Mercedes Paz

Mercedes María Paz (Spanish pronunciation: [meɾˈseðes maˈɾi.a ˈpas]; born 27 June 1966) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. She won three singles titles on the WTA Tour and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 28 in April 1991. Her best Grand Slam result was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.

Mercedes Paz
Country (sports) Argentina
ResidenceTucumán, Argentina
Born (1966-06-27) 27 June 1966
Tucumán
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro1984
Retired1998
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,154,319
Singles
Career record280–279 (50.1%)
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 28 (29 April 1991)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open1R (1991, 1992, 1995)
French Open4R (1986, 1990)
Wimbledon2R (1994, 1996)
US Open2R (1985, 1987, 1988)
Doubles
Career record385–245 (61.1%)
Career titles22
Highest rankingNo. 12 (24 September 1990)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open3R (1991, 1992)
French OpenSF (1991)
WimbledonQF (1990)
US OpenSF (1991)

Paz unexpectedly defeated defending champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the second round of the 1990 French Open. Later that year, at the Virginia Slims of Worcester, Paz also defeated Sánchez Vicario in the round of 16. Five years before, in the semifinals of the 1985 Brazil Open, she beat top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini en route to beating Peruvian Laura Arraya for the title. In so doing, Paz became the first Argentinian woman to capture a major WTA event. In addition to wins over Sánchez Vicario and Sabatini, she also defeated top-seeded Jana Novotná in three sets to reach the semifinals of the Belgian Ladies Open in Brussels in 1989. The previous year, at the 1988 Hilton Head tournament, Paz had defeated Novotná in the round of 32 for the first time.

WTA career finals

Singles 6 (3 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Legend
Virginia Slims (1–1)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV & V (2–2)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. Mar 1985 São Paulo Open, Brazil Clay Peru Laura Arraya 5–7, 6–1, 6–4
Loss 1. Oct 1986 Singapore Open Hard (i) United States Gigi Fernández 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
Loss 2. Oct 1988 Puerto Rico Open Hard Australia Anne Minter 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win 2. Nov 1988 Guarujá Cup, Brazil Hard Canada Rene Simpson 7–5, 6–2
Loss 3. Jul 1989 Belgian Open Clay Czechoslovakia Radka Zrubáková 7–6(8–6), 6–4
Win 3. May 1990 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay United States Ann Grossman 6–2, 6–3

Doubles 40 (22 titles, 18 runner-ups)

Legend
WTA Championships (0–1)
Virginia Slims (7–2)
Tier I (0–1)
Tier II (1–5)
Tier III (2–1)
Tier IV & V (12–8)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. Oct 1984 Japan Open Hard United States Ronni Reis Argentina Emilse Raponi-Longo
Argentina Adriana Villagrán
6–4, 7–5
Win 2. Mar 1985 São Paulo Open, Brazil Clay Argentina Gabriela Sabatini Hungary Csilla Bartos
Brazil Niege Dias
7–5, 6–4
Win 3. Aug 1985 VS New York, U.S. Hard Argentina Gabriela Sabatini Czechoslovakia Kateřina Böhmová
Czechoslovakia Andrea Holíková
5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Win 4. Nov 1986 Puerto Rico Open Hard United States Lori McNeil United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Win 5. Dec 1986 Argentine Open Clay United States Lori McNeil Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Netherlands Nicole Muns-Jagerman
6–1, 2–6, 6–1
Loss 1. Mar 1987 South Carolina Open, U.S. Clay United States Candy Reynolds Peru Laura Arraya
Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen
6–4, 6–4
Win 6. Apr 1987 Family Circle Cup, U.S. Clay West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Zina Garrison
United States Lori McNeil
7–6(8–6), 7–5
Win 7. Nov 1987 Argentine Open Clay Argentina Gabriela Sabatini Canada Jill Hetherington
Switzerland Christiane Jolissaint
6–2, 6–2
Loss 2. Dec 1987 Brasil Open Hard Canada Jill Hetherington United States Katrina Adams
United States Cheryl Jones
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Win 8. Jul 1988 Swedish Open Clay Italy Sandra Cecchini Italy Linda Ferrando
Italy Silvia La Fratta
6–0, 6–2
Win 9. Jul 1988 Belgian Open Clay Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva
Italy Raffaella Reggi
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Win 10. Nov 1988 Guarujá Cup, Brazil Hard Argentina Bettina Fulco Netherlands Carin Bakkum
Netherlands Simone Schilder
6–3, 6–4
Win 11. May 1989 Ilva Trophy, Italy Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš France Sophie Amiach
France Emmanuelle Derly
6–2, 6–2
Loss 3. May 1989 Italian Open Clay Netherlands Manon Bollegraf Australia Elizabeth Smylie
Australia Janine Thompson
6–4, 6–3
Win 12. May 1989 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Austria Judith Wiesner South Africa Lise Gregory
United States Gretchen Magers
6–3, 6–3
Loss 4. Jul 1989 Arcachon Cup, France Clay Netherlands Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Italy Sandra Cecchini
Argentina Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 7–6(7–5)
Winner 13. Jul 1989 Belgian Open Clay Netherlands Manon Bollegraf Netherlands Carin Bakkum
Netherlands Simone Schilder
6–1, 6–2
Win 14. Jul 1989 Swedish Open Clay Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš
Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva
6–2, 7–5
Win 15. Dec 1989 Guarujá Cup, Brazil Hard Argentina Patricia Tarabini Brazil Cláudia Chabalgoity
Brazil Luciana Corsato
6–2, 6–2
Loss 5. Apr 1990 Family Circle Cup, U.S. Clay Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva United States Martina Navratilova
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 6–1
Win 16. Apr 1990 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Czechoslovakia Regina Kordová
Hungary Andrea Temesvári
7–6(7–5), 6–4
Win 17. Apr 1990 Tampa Open, U.S. Clay Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Peru Laura Arraya
Italy Sandra Cecchini
6–2, 6–0
Win 18. Apr 1990 Barcelona Open, Spain Clay Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš
Argentina Patricia Tarabini
6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1
Win 19. Jul 1990 Swedish Open Clay Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen Netherlands Carin Bakkum
Netherlands Nicole Muns-Jagerman
6–3, 6–7(10–12), 6–2
Loss 6. Aug 1990 LA Championships, U.S. Hard Argentina Gabriela Sabatini United States Gigi Fernández
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Loss 7. Oct 1990 Filderstadt Grand Prix, West Germany Hard (i) Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario United States Mary Joe Fernández
United States Zina Garrison
7–5, 6–3
Loss 8. Nov 1990 WTA Championships, New York Carpet (i) Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario United States Kathy Jordan
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
7–6(7–4), 6–4
Loss 9. Apr 1991 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 6–2, 6–2
Loss 10. May 1991 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Netherlands Manon Bollegraf United States Lori McNeil
United States Stephanie Rehe
6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–4
Loss 11. Jul 1991 Internazionali di Palermo, Italy Clay Italy Laura Garrone Czechoslovakia Petra Langrová
France Mary Pierce
6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3
Loss 12. Jul 1991 San Marino Open Clay Italy Laura Garrone Australia Kerry-Anne Guse
Japan Akemi Nishiya
6–0, 6–3
Loss 13. Nov 1991 VS Indianapolis, U.S. Hard (i) United States Katrina Adams United States Patty Fendick
United States Gigi Fernández
6–4, 6–2
Win 20. Dec 1991 São Paulo Open, Brazil Clay Argentina Inés Gorrochategui United States Renata Baranski
United States Laura Glitz
6–2, 6–2
Loss 14. May 1992 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay United States Lori McNeil United States Patty Fendick
Czechoslovakia Andrea Strnadová
6–3, 6–4
Loss 15. Aug 1992 San Diego Open, U.S. Hard Spain Conchita Martínez Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Latvia Larisa Neiland
6–1, 6–4
Loss 16. Apr 1993 Ilva Trophy, Italy Clay Czech Republic Petra Langrová United States Debbie Graham
Netherlands Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
6–0, 6–4
Loss 17. Jul 1993 New Haven Open, U.S. Hard Switzerland Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere Australia Elizabeth Smylie
Czech Republic Helena Suková
6–1, 6–2
Win 21. Jan 1994 Auckland Open,
New Zealand
Hard Canada Patricia Hy Australia Jenny Byrne
Australia Julie Richardson
6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Win 22. Apr 1995 Bol Open, Croatia Clay Canada Rene Simpson Italy Laura Golarsa
Romania Irina Spîrlea
7–5, 6–2
Loss 18. Jul 1997 Internazionali di Palermo, Italy Clay Argentina Florencia Labat Italy Silvia Farina Elia
Austria Barbara Schett
2–6, 6–1, 6–4

