Nicklas Kulti (born 22 April 1971) is a former professional tennis player from Sweden. He was born in Stockholm. His career-high rankings were World No. 32 in singles in 1993, and No. 11 in doubles in 1997. Kulti was ranked No. 1 in the junior singles rankings in 1989.

Tennis career

Juniors Kulti was ranked No. 1 in the junior world singles rankings in 1989 after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior titles, and finishing runner-up at the US Open.

Pro tour In 1991, Kulti won his first top-level singles title at Adelaide. He won a total of three tour singles titles during his professional career. He also won 13 top-level doubles titles, including the Monte Carlo Masters in 1994 (partnering Magnus Larsson) and the Paris Masters in 2000 (partnering Max Mirnyi). Kulti was a men's doubles runner-up at the French Open in 1995 (with Larsson) and the US Open in 1997 (with Jonas Björkman). Kulti's best singles performance at a Grand Slam event came at the 1992 French Open, where he reached the quarter-finals by defeating John McEnroe, Markus Zillner, Michael Chang and Diego Pérez before being knocked-out by Henri Leconte.

Kulti was a member of the Swedish teams which won the Davis Cup in both 1997 and 1998 (partnering Björkman to win doubles rubbers in the final on both occasions). He was also on the team which finished runners-up in the Davis Cup in 1996. In the fifth and deciding match against Frenchman Arnaud Boetsch, Kulti was a late replacement for the injured Stefan Edberg. In a 4-hour and 46-minute thriller, Boetsch saved three matchpoints and finally overcame Kulti, 7–6, 2–6, 4–6, 7–6, 10–8.

Post-retirement career He runs the Good to Great Tennis Academy together with Magnus Norman and Mikael Tillström.

Junior Grand Slam finals

Singles: 4 (2 titles, 2 runner-ups) ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss1988US OpenHard Nicolás Pereira1–6, 2–6Win1989Australian OpenHard Todd Woodbridge6–2, 6–3Win1989WimbledonGrass Todd Woodbridge6–4, 6–3Loss1989US OpenHard Jonathan Stark4–6, 1–6

ATP career finals

Singles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runner-ups) LegendGrand Slam Tournaments (0–0)ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)ATP World Tour Masters Series (0–0)ATP Championship Series (0–0)ATP World Series (3–4)Finals by surfaceHard (2–0)Clay (0–2)Grass (1–1)Carpet (0–1)Finals by settingOutdoors (3–3)Indoors (0–1)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss0–1Prague, Czech RepublicWorld SeriesClay Jordi Arrese6–7(3–7), 6–7(6–8)Win1–1Adelaide, AustraliaWorld SeriesHard Michael Stich6–3, 1–6, 6–2Win2–1Adelaide, AustraliaWorld SeriesHard Christian Bergström3–6, 7–5, 6–4Loss2–2Copenhagen, DenmarkWorld SeriesCarpet Andrei Olhovskiy5–7, 6–3, 2–6Loss2–3Atlanta, United StatesWorld SeriesClay Karim Alami3–6, 4–6Win3–3Halle, GermanyWorld SeriesGrass Yevgeny Kafelnikov6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–4Loss3–4Halle, GermanyWorld SeriesGrass Nicolas Kiefer3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 25 (13 titles, 12 runner-ups)

