Mary Joe Fernández

Mary Joe Fernández
Country (sports)  United States
Residence Miami, Florida, U.S.
Born (1971-08-19) August 19, 1971
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro 1986
Retired 2000
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money US$ 5,258,471
Singles
Career record 437–203
Career titles 7
Highest ranking No. 4 (October 22, 1990)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open F (1990, 1992)
French Open F (1993)
Wimbledon SF (1991)
US Open SF (1990, 1992)
Olympic Games Bronze medal (1992)
Doubles
Career record 344–141
Career titles 19
Highest ranking No. 4 (February 18, 1991)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open W (1991)
French Open W (1996)
Wimbledon SF (1991, 1993)
US Open F (1989)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals W (1996)
Olympic Games Gold medal (1992, 1996)
Olympic medal record
Women's tennis
Representing the  United States
1992 Barcelona Women's doubles
1996 Atlanta Women's doubles
1992 Barcelona Women's singles

Mary Joe Fernández Godsick (born María José Fernández; August 19, 1971) is an American former professional tennis player. She was the runner-up in three Grand Slam singles tournaments and won two Grand Slam women's doubles titles and two Olympic gold medals.

Career

Mary Joe Fernández first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player who won four straight Orange Bowl junior titles. In 1985, aged 14 years and eight days, she became the youngest player to win a main draw match at the U.S. Open when she defeated Sara Gomer in the first round. She turned professional in 1986. She won her first tour doubles title in 1989 at Dallas, partnering Betsy Nagelsen. Her first top-level singles title came in 1990 at the Tokyo Indoor championships. She reached her first Grand Slam singles final in 1990 at the Australian Open, where she was defeated by Steffi Graf. She finished 1990 ranked a career-high World No. 4 in singles.

In 1991, Fernández teamed with Patty Fendick to win the women's doubles title at the Australian Open. She was back in the Australian Open singles final in 1992, this time losing to Monica Seles. Fernández was selected to represent the United States at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, winning a gold medal in women's doubles (with Gigi Fernández) and a bronze medal in singles.

In the quarterfinals of the 1993 French Open, Mary Joe Fernández staged a dramatic comeback against Sabatini after Sabatini took a 6–1, 5–1 lead. But Mary Joe raised the level of her game and saved five match points in the 2nd set before winning a tiebreak. In the 3rd set, Mary Joe finally got rid of Sabatini by hitting a down the line winner, ending the three-hour, 36-minute marathon by a final score of 1–6, 7–6(7–4), 10–8. She then faced second seeded Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals. Mary Joe defeated Arantxa 6–2, 6–2, ending a three match losing streak against the Spaniard. After the heroics against Sabatini in the quarterfinals, followed by her easy win over Arantxa in the semis, Mary Joe's opponent in the final would be top seeded Steffi Graf of Germany. In their nine previous meetings, Mary Joe had lost each time against Steffi. Mary Joe took the opening set 6–4, but Steffi rallied to win by a final score of 4–6, 6–2, 6–4.

Fernández won her second Grand Slam doubles title in 1996 at the French Open, partnering with Lindsay Davenport. The pair went on to capture the year-end WTA Tour Championships doubles title later that year. Revealing the fact she had reached the climax of her career when she was 22 (she defeated Steffi Graf in the first set of French Open final).

Fernández was a late replacement for Chanda Rubin on the United States team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She won a second straight women's doubles gold medal, again in partnership with Gigi Fernández. She was also entered in the singles competition (owing to a withdrawal), and reached the semifinals, where she was defeated for the bronze medal by Jana Novotná. Later that year, Fernández was a member of the U.S. team that won the Fed Cup. Fernández won her final tour singles title in 1997 at the German Open in Berlin. Her final doubles title also came that year in Madrid. She retired from the tour in 2000, having won 7 singles titles, 17 WTA doubles titles, and 2 ITF women's doubles titles.

