Thomas Muster

Thomas Muster is an Austrian former professional tennis player who reached the world number one ranking in February 1996, becoming the first Austrian man to hold that position. Born in 1967, he turned professional in 1985 and built his career primarily on clay courts, earning the nickname the King of Clay during the 1990s for his dominance on that surface, including a 65-2 win-loss record on clay in 1995 alone. That year he won his only Grand Slam singles title at the French Open. Over his career Muster won 44 ATP Tour singles titles and eight Masters titles, finishing with a career singles record of 625 wins and 273 losses, a winning percentage of nearly 70 percent. He also won one ATP doubles title. Muster's rise to the top ranking came after recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in a car accident in 1989, a comeback that became a defining part of his reputation in the sport.