Amélie Mauresmo facts for kids
Mauresmo in June 2014
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| Full name | Amélie Simone Mauresmo | ||||||||||
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| Country (sports) |  France |
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| Residence | Geneva, Switzerland | ||||||||||
| Born | 5 July 1979 Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France |
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| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1993 | ||||||||||
| Retired | 3 December 2009 | ||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) | ||||||||||
| Coach | Loïc Courteau (2002–2008) Hugo Lecoq (2008–2009) |
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| Prize money | US,022,476
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| Int. Tennis HoF | 2015 (member page) | ||||||||||
| Singles | |||||||||||
| Career record | 545–227 (70.6%) | ||||||||||
| Career titles | 25 | ||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (13 September 2004) | ||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (2006) | ||||||||||
| French Open | QF (2003, 2004) | ||||||||||
| Wimbledon | W (2006) | ||||||||||
| US Open | SF (2002, 2006) | ||||||||||
| Other tournaments | |||||||||||
| Grand Slam Cup | QF (1999) | ||||||||||
| Tour Finals | W (2005) | ||||||||||
| Doubles | |||||||||||
| Career record | 92–62 | ||||||||||
| Career titles | 3 | ||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 29 (26 June 2006) | ||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||
| Australian Open | QF (1999) | ||||||||||
| French Open | 2R (1997, 1998) | ||||||||||
| Wimbledon | F (2005) | ||||||||||
| US Open | 3R (1999) | ||||||||||
| Team competitions | |||||||||||
| Fed Cup | W (2003) | ||||||||||
| Coaching career (2013–) | |||||||||||
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| Coaching achievements | |||||||||||
| Coachee singles titles total | 8 | ||||||||||
| List of notable tournaments (with champion) Wimbledon (Bartoli) |
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Medal record
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Amélie Simone Mauresmo (born 5 July 1979) is a French former world No. 1 tennis player. She is also a well-known tennis coach and a tournament director. Amélie won 25 singles titles on the WTA Tour. These include two major championships: the 2006 Australian Open and the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. She also won the 2005 WTA Tour Championships. In addition, she earned an Olympic silver medal in singles at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Amélie first became the world's top-ranked player on 13 September 2004. She held this spot for five weeks. She was famous for her powerful one-handed backhand and excellent play at the net. Amélie officially announced her retirement from professional tennis on 3 December 2009, after a 15-year career. The next year, she began coaching both WTA and ATP players, including former world No. 1 Andy Murray.
In 2015, Amélie Mauresmo was honored by being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In 2021, she was chosen to be the director of the famous French Open tennis tournament.
Contents
Early Life and Junior Success
Amélie Mauresmo was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a town near Paris, France. She started playing tennis at age four. This happened after she watched Yannick Noah win the 1983 French Open on TV. Her parents bought her first tennis racket right after that. In 1998, Yannick Noah chose her to join the French team for the Fed Cup. Her mother, Françoise, was a homemaker, and her father, Francis, was an engineer. She also has a brother named Fabien, who is also an engineer.
In 1996, Amélie had a fantastic year as a junior player. She won both the junior French Open and Wimbledon singles titles. Because of these wins, the International Tennis Federation named her the 1996 Junior World Champion.
Player Career Highlights
Amélie Mauresmo had a remarkable career as a professional tennis player. She achieved many important milestones and won major titles.
1999: First Grand Slam Final
In 1999, Amélie Mauresmo, who was not expected to go far, reached the Australian Open final. On her way, she beat three seeded players, including the world No. 1, Lindsay Davenport. She then lost to world No. 2, Martina Hingis, in the final. Amélie was only the second Frenchwoman ever to reach the Australian Open final. She was also only the third Frenchwoman to reach any Grand Slam final during the Open Era.
Later that year, Mauresmo defeated Hingis again. This happened when she was on her way to the final of the Paris indoor event.
2004: Olympic Silver and World No. 1
In 2004, Mauresmo reached the semifinals at Wimbledon. She lost a tough match to Serena Williams in three sets. She also made it to the quarterfinals of the other three Grand Slam tournaments. That year, she won three big tournaments called Tier I titles in Rome, Berlin, and Montreal.
Amélie won a silver medal in singles at the Olympic Games in Athens. She was defeated by Justine Henin in the final match.
On 13 September 2004, Amélie Mauresmo made history. She became the first French tennis player to be ranked world No. 1 since computer rankings began in the 1970s. She stayed at the top for five weeks. She was also the second woman, after Kim Clijsters, to reach the No. 1 spot without having won a Grand Slam title yet.
