Country (sports) | Portugal |
---|---|
Residence | Lisbon, Portugal |
Born |
Setúbal, Portugal |
4 May 1983
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
Turned pro | 1999 |
Retired | 2010 |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | US$172,509 |
Singles | |
Career record | 226–145 (61%) |
Career titles | 0 WTA, 12 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 133 (6 July 2009) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | Q2 (2009) |
French Open | Q2 (2009) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2009) |
US Open | Q3 (2008) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 145–85 (63%) |
Career titles | 0 WTA, 18 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 185 (6 July 2008) |
Neuza Silva (born 4 May 1983) is a former Portuguese professional tennis player. Her career high WTA singles ranking was 133, which she reached on 6 July 2009; her career high doubles ranking is 185, set at 6 July 2008. Silva regularly competed for the Portugal Fed Cup team, and had a total win–loss record of 16–6.
Silva debuted in the ITF Circuit in Vila do Conde with a first round loss. Her first high level match came in 2002 at the Estoril Open, followed soon by her first presence in the Fed Cup. Both matches resulted in defeat.
Her greatest moment came at home at the 2004 Estoril Open when she defeated Julia Schruff, the previous year finalist, 3–6, 7–6(5), 7–6(8), to become the first Portuguese female player to win a singles match at the tournament. She would then lose to fourth seed Denisa Chládková 6–2, 6–1.
The year 2009 proved to be a breakthrough year for Silva. In February, she entered her first Tour event outside of Portugal in Pattaya and reached the second round, defeating Jessica Moore 6–2, 6–1 before losing to home player and sixth seed Tamarine Tanasugarn 6–3, 6–2.
In May, at Estoril, she played first seed Iveta Benešová in the first round, losing 6–4, 5–7, 6–4. In doubles, with Alexandra Dulgheru, she reached the quarterfinals.
On 18 June 2009, Silva qualified for her first Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon, where she lost to second seed Serena Williams on 22 June 2009, 6–1, 7–5 in the first round.
Her next WTA Tour event was the Tashkent Open in September, where she lost in the first round 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 to eight seed Galina Voskoboeva.