Country (sports) | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Residence | Connecticut, USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
San Juan, Puerto Rico |
February 22, 1964 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turned pro | November 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | November 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plays | Right-handed (two handed-backhand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prize money | US$ 4,681,906 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Int. Tennis HoF | 2010 (member page) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 270–232 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 17 (October 6, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Singles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 4R (1990, 1993) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French Open | 2R (1986, 1987, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | SF (1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Open | QF (1991, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 664–184 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 1 (March 4, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | W (1993, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French Open | W (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | W (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Open | W (1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other doubles tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tour Finals | W (1993, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Games | Gold Medal (1992, 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mixed doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Open | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Last updated on: September 10, 2013. |
Beatriz "Gigi" Fernández (born February 22, 1964, in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a former professional tennis player. She is the first female athlete from Puerto Rico to turn professional, the first Puerto Rican athlete to win a Gold Medal (Represented the US Olympic Team), and the first to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Fernández won 17 Grand Slam doubles titles and two Olympic gold medals representing the United States, and reached the World No. 1 ranking in women's doubles. She reached a career high singles ranking of 17 in 1991. Since retiring from the professional tour in 1997 at the age of 33, Fernández has been a tennis coach and entrepreneur. She now shares her knowledge of doubles with tennis enthusiasts throughout the USA by conducting Master Doubles with Gigi Clinics and Doubles Boot Camps.
Fernández was recognized primarily as a doubles specialist during her professional career. She won a career doubles Grand Slam with 17 Grand Slam women's doubles title – six French Open, five US Open, four Wimbledon, and two Australian Open winning at least one Grand Slam title every year from 1988–1997, except 1989, and for three straight years winning three of the four Grand Slam doubles titles in the same year (1992–1994). She won 14 of her 17 Grand Slam titles partnering Natasha Zvereva; their partnership is the second most successful doubles pair in Grand Slam history after Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver in the Open era.
In mixed doubles, Fernández was the runner-up in three of the four Grand Slam mixed doubles events in 1995 (Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) partnering Cyril Suk. Fernández captured 68 career titles in women's doubles and reached the World No. 1 doubles ranking in 1991 and attained the No. 1 ranking again in 1993, 1994 and 1995. She won a total of 69 doubles titles during her career.
Fernández represented the United States at the Olympic Games in 1992 (Barcelona) and 1996 (Atlanta). She teamed with Mary Joe Fernández (no relation) to win the women's doubles gold medal on both occasions. The first gold medal was won against the home team of Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario with the King and Queen of Spain in the audience. The two medals are front and center on Fernández's desk, along with a car license plate that reads "DBL GLD".