Andy started the year optimistic that he could break through into the top 100. Whilst still eligible to play juniors it was decided that he was ready for the challenge of the professional game. He had already enjoyed considerable success at Futures level in 2004, winning four tournaments in Spain and Italy so there were high hopes both in the UK and at Sanchez-Casal, his training base in Barcelona, that he was good enough to make a rapid rise.

Ranked just outside the top 400 there was no chance of joining the elite in Australia for the first grand slam event of the season. Instead his coach Pato Alvarez took him to Chile to compete in the qualifying rounds for the Challenger events in La Serena and Santiago played on Clay.

The initial plan was to use these tournaments as a warm up for attempting to qualify for the ATP event at Vina del Mar at the beginning of February but Andy didn't make it through to the main draw in either of the two events, losing to Marin in the final qualifying round of La Serena and then Parada in the opening qualifying round at Santiago; hardly the start they had expected and Vina del Mar disappeared off the agenda.

- Full Story (murraysworld.com)

Queens was the first tournament in which he really shined.

  It's true. Very unfortuante for Andy - the beginning of 2005. That's why it's so amazing with what he has achieved in barely 12 months