Tennis Star Hit by Drunk Driver Hours After Reaching First Ever ATP Final
An Austrian player was denied a final against world number one Ivan Lendl
Reaching a first ATP 1000 final is normally a reason for celebration, but for one Austrian tennis star, it was quickly followed by one of his toughest challenges.
Thomas Muster was one of the best clay-court players in the world throughout the 1990s, and his career highlight came with victory at the French Open in 1995.
His breakthrough came at the Lipton International Players Championship in 1989, held in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Muster reached the final after a thrilling five-set victory over Yannick Noah.
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It was a stunning comeback from the Austrian, who came from two sets down to defeat the Frenchman 5-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
But before his final against world number one Ivan Lendl, Muster was involved in a crash with a drunk driver.
Ronny Leber explained: "Basically his knee was completely ruined. The ligaments and he had to start from scratch."
Although Muster had to withdraw from the final against Lendl, he did not let it hold him back long-term.
Instead, he trained from a wheelchair on a custom-built bench, hitting balls while seated as he waited for his knee to recover.
Muster returned to competitive tennis in September 1989, but it wasn't until 1990 that he began challenging for tournaments again.
Leber continued: "I still have these images in my head of him on the court training, giving it all.
"Everything on a chair was built just for him, practising with his cast or with some racks that he was on, and still hitting it all out.
"He was just an animal out on the court, an absolute fighter."
In 1990, Muster won three tournaments on clay, including the Italian Open.
He also reached the semi-finals of the French Open, where he lost in straight sets to eventual champion Andres Gomez, but he was still named Austrian Sportsman of the Year.
Muster continued to enjoy success on clay, but his first and only Grand Slam title came in 1995.
Between February and June 1995, he won as astonishing 40 consecutive matches on clay, ending the year with 65 victories and just two defeats on the surface.
"I remember his breakout year 1995," Leber added.
"He played in 14 finals, 12 of them he won. A record that stands until this day.
"Only Roger Federer also later went on to win 12 tournaments in one year."
Muster was never able to go further than the quarter-finals at Roland Garros again, and he retired in 1999.
He made a brief return to professional tennis in 2010, but it lasted just over a year.
James Taylor