Gigi Fernández

Gigi Fernández

Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Connecticut, USA
Born	(1964-02-22) February 22, 1964 San Juan, Puerto Rico
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 Women's tennis Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona Women's doubles 1996 Atlanta Women's doubles Representing  United States Pan American Games 1983 Caracas Singles 1983 Caracas Women's doubles
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,^[1] 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.^[2]

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,^[3] 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.

Career

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.^[4]

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.^[5] 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".^[6]

Fernández represented Puerto Rico when San Juan played host to the Pan Am Games in 1979. Just 15, Fernández won a bronze medal. In 1982 at the Central American-Caribbean Games in Cuba, she teamed up with Marilda Juliá to win doubles gold and won a silver medal in the singles as well. She represented Puerto Rico at the 1984 Olympics.

Fernández was also on the United States team that won the Fed Cup in 1990.

In singles, Fernández reached as high as World No. 17. She also won two top-level titles and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1994 (ranked 99 becoming the lowest-ranked grand Slam singles semi-finalist at Wimbledon^[7]) and the quarterfinals at the US Open in 1991 and 1994.

Fernández retired from the professional tour in 1997. By far the most successful tennis player in the history of Puerto Rico, Fernández was named Puerto Rico's "Female Athlete of the Century" in 1999.^[6]

On July 12, 2010, Fernández was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside Zvereva.^[5]

Personal life

Fernández was born in Nigeria. Her father Tuto was a well-known doctor in Puerto Rico.^[8] Her cousin José Ferrer was a famous Puerto Rican actor and director.^[8] Fernández started playing tennis when she was seven. When she turned professional in 1983, she became Puerto Rico's first-ever female professional athlete. Prior to turning professional, she played tennis for one season at Clemson University, in 1982–83, where she was a singles and doubles All-American and reached the National Collegiate Athletics Association singles final.

Since retiring from the tour, Fernández has worked as a tennis coach. She has coached players including the former World No. 1 doubles player Rennae Stubbs, Lisa Raymond, and Samantha Stosur. She coached Sam Stosur to her first Grand Slam title, at the 2005 US Open with Lisa Raymond. She has also coached for the Puerto Rican national team and the University of South Florida. Fernández is an ambassador to tennis and shares her passion for tennis and doubles to tennis enthusiast throughout the world.

Fernández earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of South Florida in 2003. She later graduated from Rollins College's Crummer School of Business where she earned a Master of Business Administration. She is the mother of twins, Karson Xavier and Madison Jane, and the partner of retired professional golfer and former LPGA and WWE executive Jane Geddes.^[9]

In 2010, Fernández started a company called Baby Goes Pro.^[10] She presently resides in Connecticut, and is the Director of Adult Tennis at Chelsea Piers Connecticut, as well as Summer director at The Long Ridge Tennis Club.^[11]

Major finals

Grand Slam finals

Women's doubles: 23 (17–6)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1988	US Open (1)	Robin White	Patty Fendick Jill Hetherington	6–4, 6–1
Winner	1990	US Open (2)	Martina Navratilova	Jana Novotná Helena Suková	6–2, 6–4
Runner-up	1991	Australian Open (1)	Jana Novotná	Patty Fendick Mary Joe Fernández	7–6(7–4), 6–1
Winner	1991	French Open (1)	Jana Novotná	Larisa Savchenko Neiland Natasha Zvereva	6–4, 6–0
Runner-up	1991	Wimbledon (1)	Jana Novotná	Larisa Savchenko Neiland Natasha Zvereva	6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Winner	1992	French Open (2)	Natasha Zvereva	Conchita Martínez Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	6–3, 6–2
Winner	1992	Wimbledon (1)	Natasha Zvereva	Larisa Savchenko Neiland Jana Novotná	6–4, 6–1
Winner	1992	US Open (3)	Natasha Zvereva	Larisa Savchenko Neiland Jana Novotná	7–6(7–4), 6–1
Winner	1993	Australian Open (1)	Natasha Zvereva	Pam Shriver Elizabeth Smylie	6–4, 6–3
Winner	1993	French Open (3)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Larisa Savchenko Neiland	6–3, 7–5
Winner	1993	Wimbledon (2)	Natasha Zvereva	Larisa Savchenko Neiland Jana Novotná	6–4, 6–7(9–11), 6–4
Winner	1994	Australian Open (2)	Natasha Zvereva	Patty Fendick Meredith McGrath	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Winner	1994	French Open (4)	Natasha Zvereva	Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond	6–2, 6–2
Winner	1994	Wimbledon (3)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	6–4, 6–1
Runner-up	1995	Australian Open (2)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–4
Winner	1995	French Open (5)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	6–7(6–8), 6–4, 7–5
Runner-up	1995	Wimbledon (2)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	5–7, 7–5, 6–4
Winner	1995	US Open (4)	Natasha Zvereva	Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Rennae Stubbs	7–5, 6–3
Runner-up	1996	French Open	Natasha Zvereva	Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández	6–2, 6–1
Winner	1996	US Open (5)	Natasha Zvereva	Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	1–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner	1997	French Open (6)	Natasha Zvereva	Mary Joe Fernández Lisa Raymond	6–2, 6–3
Winner	1997	Wimbledon (4)	Natasha Zvereva	Nicole Arendt Manon Bollegraf	7–6(7–4), 6–4
Runner-up	1997	US Open	Natasha Zvereva	Lindsay Davenport Jana Novotná	6–3, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 3 (0–3)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents	Score
Runner-up	1995	Australian Open	Cyril Suk	Natasha Zvereva Rick Leach	7–6(7–4), 6–7(3–7), 6–4
Runner-up	1995	Wimbledon	Cyril Suk	Martina Navratilova Jonathan Stark	6–4, 6–4
Runner-up	1995	US Open	Cyril Suk	Meredith McGrath Matt Lucena	6–4, 6–4

