Gigi Fernández

Beatriz "Gigi" Fernández (born February 22, 1964) is a Puerto Rican former professional tennis player. Fernández won 17 major doubles titles and two Olympic gold medals representing the United States, and reached the world No. 1 ranking in doubles. She reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 17 in 1991. Since retiring from the professional tour in 1997 at the age of 33,[1] Fernández has been a tennis coach and entrepreneur. She now shares her knowledge of doubles with tennis enthusiasts throughout the US by conducting Master Doubles with Gigi Clinics and Doubles Boot Camps. Fernández is the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.[2][3]

Gigi Fernández
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceConnecticut
Born (1964-02-22) February 22, 1964
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned proNov. 1983
RetiredNov. 1997
PlaysRight-handed (one handed-backhand)
Prize money$4,646,829
Int. Tennis HoF2010 (member page)
Singles
Career record270–232
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 17 (October 6, 1991)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open4R (1990, 1993)
French Open2R (1986, 1987, 1991)
WimbledonSF (1994)
US OpenQF (1991, 1994)
Doubles
Career record664–184
Career titles69
Highest rankingNo. 1 (March 4, 1991)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1993, 1994)
French OpenW (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997)
WimbledonW (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997)
US OpenW (1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1993, 1994)
Olympic Games Gold Medal (1992, 1996)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenF (1995)
WimbledonF (1995)
US OpenF (1995)
Medal record
Women's tennis
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1992 BarcelonaWomen's doubles
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaWomen's doubles
Representing  Puerto Rico
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place1983 CaracasSingles
Silver medal – second place1983 CaracasWomen's doubles
Bronze medal – third place1979 San JuanWomen's doubles

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 to 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 the Open era after Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.[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 on Fernández's desk, and a license plate on her car states "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 with Marilda Julia 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 Federation 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 semifinalist at Wimbledon[7]) and the quarterfinals at the US Open in 1991 and 1994.

Fernández retired from the professional tour in 1997, and in 1999, she was named Puerto Rico's "Female Athlete of the Century".[6]

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

Personal life

Her parents are Tuto Fernández, a well-known doctor in Puerto Rico, and Beatriz Fernández.[8] Her cousin José Ferrer was a famous Puerto Rican actor and director.[8] Fernández started playing tennis when she was seven. She studied at the prestigious Academia San José in Guaynabo. When she turned professional in 1983, she became Puerto Rico's first female professional athlete. Before turning professional, she played tennis for one season at Clemson University in 1982–83, where she was 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 also coached for the Puerto Rican national team and the University of South Florida.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of South Florida in 2003 and 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 named Baby Goes Pro.[10] She presently resides in Tampa, Florida and was the Director of Adult Tennis at Chelsea Piers Connecticut, as well as Summer Director at The Long Ridge Tennis Club.[11]

In a 2021 interview, Fernández states she receives a lot of negative comments from some Puerto Ricans via her social media and that it saddens her.[12]

Major finals

Doubles: 23 (17–6)
Result Year Championship Partner Opponents Score
Win1988US Open (1)United States Robin WhiteUnited States Patty Fendick
Canada Jill Hetherington		6–4, 6–1
Win1990US Open (2)United States Martina NavratilovaCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Czech Republic Helena Suková		6–2, 6–4
Loss1991Australian OpenCzechoslovakia Jana NovotnáUnited States Patty Fendick
United States Mary Joe Fernández		6–7(4–7), 1–6
Win1991French Open (1)Czech Republic Jana NovotnáLatvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland
Belarus Natasha Zvereva		6–4, 6–0
Loss1991WimbledonCzechoslovakia Jana NovotnáLatvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland
Belarus Natasha Zvereva		4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win1992French Open (2)Commonwealth of Independent States Natasha ZverevaSpain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		6–3, 6–2
Win1992Wimbledon (1)Commonwealth of Independent States Natasha ZverevaLatvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná		6–4, 6–1
Win1992US Open (3)Commonwealth of Independent States Natasha ZverevaLatvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná		7–6(7–4), 6–1
Win1993Australian Open (1)Belarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Pam Shriver
Australia Elizabeth Smylie		6–4, 6–3
Win1993French Open (3)Belarus Natasha ZverevaCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Latvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland		6–3, 7–5
Win1993Wimbledon (2)Belarus Natasha ZverevaLatvia Larisa Savchenko Neiland
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná		6–4, 6–7(9–11), 6–4
Win1994Australian Open (2)Belarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Patty Fendick
Australia Meredith McGrath		6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Win1994French Open (4)Belarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Lindsay Davenport
United States Lisa Raymond		6–2, 6–2
Win1994Wimbledon (3)Belarus Natasha ZverevaCzechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		6–4, 6–1
Loss1995Australian OpenBelarus Natasha ZverevaCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		3–6, 7–6(7–3), 4–6
Win1995French Open (5)Belarus Natasha ZverevaCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		6–7(6–8), 6–4, 7–5
Loss1995WimbledonBelarus Natasha ZverevaCzechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		7–5, 5–7, 4–6
Win1995US Open (4)Belarus Natasha ZverevaNetherlands Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
Australia Rennae Stubbs		7–5, 6–3
Loss1996French OpenBelarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Lindsay Davenport
United States Mary Joe Fernández		2–6, 1–6
Win1996US Open (5)Belarus Natasha ZverevaCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		1–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win1997French Open (6)Belarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Mary Joe Fernández
United States Lisa Raymond		6–2, 6–3
Win1997Wimbledon (4)Belarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Nicole Arendt
Netherlands Manon Bollegraf		7–6(7–4), 6–4
Loss1997US OpenBelarus Natasha ZverevaUnited States Lindsay Davenport
Czech Republic Jana Novotná		3–6, 4–6

