|
residence = Geneva, Switzerland |
datebirth = 5 July, 1979 |
placebirth = Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France |
height = 1.74 m (5 ft 8.5 in) |
weight = 69 kg (152 lb) |
turnedpro = 1994 |
plays = Right; One-handed backhand |
careerprizemoney = $11,998,495 |
singlesrecord = 445-174 |
singlestitles = 23 |
highestsinglesranking = No. 1 (September 13, 2004) |
AustralianOpenresult = '''W''' (2006) |
FrenchOpenresult = QF (2003, 2004) |
Wimbledonresult = '''W''' (2006) |
USOpenresult = SF (2002, 2006) |
doublesrecord = 76-51 |
doublestitles = 2 |
highestdoublesranking = No. 29 (June 26, 2006) |
updated = September 2, 2006 |
}}





'''Amélie Simone Mauresmo''' (born on 5 July 1979) is a French professional tennis player. She is the current women's World No. 1 and has won two Grand Slam singles titles, the 2006 Australian Open and 2006 Wimbledon.

Mauresmo first attained the top ranking on September 13, 2004, holding it for five weeks on that occasion. She was the 14th World No. 1 in women's tennis since the computer rankings began. She is well known for her powerful one-handed backhand (a rarity in women's tennis).

Biography and career

Early career

Amélie Mauresmo was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Inspired by watching Yannick Noah win the 1983 French Open on television, Mauresmo began to play tennis at the age of 4.

In 1996, Mauresmo captured both the Junior French Open and Wimbledon titles. She was named 1996 Junior World Champion by the International Tennis Federation.

Breakthrough and controversy

In 1999, the then unseeded Mauresmo reached the Australian Open final with wins over three seeds (including world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport), before falling to world No. 2 Martina Hingis. Before the final, Hingis called Mauresmo "half a man." Though she lost the final to Hingis, Mauresmo soundly defeated Hingis later in the year, en route to the final of the Paris Indoors event.

It was after her surprise upset of Davenport in their Australian Open semifinal in 1999 that Mauresmo, 19 at the time, came out as a lesbian to the international press.

Mauresmo was only the second Frenchwoman to reach the Australian Open final dating back to 1922 (Mary Pierce won it in 1995) and the third Frenchwoman to reach any Grand Slam final in the open era.

Climb to the top