Status: Former WTA number one rated tennis player. Winner of 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon singles titles.
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 152
DOB: July 5, 1979 In: St. Germaines En Laye, France
Childhood Heroes: “I liked, I watched Yannick Noah. That’s why I started to play tennis. And then, while I was a little bit older I think I liked to watch Sabatini and Graf. This period was a good inspiration for me.”
Hobbies/Interests: “I like to ski. I like to surf. I like red wine [smiles]. I like many different things, you know, I like go-carts, horseback riding. I like to enjoy nice dinner with my friends and family. Card games with Sebastien Grosjean and Arnaud Clement. They can last for hours, in a really tense atmosphere. We tease each other a lot and we all try to cheat [laughs]. I enjoy playing Scrabble too.”
Favorite Movies: “Not really a favorite movie. I’m not too much into a movie, sorry [laughs].”
Musical Tastes: “What do I listen to right now? Nelly Furtado, Robbie Williams, Dido, yeah those kinds.”
Early Tennis Memory: “Well, to me, the image I have in mind is really Noah winning the French Open in ’83. That’s really what I think made me play tennis. And it’s still what I have in my mind. Maybe because I saw it so many times after [smiles] — they show it all the time in France after. But that’s the image. It’s not me, it’s someone else.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “Well, sometimes you think about the game. Sometimes you’re a little bit tight — you want to just let it out, so you just start to breathe or really get physically into it, so you can start to sweat a little bit and let it out.”
Favorite Meal: “I like Indian food.”
First Car: “Peugeot 106, green.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Chocolate.”
Greatest Career Moment: “Winning Wimbledon.”
Most Painful Moment: “Probably at the French Open when I lost first round a few years ago (to Jana Kandarr in 2001).
Worst Injury: “Was undoubtedly my knee at the end of 2002, because I didn’t know if I could play again.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “It’s tough — all the French. I’m really good friends with all the French, guys and girls.”
Funniest Player Encountered: “Arnaud Clement [laughs].”
Toughest Competitors: “Fiercest…I think probably the most competitive are maybe Justine and Maria.”
Favorite Tournament: “Rome. Because I always spend terrific moments there. And I’m not even talking about the food [smiles].”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “No.”
On Winning Her First Major in Melbourne: “I think the three main things in the game — tennis, physical and mental — all these three really came together here. When I went on the court I was ready for anything, for everything. I didn’t know how it was going to go. I just knew I had to focus on my game and really try to have the emotional part of the moment really on the side, which I did very well. I knew exactly what I had to do walking out on the court against Justine. And overall I was pretty relaxed. So I think everything really came together for that first set. I was ready to die on the court. That’s just the way I was coming out on the court.”
The Best I Ever Felt On Court: “Probably I’d say the first set against Myskina in Wimbledon (61 36 63 in QF 2006). Couldn’t miss. The final of the Championship probably (d. Henin 26 63 64). I have a few good examples. The first set in Australia against Henin was good too. I was controlling the game pretty well.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Generosity — that’s the main thing. From the heart and everything.”
Andrew Miller · September 13, 2013 at 7:21 am
Mauresmo had a great one hander. Interesting she mentioned sabatini and graf makes you think if you don’t see a one hander on TV that you are less likely to stick with it. Also revealing on the so final with henin – henin knew mauresmo was going to win the match and her decision to pull out and not let mauresmo beat her was one of the least classy moves in tennis history. Henin may have felt she made the right decision but what she really did was set the stage for the Wimbledon final loss to amelie.
She couldn’t have known that but it is obvious in hindsight.
Of the two one handers I liked henins better – maybe better than any player male or female. I am glad mauresmo won two slams – she is a player that reached her potential. Everyone knew she had it in her ! She peaked late in her career.
Scoop Malinowski · September 13, 2013 at 8:19 am
Agree Andew, that was totally bush league from Henin, it was Mauresmo’s first major win, after all the setbacks and sufferings. Mauresmo was destroying Henin in the Aussie final and Henin checked out with the stomach cramps or whatever the heck she faked it to be. That was one of the worst displays of sportsmanship I ever saw on such a big stage as a Slam Final. Lost a lot of respect for Henin that day. It was so good to see Mauresmo get her again in the Wimbledon final. Mauresmo was always a class champion, she did the sport good. Henin may have been the better player but I respect how Mauresmo did it more. But to be a great like Henin, and win all that she won, you have to be more of a cutthroat ruthless competitor. And Henin showed that side in the Aussie final, cheating Mauresmo out of her special moment by defaulting and not letting Mauresmo feel the special of joy of winning the match point to win her first grand slam major title.