LegendGrand Slam Tournaments (0–2)ATP World Tour Finals (0–0)ATP Masters Series (2–1)ATP Championship Series (2–2)ATP World Series (9–7)Finals by surfaceHard (2–4)Clay (6–6)Grass (1–0)Carpet (4–2)Finals by settingOutdoors (8–10)Indoors (5–2)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin1–0Copenhagen, DenmarkWorld SeriesCarpet Magnus Larsson Hendrik Jan Davids Libor Pimek6–3, 6–4Win2–0San Marino, San MarinoWorld SeriesClay Mikael Tillström Cristian Brandi Federico Mordegan6–2, 6–2Win3–0Monte Carlo, MonacoMasters SeriesClay Magnus Larsson Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek3–6, 7–6, 6–4Loss3–1Båstad, SwedenWorld SeriesClay Mikael Tillström Jan Apell Jonas Björkman2–6, 3–6Loss3–2Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaWorld SeriesCarpet Lars-Anders Wahlgren Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis0–6, 5–7Loss3–3Paris, FranceGrand SlamClay Magnus Larsson Jacco Eltingh Paul Haarhuis7–6, 4–6, 1–6Win4–3Antwerp, NelgiumChampionship SeriesCarpet Jonas Björkman Yevgeny Kafelnikov Menno Oosting6–4, 6–4Loss4–4St. Petersburg, RussiaWorld SeriesCarpet Peter Nyborg Yevgeny Kafelnikov Andrei Olhovskiy3–6, 4–6Win5–4New Delhi, IndiaWorld SeriesHard Jonas Björkman Byron Black Sandon Stolle4–6, 6–4, 6–4Loss5–5Monte Carlo, MonacoMasters SeriesClay Jonas Björkman Ellis Ferreira Jan Siemerink6–2, 3–6, 2–6Loss5–6Los Angeles, United StatesWorld SeriesHard Jonas Björkman Marius Barnard Piet Norval5–7, 2–6Loss5–7New Haven, United StatesChampionship SeriesHard Jonas Björkman Byron Black Grant Connell4–6, 4–6Win6–7Atlanta, United StatesWorld SeriesClay Jonas Björkman Scott Davis Kelly Jones6–2, 7–6Win7–7Båstad, SwedenWorld SeriesClay Mikael Tillström Magnus Larsson Magnus Gustafsson6–0, 6–3Loss7–8Indianapolis, United StatesChampionship SeriesHard Jonas Björkman Michael Tebbutt Mikael Tillström1–6, 1–6Loss7–9New York, United StatesGrand SlamHard Jonas Björkman Yevgeny Kafelnikov Daniel Vacek76–7, 3–6Win8–9St. Petersburg, RussiaWorld SeriesCarpet Mikael Tillström Marius Barnard Brent Haygarth3–6, 6–3, 7–6Loss8–10Prague, Czech RepublicWorld SeriesClay Fredrik Bergh Wayne Arthurs Andrew Kratzmann1–6, 1–6Win9–10Stockholm, SwedenInternational SeriesHard Mikael Tillström Chris Haggard Peter Nyborg7–5, 3–6, 7–5Loss9–11Båstad, SwedenWorld SeriesClay Mikael Tillström David Adams Jeff Tarango6–7(6–8), 4–6Loss9–12Bournemouth, United KingdomWorld SeriesClay Michael Kohlmann David Adams Jeff Tarango3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–7(5–7)Win10–12Barcelona, SpainChampionship SeriesClay Mikael Tillström Paul Haarhuis Sandon Stolle6–2, 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–5)Win11–12Halle, GermanyInternational SeriesGrass Mikael Tillström Mahesh Bhupathi David Prinosil7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–4)Win12–12Båstad, SwedenInternational SeriesClay Mikael Tillström Andrea Gaudenzi Diego Nargiso4–6, 6–2, 6–3Win13–12Paris, FranceMasters SeriesCarpet Max Mirnyi Paul Haarhuis Daniel Nestor6–4, 7–5

ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals

Singles: 1 (0–1) LegendATP Challenger (0–1)ITF Futures (0–0)Finals by surfaceHard (0–0)Clay (0–0)Grass (0–0)Carpet (0–1)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss0–1Rennes, FranceChallengerCarpet Stéphane Simian4–6, 6–7

