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Mary Joe Fernández (b. August 19, 1971, in the Dominican Republic)
is a former professional tennis player from the United States of Cuban descent.
During her career she was runner-up in three Grand Slam singles events, and
won two Grand Slam doubles titles and two Olympic Gold Medals.
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 8 days, Fernández became the youngest-ever
player to win a main draw match at the US Open when she defeated Sara Gomer
in the first round 6-1, 6-4.
Fernández turned professional in 1986. She won her
first tour doubles titles in 1989 at Dallas. Her first top-level singles
title came in 1990 at the Tokyo Indoor championships.
Fernández reached her first Grand Slam singles final
in 1990 at the Australian Open, where she was defeated 6-3, 6-4 by Steffi
Graf. She finished 1990 ranked a career-high World No. 4 in singles.
1991 saw Fernández win the women's doubles at the
Australian Open, partnering Patty Fendick.
Fernández was back in the Australian Open singles
final in 1992. This time she lost 6-2, 6-3 to Monica Seles.
Fernández was selected to represent the United States
at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, and won a Gold Medal in the women's
doubles partnering Gigi Fernández (no relation), and a Bronze Medal
in the women's singles.
In the quarter-finals of the French Open in 1993, Fernández
staged a dramatic comeback against Gabriela Sabatini, who at one point led
their encounter 6-1, 5-1. Fernández saved five match points during
the 3-hour, 36-minute match and eventually won 1-6, 7-6(7-4), 10-8. She then
beat Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6-2, 6-2 in the semi-finals to reach
her third Grand Slam singles final. In a tight three-set final against Steffi
Graf, Fernández lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Fernández won her second Grand Slam doubles title
in 1996 at the French Open, partnering Lindsay Davenport. The pair went on
to capture the year-end WTA Tour Championships doubles title later that year.
Fernández was a late replacement for Chanda Rubin
on the United States team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and ended-up
winning a second straight women's doubles Gold Medal partnering Gigi Fernández.
She was also entered in the singles competition due to a withdrawal and reached
the semi-finals. She was defeated in the Bronze Medal play-off by Jana Novotná.
Later that year, Fernández was also a member of the US team which
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
at Madrid. She retired from the tour in 2000, having won 7 singles titles
and 19 doubles titles.
Since retiring from the tour, Fernández has served
as a tennis commentator for ESPN and joined CBS Sports as an analyst for
the 2005 U.S. Open.
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