it's special. It's hanging in the trophy case where everybody can see it. It's a great opportunity just to compete, and if you get a medal it's like a dream. If you get a medal it's like a dream. If you get a medal it's like a dream. * * Unified Team of 12 former Soviet republics competed in 1992. For me, it's even more prestigious than a Grand Slam.

• Cover