Doubles: 7 (6–1) LegendATP Challenger (6–1)ITF Futures (0–0)Finals by surfaceHard (2–0)Clay (3–1)Grass (0–0)Carpet (1–0)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss0–1Pescara, ItalyChallengerClay Magnus Larsson Fredrik Nilsson David Engel2–6, 6–4, 6–7Win1–1Copenhagen, DenmarkChallengerCarpet Magnus Larsson Alex Antonitsch Ronnie Båthman6–3, 6–2Win2–1Indian Wells, United StatesChallengerHard Mikael Tillström Jan Apell Mike Bauer7–6, 6–4Win3–1Monte Carlo, MonacoChallengerClay Mikael Tillström Nicolas Kiefer Michael Stich7–5, 7–5Win4–1Ljubljana, SloveniaChallengerClay Mikael Tillström Shelby Cannon Stefan Kruger6–4, 6–4Win5–1Braunschweig, GermanyChallengerClay Mikael Tillström Bill Behrens Brendan Curry7–6, 6–4Win6–1Indian Wells, United StatesChallengerHard Michael Tebbutt Scott Davis Kelly Jones6–2, 4–6, 6–3

Performance timelines

Singles Tournament198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000SRW–LWin %Grand Slam tournamentsAustralian Open3R1R1R2R2R3R2R3R2RQ1Q11R0 / 1010–10French Open1R3R2RQF1R2RQ31R1RQ1AA0 / 88–8WimbledonQ3A1R2R1R1RA1R2RQ2AQ20 / 62–6US OpenAA1R1R2R2R1R1RQ1A1RA0 / 72–7Win–loss2–22–21–46–42–44–41–22–42–30–00–10–10 / 3122–31Year-end ChampionshipsGrand Slam CupNHDNQ1RDid not qualifyNH0 / 10–1ATP Masters SeriesIndian WellsAAAAA1RQ2A2RAAA0 / 21–2Miami1RAAA4R2RQ3A4RAAA0 / 46–4Monte CarloAA1RA1R1RQ2Q31RQ2AA0 / 40–4HamburgAA1RAA1RAAAAAA0 / 20–2RomeAA2R1R2R1RAAAQ1AQ10 / 42–4CanadaAAAAAAA1RAAAA0 / 10–1CincinnatiAAAAA1RA1RQ2AAA0 / 20–2ParisAA3R1RQ1Q1AQ3Q1AAA0 / 22–2Win–loss0–10–03–40–23–31–60–00–24–30–00–00–00 / 2111–21

Doubles Tournament1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001SRW–LWin %Grand Slam tournamentsAustralian OpenAAAAAA1R1R3R1R3R3R2R0 / 77–7French OpenAA1RAA2RFQF2R1RSF3RQF0 / 919–9WimbledonQ1AQ1AA2RAQFQFQF1RSFA0 / 614–6US OpenAAAAASF3R1RF3R1R3RA0 / 715–7Win–loss0–00–00–10–00–06–37–36–411–45–46–410–44–20 / 2955–29National RepresentationOlympic GamesNot HeldANot Held1RNot Held1RNH0 / 20–2Year-end ChampionshipsATP FinalsDid not qualifyRRDid not qualify0 / 11–2ATP Masters SeriesIndian WellsAAAAAQ12RAQFAAAA0 / 23–2MiamiAAAAAA2RA3RASFA3R0 / 47–4Monte CarloAAAAAW2RFSF1RAQFA1 / 613–5HamburgAAAAAQFAAAAAAA0 / 12–1RomeAAAAAAAAA2RA2RA0 / 22–2CanadaAAAAAAASFAAAAA0 / 13–1CincinnatiAAAAA1RAQFAAAAA0 / 22–2StuttgartAAAAAAAAA1R1R1RA0 / 30–3ParisAAAAA2RA1R2RQFAWA1 / 57–4Win–loss0–00–00–00–00–08–31–38–46–43–44–27–31–12 / 2639–24

Mixed doubles Tournament1998199920002001SRW–LWin %Grand Slam tournamentsAustralian OpenAQFA1R0 / 22–2French OpenA2R3R2R0 / 33–3WimbledonAA2RA0 / 11–1US Open1RAQFA0 / 22–2Win–loss0–13–24–31–20 / 88–8

References

External links

www.goodtogreatworld.com