Barry Cowan (tennis)
Barry Cowan (born 25 August 1974) is a British former professional tennis player from Southport, England. A left-handed player with a one-handed backhand, he turned pro in 1991 and retired in 2002. He later worked as a tennis commentator for Sky Sports and is a Liverpool FC fan.
Cowan is best known for pushing Pete Sampras to five sets at Wimbledon in 2001, a standout moment in his career. He trained at the LTA Rover School at Bisham Abbey and played for Aughton Tennis Club; he also played hockey for the North of England at under-15 level and was a member of Ormskirk Golf Club.
In singles, Cowan reached a career-high ranking of No. 162 in September 2000. His best Wimbledon result was reaching the second round (2001, 2002). He also appeared in the US Open (2000, 1R) and attempted to qualify for the Australian Open and French Open. In doubles, his highest ranking was No. 136 (August 1999), with Wimbledon doubles best of the third round in 1999.
Key team and Olympic appearances include representing Britain at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he won the first set against Daniel Nestor before losing in straight sets, and a 2001 Davis Cup singles match for Britain against Ecuador.
Prize money from his career totaled about $315,856.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:13 (CET).