Melanie South
 |
|
| Full name | Melanie Jayne South |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |
 Great Britain
|
| Residence | New Malden, London |
| Born |
3 May 1986 Kingston, London |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned pro | 2004 |
| Retired | 2013 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $464,880 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 301–257 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 6 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 99 (2 February 2009) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (2009) |
| French Open | 1R (2009) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2006) |
| US Open | Q3 (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 236–156 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 24 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 120 (9 March 2009) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2008, 2009) |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (2007) |
| Team competitions | |
| Fed Cup | 2–2 |
Melanie Jayne South (born 3 May 1986) is a former English tennis player who announced her retirement from competitive tennis on 2 December 2013 in order to focus on a coaching career.
South won six singles and 24 doubles titles on the ITF tour in her career. On 2 February 2009, she reached her best singles ranking of world number 99. On 9 March 2009, she peaked at world number 120 in the doubles rankings.
Her greatest success in a Grand Slam came in the first round of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships when she came back from one set down to beat the world number 14, Francesca Schiavone, in a match witnessed by Martina Navratilova. At the time, South was ranked at 305 in the world and had reached the main draw courtesy of a wild card. Not since the third round of the 1998 tournament, when Samantha Smith beat the world number 7 Conchita Martínez, had a British woman beaten an opponent of a similar ranking at Wimbledon. She lost in the second round to Shenay Perry, the world number 62. Outside of Wimbledon, South reached the first round of the 2009 Australian Open without needing to qualify or receiving a wild card. This was the first time in her career that her ranking was high enough to grant her access to a Grand Slam main draw without a wild card. She lost to world number 17, Marion Bartoli, in round one.
Melanie South's mother is called Sheila and her father, John, used to play professional football for Fulham (1964–66) and Brentford (1966–67). John is now a tennis coach at New Malden tennis club and Sheila was a short tennis coach. She has two brothers, Andrew and Stephen, who both used to play tennis recreationally. She began playing tennis herself at the age of 6 years old.
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