Olympic finals

Doubles: 2 (2 gold medals)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents	Score
Gold	1992	Barcelona	Mary Joe Fernández	Conchita Martínez Arantxa Sánchez	7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Gold	1996	Atlanta	Mary Joe Fernández	Jana Novotná Helena Suková	7–6(8–6), 6–4

WTA Tour titles (71)

Singles (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent in the final	Score
1.	October 26, 1986	Singapore	VS	Hard (i)	Mercedes Paz	6–4, 2–6, 6–4
2.	April 18, 1991	Albuquerque, US	IV	Hard	Julie Halard-Decugis	6–0, 6–2

Doubles (69)

• 1985: Washington (with Martina Navratilova), Miami (with Navratilova), Toronto (with Navratilova), Fort Lauderdale (with Robin White)
• 1987: U.S. Indoor Championships (with Lori McNeil), Newport (with McNeil), Mahwah (with McNeil)
• 1988: Tokyo Outdoor (with Robin White), US Open (with Robin White)
• 1989: Newport (with McNeil), Toronto (with Robin White), Tokyo Doubles Championships (with Robin White), Filderstadt (with Robin White)
• 1990: Tokyo/Pan Pacific (with Elizabeth Smylie), Hamburg (with Navratilova), Los Angeles (with Jana Novotná), US Open (with Navratilova), New England (with Helena Suková)
• 1991: Brisbane (with Novotná), Chicago (with Novotna), Light n' Lively Doubles (with Suková), French Open (with Novotna), Oakland (with Patty Fendick), Indianapolis (with Fendick)
• 1992: Houston (with Fendick), French Open (with Natasha Zvereva), Wimbledon (with Zvereva), Barcelona Olympics (with Mary Joe Fernández), US Open (with Zvereva), Oakland (with Zvereva), Philadelphia (with Zvereva)
• 1993: Australian Open (w/Zvereva), Delray Beach (w/Zvereva), Light n' Lively Doubles (w/Zvereva), Hilton Head (w/Zvereva), Berlin (with Zvereva), French Open (with Zvereva), Eastbourne (with Zvereva), Wimbledon (with Zvereva), San Diego (with Suková), Leipzig (with Zvereva), Filderstadt (with Zvereva), Virginia Slims Championships (with Zvereva)
• 1994: Australian Open (with Zvereva), Chicago (with Zvereva), Miami (with Zvereva), Italian Open (with Zvereva), Berlin (with Zvereva), French Open (with Zvereva), Eastbourne (with Zvereva), Wimbledon (with Zvereva), Filderstadt (with Zvereva), Philadelphia (with Zvereva), Virginia Slims Championships (with Zvereva)
• 1995: Tokyo/Pan Pacific (with Zvereva), Hamburg (with Martina Hingis), Rome (with Zvereva), French Open (with Zvereva), San Diego (with Zvereva), Los Angeles (with Zvereva), US Open (with Zvereva), Filderstadt (with Zvereva)
• 1996: Tokyo/Pan Pacific (with Zvereva), Atlanta Olympics (with Mary Joe Fernández), San Diego (with Conchita Martínez), US Open (with Zvereva)
• 1997: Sydney (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario), French Open (with Zvereva), Wimbledon (with Zvereva)

Women's doubles performance timeline

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Mónica Puig

References

External links

• Gigi Fernández at the Women's Tennis Association
• Gigi Fernández at the Fed Cup
  
• Gigi Fernández at the International Tennis Hall of Fame