He's small, self-admittedly has no major weapons and once lost a record 21 consecutive professional tennis matches.

How, then, has Vince Spadea lasted 15 years on the tour, collected $4.89 million in prize money, beaten almost every top player and been ranked No. 18 in the world?

"It's a reality in life to have highs and extreme lows," said Spadea, the top seed in this week's $50,000 Swanston Challenger at the Sutter Lawn Tennis Club. "It's just been twists and turns and learning a lot. It's part genius and part calamity. Maybe it's a good sign of an artist."

Spadea, who lives in Boca Raton, Fla., and Los Angeles, will make his Swanston debut at 34 years old and No. 90 in the world.

He is the second-most accomplished player in the tournament's four-year history. Mark Philippoussis, a former top-10 player and a two-time Grand Slam runner-up in singles, lost in the first round to Sacramento's Sam Warburg in 2006.

Spadea is also:

• The second-oldest player on the men's tour with the impending retirement of Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, 36. France's Fabrice Santoro, 35, is the oldest.

• The co-author of "Break Point: The Secret Diary of a Pro Tennis Player," published in 2006 and released in paperback this year.

• A "tennis rapper" who spices up his speech, television interviews and book with rhymes. His signature line: "Spadea ain't afraid of ya."

Perhaps that's one reason Spadea has beaten current or former No. 1 players Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Marat Safin, Gustavo Kuerten and Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

So why hasn't Spadea cracked the top 10?

"A lot of it has to do with (insufficient) physical attributes," he said. "I need to build up my serve, speed and conditioning 5 to 10 percent. There's not a lot of difference between (being ranked) No. 18, No. 13 and No. 9."

Spadea has won one singles title on the elite ATP Tour, and his best Grand Slam result is the quarterfinals of the 1999 Australian Open.

He is basically a poor man's Agassi; there are many similarities between the two.

Both are undersized, dark-haired Americans from middle-class families. Both turned pro out of high school.

Spadea relies on his groundstrokes and return of serve, as did Agassi before he retired two years ago at 36.

Both made stunning comebacks, Spadea from No. 237 in 2000 to No. 18 in 2005, and Agassi from No. 141 in 1997 to No. 1 in 1999. And both played into their mid-30s.

Ten years ago, when Spadea was No. 64, Agassi called him "a journeyman." Insulted, Spadea beat Agassi in their next two matches.

"I've always liked being the underdog and proving people wrong," Spadea told the Miami Herald in 2005. "That's how I've made it this far even though I'm 5-10 1/2 with no huge weapons."

Cecil Mamiit, a 32-year-old Los Angeles native who plays for the Philippines, is 2-0 against Spadea in the pros and has watched him play many times over the years.

"He's a tricky player," said Mamiit, who beat Agassi and Michael Chang en route to the final of the 1999 Sybase Open in San Jose as a qualifier. "He gets on the baseline and takes time away from you. He's never late – he has very good timing.

"He can direct the ball early, similar to the way Andre played. He has an aggressive (service) return game and puts a lot of pressure on you."

Spadea's ranking has dropped because of injuries and age, leading him to play some Challengers in addition to Grand Slam and ATP Tour tournaments.

In three consecutive Challengers last month, Spadea reached the final in Tulsa, Okla., won the title in Waco, Texas, and retired from his second-round match in Lubbock, Texas, because of a pulled abdominal muscle.

Spadea's immediate goal is to return to the top 50. He said he'll play full-time next year but doesn't know beyond that.

"I still think I have one last big effort in me," he said. "We'll see how big and successful it becomes."

Call The Bee's Paul Bauman, (916) 326-5515.