By Nick Georgandis
Light the Candles May 26 - June 1
May 27 - Pat Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon men's champion, turns 48. The native of Melbourne, Australia played 16 years on the ATP tour, winning six titles and reaching No. 4 in the world. In 1983 at age 18, he became the youngest player to compete in a Davis Cup final, winning the rubber match as Australia beat Sweden 3-2. In 1987, he lost the Australian Open final in five sets to Stefan Edberg in the last AO match played on grass. He made up for it and how at Wimbledon, shocking first Mats Wilander in the quarterfinals, then Jimmy Connors in the semis before upsetting No. 1 Ivan Lendl int he final. After winning, he climbed into the player's box to celebrate with his family and coach, something that has become a tradition among winners since. Cash is a TV commentator for tennis for both CNN and the BBC.
May 29 - Three-time men's doubles Grand Slam winner Emilio Sanchez turns 48. A native of Madrid, Sanchez first reached No. 1 in men's doubles in 1989. He won the French Open twice (1988, 1990) and the US Open once (1988), and also won a silver medal in men's doubles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.He partnered Andres Gomez to win his first Slam and Sergio Casal for the other two. Sanchez is the brother of WTA standout Aranxta Sanchez Vicario.
France's Sebastien Grosjean, ranked as high as No. 4 in the world in 2002, turns 35. Grosjean won four ATP titles in his 15-year career, and reached the semifinals of four Grand Slams.
May 30 - Sweden's Magnus Norman, former World No. 2, turns 36. Norman won 12 titles in his 10-year career, reaching the 2000 French Open final Australian Open semifinal. He fell to Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten in the finals of Roland Garros. He has coached Robin Soderling and his Good to Great Tennis Academy has produced Stanislas Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov.
June 1 - Belgium's Justine Henin, arguably the second-best women's tennis player of the past 15 years, turns 31. Henin won seven Grand Slam titles and 43 overall
in her career that saw her retire twice - first in 2008 while ranked No. 1 in the world, and again in 2011 after a comeback that began in 2010. Henin won the French Open four times (2003, 2005-2007), the US Open twice (2003, 2007), the Australian Once (2004) and just missed the career Grand Slam by losing int he Wimbledon final twice (2001, 2006). When she won the 2003 French Open, she was the first player from Belgium to ever win a Grand Slam. She also won the 2004 Olympic gold medal in women's singles, defeating France's Amelie Mauresmo. In 2006, she reached all four Grand Slam finals, the first woman to do so since Martina Hingis in 1997. Her top rival was fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters, who owned a slight 13-12 advantage all-time against her, although Henin won all three Grand Slam finals between the two.