Amy Frazier
Amy Frazier (born September 19, 1972) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won eight singles and four doubles titles on the WTA Tour. On February 27, 1995, she achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 13, while on March 29, 1993, she achieved a career-high doubles ranking of No. 24.
 | |
| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Detroit, Michigan |
| Born | September 19, 1972 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned pro | 1990 |
| Retired | 2006 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $3,460,799 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 497–335 (59.7%) |
| Career titles | 8 WTA, 4 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 13 (February 27, 1995) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1992) |
| French Open | 3R (1995, 2001) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1991, 1992, 1996, 2004) |
| US Open | QF (1995) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 200–225 (47.1%) |
| Career titles | 4 WTA, 5 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 24 (March 29, 1993) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1989–90, 1993, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2006) |
| French Open | 3R (1995) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1995) |
| US Open | QF (1998) |
Biography
Junior career
As a junior, she won US national titles in every age division, and she finished with 11 top 10 rankings, during a 6 year period in the 1980s. She captured 7 US national singles titles and 5 national doubles titles, while her junior Grand Slam record was 12-6 in singles.[1]
Active career
Frazier made her first appearance in four tour qualifying events in 1986 and debuted in the main draw in 1987, including at the 1987 US Open, where she lost to Catarina Lindqvist in the first round. She was an active player until the 2006 US Open, in which she made her 20th consecutive appearance (a record among active players). She also appeared in 18 Australian Open, 18 Wimbledon, and 15 French Open tournaments for an all-time record of 71 Grand Slam appearances, until compatriot Venus Williams surpassed this record at the 2016 US Open. She qualified two times for year end WTA Tour Championships, first time in 1992 and then in 2000.
Her best showing is a pair of quarterfinal appearances at the 1992 Australian Open and 1995 US Open. She lost 30 times in the first round of her Grand Slam matches, 18 times in the second round, 15 times in the third round, six times in the fourth round, and both of her quarterfinal matches. Her all-time Grand Slam record is 73–71. Frazier has more than 30 wins against top-10 players, spent 18 consecutive years in the top 100 and 17 straight seasons inside the Top 40 which is the longest ever continuous span by any male or female tennis player who hasn't reached top 10.[2][3]
Frazier has the distinction of being the last woman to play against Steffi Graf in a WTA Tour match at the 1999 TIG Tennis Classic, played at the La Costa Resort and Spa outside San Diego. During the third set, Graf retired and never played again.
Frazier won eight career titles and was a finalist seven times. Being a flat-hitter, she excelled on hard courts and was the most successful on the summer hard-court events in California and appeared in eight finals in two different events in Japan.
She was also a member of the United States Fed Cup team.
Retirement
Frazier played her last professional tour match at the 2006 US Open.[4] She never officially announced her retirement. After leaving the WTA Tour, she continued to be actively involved in tennis taking up a coaching role at the Franklin Athletic Club, Michigan (her local tennis club where she was first introduced to the sport at three years of age).
USTA National W40 Hardcourt champion
In December 2015, Frazier won the USTA National W40 Hardcourt Championships at La Jolla, California.[5] At 43, it was her first and her last USTA National Senior tournament since leaving the pro tour.
USTA Midwest Hall of Fame induction
In February 2019, she was inducted into the USTA Midwest Hall of Fame.[6]
Personal life
Frazier is married and has a daughter.
WTA career finals
Singles: 15 (8–7)
| Legend |
|---|
| Tier I (0/0) |
| Tier II (1/2) |
| Tier III (4/4) |
| Tier IV & V (2/1) |
| Virginia Slims (1/0) |
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1. | Feb 1989 | Virginia Slims of Kansas, Wichita | Hard (i) | Barbara Potter |
4–6, 6–4, 6–0 |
| Win | 2. | Feb 1990 | U.S. National Indoors, Oklahoma City | Hard (i) |  Manon Bollegraf |
6–4, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1. | Sep 1990 | Nichirei International Championships, Japan | Carpet (i) | Mary Joe Fernández |
3–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 3. | May 1992 | WTA Swiss Open, Lucerne | Clay |  Radka Zrubáková |
4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| Loss | 2. | Apr 1994 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard |  Kimiko Date |
7–5, 6–0 |
| Win | 4. | Aug 1994 | Los Angeles Classic, United States | Hard | Ann Grossman |
6–1, 6–3 |
| Loss | 3. | Sep 1994 | Nichirei International Championships, Japan | Hard (i) |  Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 5. | Apr 1995 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard | Kimiko Date |
7–6(7–5), 7–5 |
| Loss | 4. | Apr 1996 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard | Kimiko Date |
