|
Model Max: Mirnyi Signs With IMG By Richard Pagliaro IMG has seen the beauty in "The Beast". Serve-and-volley stylist Max Mirnyi, nicknamed "The Beast" for his relentless rushes to the net, has signed with the IMG agency. The 23-year-old Belarussian - who moved to Brooklyn, NY as a boy before settling in Bradenton, Florida where he currently lives - joins an IMG roster that includes Tommy Haas, James Blake, Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles. Mirnyi's father, Nikolai, had been overseeing his son's career and helped finalize his recent deal with Nike. The 6-foot-5 Mirnyi, who teamed with Lleyton Hewitt to capture the 2000 U.S. Open doubles championship, produced the best season of his career in 2001. He defeated three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten twice and defeated Pete Sampras and Yevgeny Kafelnikov to reach the finals of the Tennis Masters Series-Stuttgart where he fell to Haas. Since signing with IMG, Mirnyi may move from the tennis court to the catwalk. According to the SportsBusiness Journal's Liz Mullen, Mirnyi's new agent, Max Eisenbud, said Mirnyi is a candidate to be signed to IMG models, which recently signed IMG client James Blake. In the photo above, Mirnyi appears with former Tennis Week web coordinator and current Manhattan model Vica Vinogradova. |