MaliVai Washington began playing tennis when he was just 5 years old. And after two years at the University of Michigan, where he finished his sophomore season as the top-ranked college player in the nation, Washington went pro in 1990.

	In 1992, MaliVai Washington reached No. 11 in the world rankings.

In 1992, after winning two titles in six finals appearances, Washington earned a career-high ranking of No. 11. At Wimbledon in 1996, Washington made his first appearance in a Grand Slam final, but just seven months later suffered a knee injury while competing in the Davis Cup that ultimately forced him to retire from the tour at the age of 30.

Since retiring from the court in December, Washington has began commentating for ESPN's tennis coverage.

ESPN.com recently sat down with Washington, who shared his career highlights and some thoughts on Pete Sampras and the French Open.

ESPN.com: What are some of your career highlights?

Washington: I always loved to play in the Davis Cup, although I didn't get too many opportunities because of guys like Sampras, Agassi and Courier, who were always asked before me. But I've always had a lot of respect for guys who do well in the Davis Cup because there's a lot of pressure -- from your friends, family, teammates, coach and country -- to do well. That whole week is geared toward one thing, and that's going out on Friday and winning. And people will do anything for you if you think it'll help you win. If you want a pack of Bubblicious, they'll go find it for you in the middle of Brazil, whatever it takes for you to win.

Beating Gustavo Kuerten in the Davis Cup in 1997 was big time. And when you come through, there's not much of a better feeling. On the flip side, there's nothing worse than losing in the Davis Cup, like I did in the Czech Republic in 1996, losing the fifth match against Petr Korda.

Other big moments were winning my first tournament (Federal Express International) in Memphis against Wayne Ferreira in 1992, and beating Todd Martin in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1996 after being down 5-1 in the fifth set.

I didn't have any big moments in Atlanta, but I loved playing in the 1996 Olympics, despite losing to Sergi Bruguera in the quarterfinals after being up 5-3 in the third set.

And although I finished No. 1 in the nation my sophomore year in college, my greatest moment at Michigan was winning the Big Ten title my freshman year. I really enjoyed the team concept.

ESPN.com: Who was the one player you always looked forward to playing?

Washington: I liked playing opponents where I knew that even if I played my best, it might not be enough, that physically and mentally I had to be on my game. I liked that challenge of seeing how good you could play. I loved playing Pete Sampras, even though every time we played he whipped my butt. But I did beat him on grass in an expo the week before I made the finals at Wimbledon. I also liked to play Michael Chang.

ESPN.com: Why has Pete Sampras "struggled" on clay?

Washington: On a grass court, the points are short, so you can be very aggressive, attack the net and try to put points away. But on clay, you have to be patient. The surface is extremely unpredictable, and your feet often slide out from under you. So a guy like Pete, who is such an aggressive player in terms of coming to the net, struggles. He's attempting to be more patient, but it's still an issue of him not being sure when to come in or stay back.

ESPN.com: If his thigh injury is still hampering him, will it affect him more on clay?

Washington: Clay is the most grueling surface to win on. Generally the points are going to be a lot longer than on any other surface, so there's a lot more running, changing directions with your feet sliding from under you. times when i played on clay, couple times in my career, groin problems, hip flexor problems, stretching for a shot, almost doing splits almost. if still hampering, could be factor on clay, especially the Paris weather is rainy and cool. Still, Sampras has had time to rest and the injury probably won't be a factor.

	MAL-ADJUSTED
	Washington Throughout the French Open, former ATP Tour pro MaliVai Washington will provide ESPN.com with in-depth scouting reports and analysis. Since retiring from the tour in December, Washington has served as a tennis analyst for ESPN.

ESPN.com: What was your favorite Grand Slam to compete in?

Washington: There are so many good tournaments, but as far as winning a Grand Slam, I would have liked to win the U.S. Open. But Wimbledon is also special, especially since I made the finals there in 1996. When you talk about the U.S. Open, you could be talking about golf or tennis. But with Wimbledon, there's no doubt what you're talking about. It's the biggest tournament in the world, and there's a special feel to it.

ESPN.com: What was your most memorable match as a player in the French Open?

Washington: I don't have any really good memories of matches I won at the French Open; I never went past the round of 16 there. But a loss against local Frenchman Guy Forget on Stadium Court 1 in 1991 was one of my most memorable matches there. The French crowds are some of the greatest tennis crowds in the world, and here was I was almost beating their hero. I ended up losing 7-5 in the fifth set. It was the only match in my career when I actually won more points than my opponent and still lost the match. But Paris is beautiful, and although I can't speak a lick of French, other than Arnaud Clement, the country also has a beautiful language.

ESPN.com: If you were playing mixed doubles, who would you want to be your partner?

Washington: Martina Hingis comes to mind because I'd be playing with one of the best doubles players in the world. But I'd also like to play with Serena Williams.

ESPN.com: What are your thoughts on Jim Courier's recent decision to retire?

Washington: I'm glad he didn't retire a couple of years ago when there were rumors out he was considering it. Back then it was a matter of him not being happy with some of his results. But now is probably the right time for him. After years of extensive training, he is losing the desire to compete and train and do what it takes to win. But hey, when you win four Grand Slams you can walk away and be pretty happy with that.

ESPN.com: How has the transition been from player to analyst?

Washington: When I came on the tour, or even five years ago, I didn't think I'd end up broadcasting. But ESPN gave me the opportunity to commentate and spend some time on the sidelines, I got to liking it. It's also a great way to stay involved, especially once I realize I was no longer going to play on the tour. I'll always be involved with tennis, and have been for 25 years.

But I'm happier now than I have been in two years. My knee doesn't determine how my day goes. Now, if my knee doesn't feel good, so what? I'll go golfing (he's a 14-handicap). Before, it meant I was only going to be able to last in my match for an hour and 20 minutes and my opponent could do whatever he wanted to with me.

ESPN.com: Tell us about the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation.

Washington: We provide tennis programs and complement cultural and educational programs to kids every week throughout the year. We give lessons to about 250 kids a week in 11 or 12 different sites around Jacksonville, Fla. We're just trying to expose tennis to a lot of kids who otherwise wouldn't be exposed to the sport, and try to have a positive impact on their lives.