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By Scoop Malinowski
Status: ATP player from 1991-2003. Achieved career high singles ranking of no. 64 in 1996. Has career wins over Courier, Rosset, Stich, Santoro, Rusedski, Bjorkman, Forget, Pozzi, Wheaton, Frana. Coached Maria Sharapova for six years.
DOB: February 1, 1973 In: Santa Monica, CA
Early tennis memory: Would be playing in Palm Springs with my mom and dad when I was about six years old.
Nicknames: T Man. (What does that mean?) My dad is Michael Patrick and I’m Michael Thomas, so when I was in 10 and 12 and under my parents entered me as Michael T. Joyce. So I was the only kid in the draw with a middle initial, so my friends starting calling me T or T Man. Most of them still do!
Last book read: Last one I read was the Agassi book “Open.”
Favorite movies: Good Will Hunting, The Bucket List.
Favorite meal: Shabu shabu.
Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate chip cookie dough.
First job: My first job was being a ball boy for the LA tournament when I was about 10.
First car: Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Current car: Infinity FX 45.
Greatest sports moment: Beating Jim Courier in the LA open, night match (1995 76 75 R 16).Â
Most painful moment: Losing 10-8 in the fifth, at Wimbledon last round of qualies.
Favorite tournaments: Australian Open and Indian Wells.
Closest tennis friends: Zach Fleischman, David Witt, and Eric Basica.
Funniest players encountered: Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Vince Spadea.
Toughest competitors encountered: Andre Agassi, Marcelo Rios.
Funny tennis memory: I went to Halle, Germany for a tournament but I went to a different Halle which was 900 miles away on the other side.
Embarrassing tennis memory: I thought I was playing doubles with one guy but accidentally signed up with the wrong guy.
Which matches were you playing your very best tennis: Michael Stich 63 62 in Key Biscayne (1995 R 16) when he was ranked no. 2. Also beating Marc Rosset at Wimbledon (1996 1R 60 67 75 62).
Favorite sport outside tennis: Basketball.
Favorite players to watch: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Marat Safin.
People qualities most admired: Honesty, integrity, generosity.
You can read more Biofiles like this at www.mrbiofile.com
Andre Agassi · Halle · Jim Courier · Los Angeles · Michael Joyce · US Open · Wimbledon
RIP · March 8, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Great Biofile. I like that he mentions Safin as a favorite to watch and the Halle story great stuff. I remember watching Zach Fleishman in Challengers as well. I like Joyce’s approach – seems like a straight shooter and candid as well.
Randi · February 5, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Sharapova is no lngoer relevant? What freaking planet are you on? The girl was out with a major shoulder injury for god knows how long and is now starting to get back to her best and you actually think she has no relevance? Wake up to yourself honey and see there is more to tennis than Serena and Venus, the girls who apparently can do no wrong. As for Ana, good to see her in the semi finals and getting her ranking back into the 40's. If that does not jusitify a WC then I don't know what the hell does.
Scoop Malinowski · February 6, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Randi; Sharapova is definitely a force to be reckoned with again after her excellent final result in Melbourne. You can never count out fighters like Maria and Ana, who both know what it takes to be the best in the world at what they do. It’s sometimes easy for us mere mortals to mismeasure the drive and determination inside these great champions who are prone to lapses and slumps. But it’s great for tennis to see Maria and Ana back on the ascent.
Halim · February 7, 2012 at 12:48 am
@luusena You may think that but plyaing tennis as a sport professionaly is in a whole different league of physical endurance, you could just say its hell of a lot harder to play.