Soft-spoken with a fading Bosnian accent, it is hard to imagine Amer Delic as a terror on the tennis court. His work ethic, friendly demeanor and insatiable desire to become the best tennis player he could be made him an instant fan favorite during his three-year-long stint at the University of Illinois. Despite making the jump to the professional ranks in 2003, he has not forgotten his former teammates. When current Illini Ryler DeHeart won the ITA National Indoor singles title — one of the few titles that eluded Delic during his career —Amer was quick to call and congratulate DeHeart. The call did not surprise him. Delic had always been one of the most thoughtful members of the Illinois tennis team.

Still the same compassionate person, Delic's tennis prowess has propelled him through the world rankings since he has left Illinois. The 6-foot-5, right hander with a rocket serve has matured, his focus has improved and he is now on the verge of what could-be the most successful season of an already highlight-filled tennis career.

Many tennis fans may have first noticed Delic in 2003, when he earned a wildcard into the main draw of the U.S. Open. But that was hardly beginning of this tennis player's trek into the limelight. Delic's story begins far from the tennis courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Amer Delic was born June 30, 1982 in Tuzla, the third-largest city in northeastern Bosnia underneath the Majevica mountain, on the Jala river. He started playing tennis in the public parks in Tuzla at age 5 when his father, Muharem, gave him a wood racket as a present. But ethnic warfare erupted in Yugoslavia in 1992. Shortly after May 25, 1995, when two grenades exploded killing more than 70 young people, in the most deadly act of the Bosnian War, Amer and his family left Tuzla.

In April 1996, after leaving nearly everything behind, Amer and his family settled in Jacksonville, Fla. A school counselor discovered Amer's interest in tennis and the school's tennis coach arranged a time for the two of them to hit. In his first tennis tournament in the United States, 13-year-old Amer reached the finals of a tournament at a local country club playing against 16-year-olds. He lost in the third set of the finals when his racket strings broke.

Throughout his junior career, Delic began to turn the heads of college coaches. He compiled a 45-1 record, won a Florida State Championship (1998) and took home a Gator Bowl title (2000). He was consistently ranked in the top three in his section (Florida) and was a top-five player nationally.

When he joined the Illinois men's tennis team, he became the first No.1 recruit that then-head coach Craig Tiley ever signed. But even then, there was no way of knowing what the future held for the Delic and the Illini.

In the years that Delic was at Illinois, the team went from a Big Ten powerhouse to a national contender. When the Illini won the 2003 NCAA team title over Vanderbilt in Athens, Ga., after a perfect 32-0 season, tennis experts agreed that they were undoubtably the best team in the nation. Still, few people imagined the success Delic and teammates Brian Wilson and Rajeev Ram would have in their singles and doubles competitons in the following week. Delic captured Illinois' first, and only, NCAA singles title. While Ram and Wilson won the doubles tournament as the Illini seized the triple crown of college tennis.

"It doesn't get any better than this," Tiley said at the time. "Never in my wildest dreams did I see us pulling off a sweep like this. It's an unbelievable feat to win all three."

Tennis legend Dan Magill agreed.

"This may go down as the best team ever (in college tennis)," Magill said.

"Everyone on our team has dreamed about this," Delic said at the time. "And now our dreams are coming true."

As the Illini left Georgia, returning to Champaign, they must have known that their lives would change. Of the former Illini on the professional tour, who are starting to make up a traveling fraternity much like the former Stanford tennis players, Delic's career has been among the most promising.

He spent his first years as a professional as a member of one of the USTA High Performance training groups, which include former Vanderbilt star Bobby Reynolds, Brian Baker and Ram. Reynolds was the top-ranked collegian in 2003. Delic finished as the nation's second-best collegian that year. Under the tuteledge of USTA High Performance coaches Dean Goldfine (who would coach Andy Roddick, before becoming Delic's private coach) and Ricardo Acuna, Delic adjusted to the professional game. He built up his strength and polished the skills necessary to excel at an elite level.

A few weeks after winning the NCAA singles title, Delic won his first professional title at a USTA Futures event in Peoria, Ill. He collected his second title at the USTA Futures event in Auburn, Calif. Since then, Delic has been competing in more prestigious events with better results. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 142 in July. In February, his doubles ranking peaked at No. 126. He advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open in doubles in 2005 with Jeff Morrison. In singles, he reached the second round of the Australian Open in 2006. He came one win short of advancing to the main draw of the French Open in 2005.