ITF Circuit finals

$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles (2–3)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 11 June 1984 ITF Lyon, France Clay Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva 6–7, 6–3, 2–6
Runner-up 2. 25 February 1985 ITF São Paulo, Brazil Clay Sweden Helena Dahlström 7–5, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 1. 10 March 1985 ITF Curitiba, Brazil Clay United States Renee Blount 6–1, 6–2
Winner 2. 1 April 1985 ITF Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Argentina Mariana Pérez Roldán 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 3. 30 September 1996 ITF Newport Beach, United States Hard Ukraine Elena Brioukhovets 2–6, 4–6

Doubles (9–3)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 29 January 1984 ITF Miami, United States Hard United States Ronni Reis United States Heather Crowe
South Africa Rene Mentz
4–6, 3–6
Winner 1. 11 June 1984 Lyon, France Clay United States Ronni Reis France Isabelle Demongeot
France Nathalie Tauziat
1–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner 2. 15 November 1993 La Plata, Argentina Clay Argentina Laura Montalvo Brazil Cláudia Chabalgoity
Paraguay Larissa Schaerer
6–1, 6–4
Winner 3. 14 November 1994 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Argentina Laura Montalvo Slovakia Patrícia Marková
Japan Yuka Tanaka
6–4, 6–3
Winner 4. 25 February 1996 Bogotá, Colombia Clay Greece Christína Papadáki Hungary Virág Csurgó
Czech Republic Kateřina Kroupová-Šišková
7–6, 6–2
Winner 5. 30 September 1996 Newport Beach, United States Hard Canada Rene Simpson United States Erika deLone
Australia Nicole Pratt
6–3, 6–1
Runner-up 2. 20 October 1996 Hayward, United States Hard Australia Annabel Ellwood Canada Jill Hetherington
United States Kathy Rinaldi
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 3. 23 February 1997 Bogotá, Colombia Clay Argentina Laura Montalvo Netherlands Seda Noorlander
Greece Christína Papadáki
6–7, 6–4, 5–7
Winner 6. 27 July 1997 İstanbul, Turkey Hard Italy Laura Golarsa Austria Sylvia Plischke
Germany Marlene Weingärtner
3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner 7. 5 October 1997 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Argentina Laura Montalvo Argentina Celeste Contín
Argentina Romina Ottoboni
4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Winner 8. 2 November 1997 Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil Clay Argentina Laura Montalvo Brazil Miriam D'Agostini
Brazil Vanessa Menga
6–2, 6–0
Winner 9. 27 September 1998 ITF Tucumán, Argentina Clay Argentina Patricia Tarabini Argentina Luciana Masante
Argentina Laura Montalvo
5–7, 6–4, 7–6

Notes

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