In 2003, Dr. Wade Exum, the United States Olympic Committee's director of drug control administration from 1991 to 2000, gave copies of documents to Sports Illustrated which revealed that some 100 American athletes who failed drug tests and should have been prevented from competing in the Olympics were nevertheless cleared to compete. Among those athletes was Fernández. [1]

Since retiring from the tour, Mary Joe Fernández has served as a tennis commentator for ESPN and joined CBS Sports as an analyst for the 2005 U.S. Open. She also coaches the U.S. Fed Cup team and served as the woman's coach for the 2012 U.S. Olympic tennis team in London.[2]

Personal

Fernández was born in the Dominican Republic; her parents were immigrants to the country. Her father José is from Spain and her mother Silvia Pino is from Cuba.[3]

She completed her high school education at the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, in Miami, Florida.

On 8 April 2000 in Miami, Fernández married Anthony Lewisohn (Tony) Godsick, a sports agent with International Management Group.[4] They have two children: Isabella Maria (born December 11, 2001) and Nicholas Cooper (born September 15, 2004).[5] She has homes in Cleveland, Ohio, and Key Biscayne, Florida.[6]

Significant finals

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 3 (0 titles, 3 runners-up)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1990 Australian Open Hard West Germany Steffi Graf 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 1992 Australian Open Hard Monica Seles 2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 1993 French Open Clay West Germany Steffi Graf 6–4, 2–6, 4–6

Women's doubles: 7 (2 titles, 5 runners-up)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1989 US Open Hard United States Pam Shriver Australia Hana Mandlíková
United States Martina Navratilova
7–5, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 1990 Australian Open Hard United States Patty Fendick Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–7(5–7), 6–7(6–8)
Winner 1991 Australian Open Hard United States Patty Fendick United States Gigi Fernández
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
7–6(7–4), 6–1
Runner-up 1992 Australian Open Hard United States Zina Garrison Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 6–7(4–7)
Runner-up 1996 Australian Open Hard United States Lindsay Davenport United States Chanda Rubin
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
5–7, 6–2, 4–6
Winner 1996 French Open Clay United States Lindsay Davenport United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
6–2, 6–1
Runner-up 1997 French Open Clay United States Lisa Raymond United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
2–6, 3–6

Olympics

Singles: 1 medal (1 bronze medal)

Outcome Year Location Surface Opponent Score
Bronze 1992 Barcelona Clay Tied DNP

Mary Joe Fernández lost in the semi-finals to Steffi Graf 6–4, 6–2. In 1992, there was no bronze medal play off match, both beaten semi-final players received bronze medals.

Doubles: 2 medals (2 gold medals)

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Gold 1992 Barcelona Clay United States Gigi Fernández Spain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Gold 1996 Atlanta Hard United States Gigi Fernández Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Czech Republic Helena Suková
7–6(9–7), 6–4

Year-End Championships finals

Doubles: 1 (1 title, 0 runners-up)

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1996 New York City Carpet (I) United States Lindsay Davenport Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–3, 6–2

WTA Tour Finals

Singles: 16 (7–9)

Titles by Surface
Hard (2–4)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (2–2)
Carpet (3–2)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. October 9, 1989 Filderstadt Carpet (I) Argentina Gabriela Sabatini 6–7(5–7), 4–6
Runner-up 2. January 15, 1990 Australian Open Hard West Germany Steffi Graf 3–6, 4–6
Winner 1. September 24, 1990 Tokyo Carpet (I) United States Amy Frazier 3–6, 6–2, 6–3
Winner 2. October 15, 1990 Filderstadt Carpet (I) Austria Barbara Paulus 6–1, 6–3
Runner-up 3. April 15, 1991 Houston Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Monica Seles 4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 4. September 16, 1991 Tokyo Hard Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Monica Seles 1–6, 1–6
Runner-up 5. January 13, 1992 Australian Open Hard Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Monica Seles 2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 6. February 3, 1992 Essen Carpet (I) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Monica Seles 0–6, 3–6
Winner 3. February 22, 1993 Indian Wells Hard South Africa Amanda Coetzer 3–6, 6–1, 7–6(8–6)
Runner-up 7. May 24, 1993 French Open Clay Germany Steffi Graf 6–4, 2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 8. June 10, 1994 Sydney Hard Japan Kimiko Date 4–6, 2–6
Winner 4. May 16, 1994 Strasbourg Clay Argentina Gabriela Sabatini 2–6, 6–4, 6–0
Winner 5. February 27, 1995 Indian Wells Hard Belarus Natasha Zvereva 6–4, 6–3
Winner 6. October 16, 1995 Brighton Carpet (I) South Africa Amanda Coetzer 6–4, 7–5
Runner-up 9. June 17, 1996 Eastbourne Grass United States Monica Seles 0–6, 2–6
Winner 7. May 12, 1997 Berlin Clay France Mary Pierce 6–4, 6–2

