Status: Former world #1 ranked doubles tennis player. Won two Olympic gold medals and 17 Grand Slam doubles titles. C0-founder of “Baby Goes Pro” DVD series that introduces children to sports using an animated character who coaches children on the building blocks of sports.
Ht: 5-7 Wt: 145
DOB: February 22, 1964 In: San Juan, Puerto Rico
First Tennis Memory: “Losing 6-0, 6-0 on my first match at 8-years-old.”
Tennis Inspirations: “Martina Navratilova.”
Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “Golf, web design, walking, biking, babies.”
Last Book Read: “Outlier.”
Favorite Movies: “Sound of Music, Bourne Series.”
Favorite TV Shows: “24, Grey’s Anatomy.”
Musical Tastes: “Country, soft pop.”
First Job: “Filing at my dad’s medical practice.”
Current Car: “Toyota Mini-van.”
Favorite Meal: “Puerto Rican anything.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Coffee Haagen Dasz.”
Greatest Career Moment: “First Olympic gold medal (1992 in Barcelon won with Mary Joe Fernandez vs. Spain’s Conchita Martinez/Arantxa Sanchez Vicario).”
Most Painful Career Moment: “First Wimbledon final loss (1991 with Novotna vs. Zvereva/Savchenko Neiland 46 63 46).”
Favorite Tournament(s): “San Diego, Australian Open.”
Childhood Dreams: “Get married and have kids.”
First Famous Tennis Player You Ever Met/Encountered: “Renee Richards.”
Closest Friends From Tennis: “None.”
Funniest Player Encountered: “Mansour Bahrami.”
Toughest Competitor: “Martina Hingis.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “Singing with Cliff Richards at Center Court Wimbledon during a rain delay.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Throwing sawdust at an umpire’s face.”
Best You Ever Felt On Court/Finest Performance: “First Wimbledon win (1992 with Zvereva vs. Savchenko Neiland/Novotna). We were down 4-1 in the first set when it started raining. After the rain, we came out and won 10 of the next 11 games.”
Last Vacation: “La Costa Resort and Spa with twins – not much of a vacation with two one-year olds.”
Strangest Match: “Coming back from a set and 5-1 down in the second against Patty Fendick and Meredith McGrath at the Championship at Madison Square Garden. At that point, it was 11:50 at night. We somehow came back, saved seven match points, including four in the tiebreak – we were down 6-2 in the breaker. We won the third set 6-1 and finished at 1:15. It was hard to get motivated to come back from 5-1 at almost midnight but somehow we did.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “Nadal and Serena.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Respect and tenacity.”
Family: Twins, Karson Xavier, Madison Jane.
Career Accomplishments: WTA professional from 1983-1997; Won 17 Grand Slam doubles titles (14 with Natasha Zvereva) including six French Opens, five U.S. Opens, four Wimbledons, and two Australian Opens; Member of 1990 Fed Cup winning team; Winner of two WTA singles titles (’86 in Singapore, ’91 in Albuquerque); First Puerto Rican woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal; Career high WTA singles ranking of #17 in 1991.
About “Baby Goes Pro”: Founded by Gigi Fernandez and “soccer mom” Valerie Stern. “Baby Goes Pro” encourages children to lead active lifestyles and begin a life-long love of sports. For more info please visit the web site www.Babygoespro.com
(Gigi – center – with Al Roker and Billie Jean King at The White House.)
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