There is a sense that Delic is just beginning to come into his own as a tennis player. His performances are getting sharper and he has his own coach in his corner. Delic may not have know what the future held for him when he began playing, but it has become evident that, above all, the future will involve success.

2006

• Advanced to the second round of the Australian Open, losing to Nathan Healey 6-4,6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4.
• Joined Bobby Reynolds to reach the second round in doubles of the ATP event in Memphis with a win over Robby Ginepri and Tommy Robredo 6-4, 6-3, before losing to the tournament's second-seeded Simon Aspelin and Todd Perry 6-2, 6-2.

2005

• Won the Mexico City, Mexico Challenger over Jeff Morrison 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
• Reached the quarterfinals of USTA Challenger events in Tunica Resorts, Miss. (l. to Brian Vahaly), Ettling, Germany (l. to Brian Baker), Surbiton, England (l. to Antony Dupuis, Aptos, Calf. (l. to Rajeev Ram), Lubbock, Texas (l. to Ramon Delgado) and Champaign-Urbana (l. to Justin Gimelstob).
• Advanced to the finals of the USTA Challenger event in Carson, Calif., before losing to Gimelstob 7-6(2), 6-4.
• Turned in a career-best doubles performance at the U.S. Open (w/Jeff Morrison), reaching the third round, where the duo lost to Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich 7-6(3), 6-3.
• Posted semifinal appearances in doubles (w/Morrison) at USTA Challenger events in Lubbock, Texas (l. to Scott Oudsema and Jan-Michael Gambill) and Sacramento, Calif., (l. to Scott Lipsky and David Martin).
• Partnered with Eric Nunez to reach the semifinals of the USTA Challenger in Dallas, Texas (l. to Delgado and Andre Sa).
• Won the doubles title (w/Bobby Reynolds) at the USTA Challenger in Calabasas, Calif., over Zbynek Mlynarik and Glenn Weiner 7-5, 7-6(4).
• Played in the qualifying tournaments for the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
• Reached the qualifying round at the French Open where he lost to former world No.12 Arnaud Clement.

2004

• Named a USTA Pro Circuit Player to Watch in 2005, following the 2004 season.
• Returned to Champaign-Urbana, where he attended college, to reach the singles semifinal of the USTA Challenger in Champaign-Urbana where he lost to Ramon Delgado.
• Was a finalist at the USTA Challenger in Nashville, losing to Justin Gimelstob in the finals 7-6(3), 7-6(4).
• Made it to the quarterfinals of the USTA Challenger in Covington, La. Paul Goldstein ended his tournament run 6-3, 6-7(5), 2-0 (ret.)
• Reached the round of 16 at the ATP event in Delray Beach, losing to Mario Ancic 6-1, 6-3.
• Took third-seeded Carlos Moya to four sets in the second round of the U.S. Open, before falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
• Advanced to the quarterfinals of the USTA Lexington, Ky., Challenger where he lost to K.J. Hippensteel 7-6(4), 6-2.
• Was a semifinalist at a Challenger event in Granby, Quebec, Canada, losing to Davide Sanguinetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
• Won his second career USTA Pro Circuit title at the Futures event in Auburn, Calf., beating K.J. Hippensteel 7-6(3), 6-3.
• Advanced to the semifinals of the USTA Futures event in Tampa, Fla., before losing to Brian Baker 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
• Reached the doubles semifinals (w/Todd Martin) at the USTA Challenger in Boca Raton, Fla.
• Qualified into the USTA Challenger in Dallas before advancing to the singles final. Reached the doubles semifinal (w/Bobby Reynolds).

2003

• Was the first Bosnia-American to compete at the U.S. Open in 2003 when he made his Grand Slam debut at the event after earning a wild card. He lost in the first round to Sargis Sargsian, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 5-7.
• Qualified into and reached the second round of the Austin, Texas, Challenger where he lost to Robert Kendrick, 6-3, 6-3.
• Reached the doubles final (w/Reynolds) at the USTA Futures event in Hammond, La.
• Won his first ATP match during his ATP debut at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis, Ind. Held two match points in the second round against then-world No. 11 Paradorn Srichaphan, before losing 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-1.
• Won the first USTA Pro Circuit singles title of his career at the Futures event in Peoria, Ill. Defeated Francisco Rodriguez 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, in the final.
• Advanced to the to the quarterfinals of the USTA Futures event in Chico, Calif.

2002

• Advanced to the final of the USTA Futures event in Kenosha, Wis., after qualifying into the tournament.
• Reached the doubles semifinals at the USTA Futures events in Auburn, Calif., and Sunnyvale, Calif. (w/Michael Calkins).

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