Mixed doubles: 3 (0–3)
Result Year Championship Partner Opponents Score
Loss1995Australian OpenCzech Republic Cyril SukBelarus Natasha Zvereva
United States Rick Leach		6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–3), 4–6
Loss1995WimbledonCzech Republic Cyril SukUnited States Martina Navratilova
United States Jonathan Stark		4–6, 4–6
Loss1995US OpenCzech Republic Cyril SukAustralia Meredith McGrath
United States Matt Lucena		4–6, 4–6

Doubles: 2 (2 gold medals)
Result Year Championship Partner Opponents Score
Gold1992BarcelonaUnited States Mary Joe FernándezSpain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez		7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Gold1996AtlantaUnited States Mary Joe FernándezCzech Republic Jana Novotná
Czech Republic Helena Suková		7–6(8–6), 6–4

WTA Tour titles

Singles (2)
Result W/L Date Tournament Category Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. Oct 1986 Singapore, Singapore Tier V Hard (i) Argentina Mercedes Paz 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
Win 2. Apr 1991 Albuquerque, US Tier IV Hard France Julie Halard-Decugis 6–0, 6–2

Doubles (69)

Doubles performance timeline
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# P# DNQ A Z# PO G S B NMS NTI P NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997SRW–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open 1R 1R 2R NH 2R A A SF F QF W W F QF SF 2 / 12 38–10
French Open A A A A QF A 2R A W W W W W F W 6 / 9 45–3
Wimbledon A 3R A 3R 3R QF QF QF F W W W F SF W 4 / 13 53–9
US Open A 2R QF QF 3R W QF W 3R W SF SF W W F 5 / 14 57–9
Win–loss 0–1 3–3 4–2 5–2 8–4 9–1 7–3 13–2 18–3 21–1 22–1 22–1 22–2 18–3 21–2 17 / 48 193–31
Olympic Games
Summer Olympics NH A Not Held A Not Held G Not Held G NH 2 / 2 9–0
Year-end championships
Tour Championships A A A QF A QF QF A F SF W W F SF QF 2 / 10 13–8
Category 5 & Tier I tournaments
Washington No Levels A SF Tier II Not Held 0 / 1 2–1
Tokyo NH No Levels Category 4 Tier II SF A W W F 2 / 4 13–2
Boca Raton NH No Levels A QF T II QF A Tier II Not Held 0 / 2 3–2
Indian Wells Not Held C 4 Tier II A SF 0 / 1 2–1
Miami NH No Levels F F A F 2R QF W F A A 1 / 7 25–6
Hilton Head No Levels A A A QF QF W F F F SF 1 / 7 18–6
Rome No Levels C 3 A A A A QF W W F QF 2 / 5 15–3
Berlin No Levels A A A SF F W W QF A F 2 / 6 17–4
Montreal / Toronto No Levels A W A A F A A A A A 1 / 2 7–1
Zurich NH No Levels C 3 C 4 Tier II F A A A A 0 / 1 3–1
Philadelphia Not Held Tier II SF W QF Tier II 1 / 3 7–2
Career statistics
Year-end ranking — — — 17 20 6 8 3 4 6 1 2 3 4 4

See also

References
  1. "WTA, Players, Stats, Gigi Fernandez". Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  2. "Gigi Fernandez". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011.
  3. "Gigi Fernández: "We Have A Mixed Identity"". Puerto Rico Herald. May 30, 2002. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  4. "ITA Women's Hall of Fame: 2008 Inductee – Gigi Fernandez". Web.wm.edu. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  5. "Gigi Fernandez, International Tennis Hall of Fame". Tennisfame.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  6. Drucker, Joel (September 30, 2008). "Fernandez remembered for her trademark zeal on the court". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  7. "WTA, Players, Info, Gigi Fernández". WTA Tour. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  8. according to WTA players guide
  9. Crouse, Karen (August 29, 2010). "A Dream Deferred, Almost Too Long". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 29, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  10. "Tennis champion Gigi Fernandez launches Baby Goes Pro with the goal of 'Inspiring a generation to move'" (PDF). babygoespro.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 1, 2011.
  11. "Gigi Fernandez: Chelsea Piers Director of Tennis". Tennis Club at Chelsea Piers. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  12. Collazo, Fernando A. (October 7, 2021). "Gigi Fernández lamenta el "odio" que le tienen los boricuas: "Vende patria es lo más nice que me dicen"". El Calce (in Spanish). Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
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