6–4, 7–5 |
| Loss | 5. | Apr 1997 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard | Ai Sugiyama |
4–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 6. | Apr 1999 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard | Ai Sugiyama |
6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 6. | Oct 2000 | Japan Open Championships, Tokyo | Hard |  Julie Halard-Decugis |
6–4, 7–5 |
| Loss | 7. | Jan 2003 | Hobart International, Australia | Hard | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Alicia Molik |
6–2, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 7. | Jan 2004 | Hobart International, Australia | Hard | Shinobu Asagoe |
6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 8. | Nov 2005 | Tournoi de Québec, Canada | Hard (i) |  Sofia Arvidsson |
6–1, 7–5 |
Doubles: 13 (4–9)
| Legend |
|---|
| Tier I (0/0) |
| Tier II (0/5) |
| Tier III (1/3) |
| Tier IV & V (3/1) |
| Virginia Slims (0/0) |
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | Oct 1990 | Puerto Rico Open | Hard | Julie Richardson |
 Elena Brioukhovets Natalia Medvedeva |
6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1. | Apr 1991 | Japan Open Championships | Hard | Maya Kidowaki |
Yone Kamio Akiko Kijimuta |
6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 2. | Apr 1992 | Japan Open Championships | Hard | Rika Hiraki |
Kimiko Date Stephanie Rehe |
5–7, 7–6(7–5), 6–0 |
| Win | 3. | May 1992 | Swiss Open | Clay |  Elna Reinach |
 Karina Habšudová Marianne Werdel |
7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 2. | Feb 1993 | Chicago Cup, United States | Carpet (i) | Kimberly Po |
Katrina Adams Zina Garrison-Jackson |
7–6(7–3), 6–3 |
| Loss | 3. | Sep 1994 | International Championships, Tokyo | Hard (i) | Rika Hiraki |
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Julie Halard-Decugis |
6–1, 0–6, 6–1 |
| Loss | 4. | Apr 1996 | Japan Open Championships | Hard | Kimberly Po |
Kimiko Date Ai Sugiyama |
7–6(8–6), 6–7(6–8), 6–3 |
| Loss | 5. | Aug 1996 | Los Angeles Classic, United States |
Hard | Kimberly Po |
Lindsay Davenport  Natasha Zvereva |
6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 6. | Oct 1996 | Tournoi de Québec, Canada | Carpet (i) | Kimberly Po |
Debbie Graham Brenda Schultz-McCarthy |
6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 7. | Aug 1997 | San Diego Open, United States | Hard | Kimberly Po |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Martina Hingis Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–3, 7–5 |
| Loss | 8. | Apr 1998 | Japan Open Championships | Hard | Kimberly Po |
Nana Miyagi Naoko Kijimuta |
6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 4. | Nov 1999 | Tournoi de Québec, Canada | Carpet (i) | Katie Schlukebir |
Debbie Graham  Cara Black |
6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 9. | Jul 2000 | Stanford Classic, United States | Hard | Cara Black |
Chanda Rubin Sandrine Testud |
6–4, 6–4 |
Grand Slam performance timeline
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Singles
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | W–L | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 1R | 4R | QF | 1R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 1R | A | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 19–16 | ||||||
| French Open | A | A | 2R | A | 1R | 3R | 1R | 2R | A | 2R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 9–13 | ||||||
| Wimbledon | 3R | 4R | 4R | A | 1R | 2R | 4R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 4R | 1R | 3R | 23–16 | ||||||
| US Open | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | QF | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 18–17 | ||||||
| Win–loss | 2–3 | 7–3 | 8–4 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 9–4 | 4–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 4–4 | 2–4 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 4–4 | 7–4 | 4–4 | 2–4 | 69–62 | ||||||
Records against top ranked players
Frazier has had some success against top-ranked opponents. Her records against some of the top rated women are as follows:
- Mary Pierce 4–3
- Justine Henin 2–1
- Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 4–3
- Jennifer Capriati 0–6
- Jelena Janković 0-2
- Pam Shriver 4–1
- Lindsay Davenport 0–10
- Patty Schnyder 3–2
- Steffi Graf 1–6
- Gabriela Sabatini 2–3
- Anke Huber 6–2
- Martina Hingis 1–6
- Martina Navratilova 1–2
- Monica Seles 1–9
- Maria Sharapova 0–3
- Nicole Vaidišová 1–0
- Ai Sugiyama 4–1
- Serena Williams 0–3
- Venus Williams 0–5
- Marion Bartoli 1–2
- Daniela Hantuchová 1–2
- Conchita Martínez 4–8
- Tatiana Golovin 1–1
- Ana Ivanovic 1–1
- Dominique Monami 2-0
- Silvia Farina Elia 3-2
- Barbara Paulus 2-0
- Natasha Zvereva 2-2
- Barbara Schett 4-3
- Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 2-3
- Magdalena Maleeva 1:1
- Katerina Maleeva 3:3
- Manuela Maleeva 2:3
- Helena Suková 0:3
- Jo Durie 0:1
- Kim Clijsters 0:2
- Anna Kournikova 0:2
References
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3erES6fF90
- "Former WTA Top 20 Amy Frazier on How Tennis Tactics and Technology Have Changed over the Years [Podcast]". 14 April 2020.
- "Fantastic Tennis: Getting to Know….Amy Frazier on Apple Podcasts".
- https://www.wtatennis.com/players/60034/amy-frazier/#matches
- "Amy Frazier Wins 40 Hard Court Singles; Debbie Spence Nasim/Tracie Currie Take Doubles Crown". 5 December 2015.
- "Peachy Kellmeyer, Amy Frazier among Americans honored".