Doubles: 43 (19–24)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (2–5)
WTA Tour Championships (1–0)
Olympic Games (2–0)
Tier I (2–5)
Tier II (8–11)
Tier III (4–3)
Tier IV (0–0)
Tier V (0–0)
Titles by Surface
Hard (8–14)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (6–4)
Carpet (5–5)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. January 30, 1989 Tokyo Carpet (I) West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch United States Katrina Adams
United States Zina Garrison
3–6, 6–3, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up 2. March 13, 1989 Boca Raton Hard United Kingdom Jo Durie Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 3. August 7, 1989 Los Angeles Hard West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch United States Martina Navratilova
Australia Wendy Turnbull
2–5 ret.
Runner-up 4. August 28, 1989 US Open Hard United States Pam Shriver Australia Hana Mandlíková
United States Martina Navratilova
7–5, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 1. September 18, 1989 Dallas Carpet (I) United States Betsy Nagelsen United States Elise Burgin
South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
7–6(7–5), 6–3
Runner-up 5. January 15, 1990 Australian Open Hard United States Patty Fendick Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–7(5–7), 6–7(3–7)
Winner 2. September 24, 1990 Tokyo Carpet (I) United States Robin White United States Gigi Fernández
United States Martina Navratilova
4–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Winner 3. October 15, 1990 Filderstadt Carpet (I) United States Zina Garrison Argentina Mercedes Paz
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–5, 6–3
Runner-up 6. November 5, 1990 Worcester Carpet (I) Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná United States Gigi Fernández
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–3, 3–6, 3–6
Winner 4. January 14, 1991 Australian Open Hard United States Patty Fendick United States Gigi Fernández
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
7–6(7–4), 6–1
Runner-up 7. January 28, 1991 Tokyo Carpet (I) United States Robin White United States Kathy Jordan
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
6–4, 0–6, 3–6
Winner 5. March 15, 1991 Key Biscayne Hard United States Zina Garrison United States Gigi Fernández
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
7–5, 6–2
Runner-up 8. April 15, 1991 Houston Clay United States Patty Fendick Canada Jill Hetherington
United States Kathy Rinaldi
1–6, 6–2, 1–6
Winner 6. September 16, 1991 Tokyo Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Carrie Cunningham
Peru Laura Gildemeister
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 9. November 11, 1991 Philadelphia Carpet (I) United States Zina Garrison Soviet Union Larisa Neiland
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 10. January 6, 1992 Sydney Hard United States Zina Garrison Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–7(4–7), 7–6(4–7), 2–6
Runner-up 11. January 13, 1992 Australian Open Hard United States Zina Garrison Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 6–7(3–7)
Runner-up 12. June 15, 1992 Eastbourne Grass United States Zina Garrison Latvia Larisa Neiland
Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
0–6, 3–6
Winner 7. July 28, 1992 Olympics Clay United States Gigi Fernández Spain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Winner 8. September 21, 1992 Tokyo Hard United States Robin White Indonesia Yayuk Basuki
Japan Nana Miyagi
6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 13. Mary 3, 1993 Rome Clay United States Zina Garrison Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
4–6, 2–6
Winner 9. May 17, 1993 Lucerne Clay Czech Republic Helena Suková United States Lindsay Davenport
United States Marianne Werdel
6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 14. October 17, 1994 Brighton Carpet (I) Czech Republic Jana Novotná Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Latvia Larisa Neiland
6–4, 2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 15. January 9, 1995 Sydney Hard United States Patty Fendick United States Lindsay Davenport
Czech Republic Jana Novotná
5–7, 6–2, 4–6
Winner 10. March 6, 1995 Delray Beach Hard Czech Republic Jana Novotná United States Lori McNeil
Latvia Larisa Neiland
6–2, 6–4
Winner 11. May 22, 1995 Strasbourg Clay United States Lindsay Davenport Belgium Sabine Appelmans
Netherlands Miriam Oremans
6–2, 6–3
Winner 12. September 18, 1995 Tokyo Hard United States Lindsay Davenport South Africa Amanda Coetzer
United States Linda Wild
6–3, 6–2
Winner 13. January 8, 1996 Sydney Hard United States Lindsay Davenport United States Lori McNeil
Czech Republic Helena Suková
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 16. January 15, 1995 Australian Open Hard United States Lindsay Davenport United States Chanda Rubin
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
5–7, 6–2, 4–6
Runner-up 17. April 1, 1996 Hilton Head Island Clay United States Gigi Fernández Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
2–6, 3–6
Winner 14. May 27, 1996 French Open Clay United States Lindsay Davenport United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
6–2, 6–1
Winner 15. July 22, 1996 Olympics Hard United States Gigi Fernández Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Czech Republic Helena Suková
7–6(8–6), 6–4
Runner-up 18. August 5, 1996 Montreal Hard Czech Republic Helena Suková Latvia Larisa Neiland
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–7(1–7), 1–6
Winner 16. November 4, 1996 Oakland Carpet (I) United States Lindsay Davenport Romania Irina Spîrlea
France Nathalie Tauziat
6–1, 6–3
Winner 17. November 18, 1996 Chase Championships Carpet (I) United States Lindsay Davenport Czech Republic Jana Novotná
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–3, 6–2
Winner 18. March 31, 1997 Hilton Head Island Clay Switzerland Martina Hingis United States Lindsay Davenport
Czech Republic Jana Novotná
7–5, 4–6, 6–1
Winner 19. May 19, 1997 Madrid Clay Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Argentina Inés Gorrochategui
Romania Irina Spîrlea
6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 19. May 26, 1997 French Open Clay United States Lisa Raymond United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 20. August 10, 1998 Boston Hard South Africa Mariaan de Swardt United States Lisa Raymond
Australia Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 21. September 21, 1998 Tokyo Hard Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Russia Anna Kournikova
United States Monica Seles
4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 22. January 11, 1999 Sydney Hard Germany Anke Huber Russia Elena Likhovtseva
Japan Ai Sugiyama
3–6, 6–2, 0–6
Runner-up 23. March 3, 1999 Indian Wells Hard Czech Republic Jana Novotná Switzerland Martina Hingis
Russia Anna Kournikova
2–6, 2–6
Runner-up 24. March 18, 1999 Key Biscayne Hard United States Monica Seles Switzerland Martina Hingis
Czech Republic Jana Novotná
6–0, 4–6, 6–7(1–7)

