Alexandra Stevenson facts for kids
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | San Diego, California |
| Born | December 15, 1980 La Jolla, California |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Turned pro | June 1999 |
| Retired | 2018 |
| Plays | Right (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $1,472,403 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 427–448 (48.8%) |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 1 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 18 (October 28, 2002) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2001, 2003) |
| French Open | 1R (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1999) |
| US Open | 1R (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 40–82 (32.79%) |
| Career titles | 1 WTA |
| Highest ranking | No. 67 (July 7, 2003) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2001) |
| French Open | 1R (2001, 2003) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2003) |
| US Open | 2R (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 8–7 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2000) |
| US Open | SF (1999) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pan American Games | ||
| Bronze | Winnipeg 1999 | Women's singles |
Alexandra Winfield Stevenson (born December 15, 1980) is an American former professional tennis player. She started learning tennis at age four. Her coach, Angel Lopez, taught her the game. He continued to coach her throughout her professional career.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alexandra's mother is Samantha Stevenson, a sports journalist. Her father is Julius Erving, a famous former NBA player. Alexandra met her father for the first time in October 2008. This meeting was shared in an article by ESPN.com.
Stevenson graduated from the University of Colorado in December 2007. She earned a degree in Sociology. She was on the Dean's List, which means she had excellent grades. She is the only top-eight tennis player to graduate from college while playing professionally. In December 2009, she was honored by the La Jolla Country Day School Hall of Fame.
Tennis Career Highlights
Starting Her Professional Journey
Alexandra Stevenson began her professional tennis career in 1998. She played in the US Open as a special entry, but she lost in the first round. In 1999, she played well at a tournament in Birmingham, England. This event was a warm-up for Wimbledon.
Wimbledon Success
Just two weeks after finishing high school, Stevenson made history at Wimbledon in 1999. She became only the second player in the modern tennis era to reach the semifinals after starting from the qualifying rounds. She beat strong players like Julie Halard and Jelena Dokić. Her amazing run ended when she lost to the eventual champion, Lindsay Davenport. During the tournament, Stevenson hit 57 aces. An ace is a serve that the opponent cannot return. Her serves were very fast, often over 120 mph. Her second serve was also known for being very fast, between 105 and 115 mph.
After her success at Wimbledon, Tennis Magazine named her Rookie of the Year. People Magazine called her "Most Fascinating." She was also interviewed by Barbara Walters. From 1999 to 2002, Stevenson trained at the IMG Academy with coach Nick Bollettieri. She played against many top-ranked players during these years.
Climbing the Ranks
In 2001, Stevenson reached the quarterfinals in Quebec City and Linz. In 2002, she reached her highest ranking, No. 18 in the world. She had a memorable match against Monica Seles in Tokyo. Both players served incredibly well, with no breaks of serve until the tiebreakers. The referee called it "the finest women's serving match I have ever seen."
In 2002, Stevenson won her first doubles title. She teamed up with Serena Williams in Leipzig, Germany. She also reached the finals in Linz, Austria, beating two top-ten players, including Jennifer Capriati. She finished 2002 ranked No. 18.
Dealing with Injuries
In 2003, Stevenson started having shoulder pain. In September 2004, she had surgery on her right shoulder. After 18 months of recovery, she started trying to return to playing in 2006. She played in the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon in 2006. She won one match but then had to stop due to a muscle strain. By 2009, her shoulder was much stronger.
Playing Style
Alexandra Stevenson was known as a "power player" in tennis. She is 6 feet 1 inch tall and plays with her right hand. She uses a one-handed backhand. Her strong serve, forehand, and one-handed backhand were key parts of her game. Her fastest serve was recorded at 125 mph. She was the first woman to hit 57 aces during the Wimbledon tournament in 1999.
Her powerful style came from years of training. When she was nine, she traveled to Los Angeles to train with coaches Robert Lansdorp and Pete Fischer. Lansdorp helped her develop her strong groundstrokes. Fischer, who also coached Pete Sampras, helped her perfect her serving motion.
Broadcast Career
In August 2019, Alexandra Stevenson joined the ESPN team. She became a tennis commentator for the US Open. She also commented on the US Open in 2020 and 2021 for ESPN.
Personal Life
On September 11, 2001, Alexandra Stevenson lost a friend named Manny Del Valle. He was a firefighter who died at the World Trade Center. She wrote an article in The New York Times about him. In 2002, the four Grand Slam tournaments allowed her to wear a special patch on her Nike cap. The patch honored Del Valle's fire company.
See also
In Spanish: Alexandra Stevenson para niños
