Michelle Jaggard-Lai
Michelle Jaggard-Lai (born 6 May 1969) is a retired tennis player from Australia. She turned professional in 1984. In her career, Jaggard-Lai won three doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She also reached the quarterfinals of the 1992 Australian Open, partnering Kimiko Date. In singles, she reached round three of the 1989 Australian Open. She reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 42 in February 1991 and a best singles ranking of No. 83 in May 1993.
 Michelle Jaggard-Lai at the Brisbane Hardcourt Championships, January 1994 | |
| Country (sports) | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia |
|---|---|
| Residence | Sydney, Australia |
| Born | 6 May 1969 Sydney |
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Turned pro | 1984 |
| Retired | 1994 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$ 406,279 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 179–178 (50.1%) |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 2 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 83 (10 May 1993) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (1989) |
| French Open | 2R (1989, 1990) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (1987, 1988, 1989, 1993) |
| US Open | 1R (1993) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 147–138 (51.6%) |
| Career titles | 3 WTA, 7 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 42 (4 February 1991) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1992) |
| French Open | 2R (1987, 1988, 1990, 1992) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991) |
| US Open | 3R (1993) |
Jaggard-Lai was a member of the Australia Fed Cup team that lost in the final of the 1993 Federation Cup.
She played in the singles main draw at the Australian Open eight times, the French Open six times, Wimbledon four times & the US Open once. In doubles, she played in the main draw at the Australian Open seven times, the French Open & Wimbledon nine times, and the US Open six times.
She married ex-professional soccer player Gershwin Lai from the Netherlands, in February or March 1992.
Jaggard-Lai retired from the tour at the end of 1994 (aged just 25 & ranked No. 2 in Australia in singles at the time). Together with her husband, she is a tennis teacher at Wakehurst Tennis in Seaforth, New South Wales, Australia.[1]
WTA career finals
Doubles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runner-ups)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Location | Surface | Partnering | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | Oct 1987 | VS Indianapolis, United States |
Hard (i) | Jenny Byrne |
 Beverly Bowes Hu Na |
6–2, 6–3 |
| Winner | 2. | Jul 1989 | Schenectady, United States |
Hard | Hu Na |
Sandra Birch Debbie Graham |
6–3, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 1. | Feb 1990 | Wellington Classic, New Zealand |
Hard | Julie Richardson |
 Natalia Medvedeva Leila Meskhi |
3–6, 6–2, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | Apr 1990 | Japan Open | Hard | Hu Na |
Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie |
0–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
| Winner | 3. | Nov 1994 | Taipei Championships, Taiwan |
Hard | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Rene Simpson |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nancy Feber  Alexandra Fusai |
6–0, 7–6(12–10) |
ITF Circuit finals
| $100,000 tournaments |
| $75,000 tournaments |
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
Singles (2–6)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 12 May 1986 | Lee-on-the-Solent, United Kingdom | Clay |  Hellas ter Riet |
3–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 12 October 1986 | Kofu, Japan | Hard |  Kumiko Okamoto |
6–7, 0–6 |
| Winner | 1. | 11 November 1990 | Mount Gambier, Australia | Hard | Tracey Morton-Rodgers |
7–6, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 18 November 1990 | Nuriootpa, Australia | Hard |  Suzanna Wibowo |
4–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 1 December 1991 | Mildura, Australia | Hard | Rennae Stubbs |
4–6, 6–1, 6–7 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 23 November 1992 | Nuriootpa, Australia | Hard | Alexandra Fusai |
6–7, 6–3, 3–6 |
| Winner | 2. | 21 November 1993 | Port Pirie, Australia | Hard | Jane Taylor |
6–2, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 28 November 1993 | Nuriootpa, Australia | Hard | Nicole Pratt |
7–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
Doubles (7–1)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Location | Surface | Partnering | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 6 October 1986 | Chiba, Japan | Hard |  Belinda Cordwell |
Kumiko Okamoto Naoko Sato |
6–2, 7–6(3) |
| Winner | 2. | 31 October 1986 | Sydney, Australia | Hard | Lisa O'Neill |
Nicole Bradtke Louise Field |
w/o |
| Winner | 3. | 17 September 1990 | Chiba, Japan | Hard | Marianne Werdel |
 Eva Pfaff Julie Richardson |
6–4, 6–7, 7–6 |
| Winner | 4. | 10 November 1991 | Port Pirie, Australia | Grass | Jo-Anne Faull |
Kerry-Anne Guse Justine Hodder |
6–2, 7–5 |
| Winner | 5. | 10 May 1992 | Porto, Portugal | Clay |  Virginia Ruano Pascual |
Jennifer Fuchs  Maria Strandlund |
6–3, 7–5 |
| Winner | 6. | 26 October 1992 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Clay | Kristine Kunce |
Kristin Godridge Nicole Pratt |
3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Winner | 7. | 2 November 1992 | Machida, Japan | Grass | Julie Richardson |
Ingelise Driehuis Maya Kidowaki |
6–3, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 6 December 1992 | Mildura, Australia | Hard | Elizabeth Smylie |
Catherine Barclay Louise Stacey |
3–6, 4–6 |
References
- Our team – Coaching crew at Wakehurst Tennis