Grand Slam performance timeline

Singles

Tournament 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Career SR
Australian Open A NH A A 3R F SF F QF 4R 4R 4R SF A 3R 0 / 10
French Open 1R QF 2R A SF QF QF 3R F 3R 1R 4R QF A 4R 0 / 13
Wimbledon A 1R 4R 4R 4R A SF 3R 3R 3R QF QF 4R A 1R 0 / 12
U.S. Open 2R 3R 3R 3R 1R SF 3R SF A 3R QF A 4R 3R 4R 0 / 13
SR 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 1 0 / 4 0 / 48
Career Statistics
Year End Ranking 99 27 20 15 12 4 8 6 7 14 8 16 10 76 38

Doubles

Tournament 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Career SR
Australian Open NH A A QF F W F QF QF QF F 2R A 2R 1 / 10
French Open A 1R A 2R A QF 1R 3R 3R SF W F A 2R 1 / 10
Wimbledon A 1R A A A SF QF SF 1R 1R QF QF A QF 0 / 9
U.S. Open 1R 2R 2R F A SF QF A A A A 3R 3R QF 0 / 9
SR 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 1 1 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 1 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 1 0 / 4 2 / 38
Career Statistics
Year End Ranking 131 85 63 8 6 5 11 15 26 10 5 16 89 26

References

  1. "Scorecard". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  2. Joanne C. Gerstner (June 4, 2012). "Mary Joe Fernandez to coach U.S.". ESPN. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  3. Mary Joe Fernandez
  4. Society Desk (April 9, 2000). "WEDDINGS; Mary Joe Fernandez, Anthony Godsick". New York Times. p. Section 9; Page 9; Column 1.
  5. Outlaw, Adrianna (September 16, 2004). "Mama Mary Joe Gives Birth to Second Child". Tennis Week Magazine.
  6. "Womens Circuit Players". International Tennis Association. Retrieved 11 June 2011.

External links

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