2005: WTA Tour Championships Win
Mauresmo reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. There, she was defeated by the player who would eventually win the tournament, Serena Williams.
At the French Open, Mauresmo was the third seed. However, she was surprisingly beaten in the third round by a then little-known 17-year-old player, Ana Ivanovic.
At the US Open, Mauresmo lost in the quarterfinals to Mary Pierce. This came after she lost in the semifinals to Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon.
Amélie won her first major singles title at the 2005 WTA Tour Championships. She defeated Mary Pierce in the final. This was a great win, especially since she had lost to Pierce earlier in the tournament.
2006: Two Grand Slam Titles
The year 2006 was amazing for Amélie Mauresmo. At the Australian Open, she won her first Grand Slam singles title. She beat two former world No. 1 players from Belgium, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, on her way to the title. Both opponents had to stop their matches early due to injuries or illness. Mauresmo was leading in both matches when they retired.
After her Australian Open win, Mauresmo won her next two tournaments. She won the Open Gaz de France in Paris and the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium.
At the Qatar Open in Doha, Mauresmo reached the final but lost to Nadia Petrova. Even though she didn't win the final, her performance was enough to bring her back to the world number-one ranking on 20 March 2006.
Mauresmo then reached the semifinals of the Miami Open. She lost there to the player who eventually won the tournament, Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Amélie lost in the fourth round of the French Open to Czech teenager Nicole Vaidišová. She then had a first-round loss at a Wimbledon warm-up tournament. However, Mauresmo and Kuznetsova won the doubles title there, which was their first together.
Mauresmo was the top seed at Wimbledon. She defeated Anastasia Myskina in the quarterfinals and Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. In the final, she came back from one set down to defeat Henin. This victory was Mauresmo's second Grand Slam singles title and her first on grass courts. She was also the first Frenchwoman since Suzanne Lenglen to win Wimbledon.
She later had to withdraw from some tournaments due to a groin injury.
At the US Open, Mauresmo lost to Sharapova in the semifinals. This was a tough match where she lost two sets without winning a game.
To finish the year, Mauresmo reached the final of the WTA Tour Championships in Madrid. She lost to Henin there. Mauresmo ended the year ranked world No. 3.
2007: Diamond Racquet Win
Mauresmo started 2007 with a quarterfinal loss at the Sydney International. At the Australian Open, she lost in the fourth round to Lucie Šafářová.
At the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, Mauresmo defeated Kim Clijsters in the final. This was Mauresmo's third win in a row at this tournament. This win earned her a special diamond-encrusted racquet, which is given to players who win the title at least three times in five years. The trophy was worth a lot of money. After this, Mauresmo played the Dubai Open, where she lost to Justine Henin in the final.
On 16 March 2007, Amélie Mauresmo received a special honor. She was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by the French President Jacques Chirac.
Mauresmo had to miss some tournaments due to health issues, including appendicitis. She lost in the third round of the German Open and in the second round of the Rome Masters. At the French Open, Mauresmo lost in the third round to Lucie Šafářová.
After losing in the final of a warm-up tournament, Mauresmo went into Wimbledon as the defending champion. However, she lost in the fourth round to Nicole Vaidišová. This loss caused her ranking to drop to world No. 6, the first time she was outside the top five since November 2003.
Mauresmo later withdrew from the US Open due to not being fit enough. She finished the year with some early losses in other tournaments.
2008: Challenges and Injuries
In 2008, Mauresmo faced more challenges. She lost in the quarterfinals of her first tournament of the year. At the Australian Open, she lost in the third round. She also had early exits at other tournaments, often losing in the third or second rounds.
At the French Open, Mauresmo lost in the second round. She also had to retire from a match at the Eastbourne International due to an injury.
At Wimbledon, Mauresmo lost in the third round to two-time champion Serena Williams. She was dealing with a thigh injury during the match. Because of her injury, Mauresmo decided not to play in the Olympic Games.
After a two-month break due to her thigh injury, Mauresmo returned to play. She reached the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open and the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament. At the US Open, Mauresmo lost in the fourth round.
On 29 September, Mauresmo announced that she would no longer be working with her long-time coach, Loïc Courteau. She ended the year ranked world No. 24.
2009: Final Year and Retirement
In 2009, Amélie Mauresmo started the year strong at the Brisbane International tournament. She reached the semifinals before having to stop due to an injury. At the Australian Open, Mauresmo lost in the third round.
Mauresmo won her first tournament since 2007 by defeating Elena Dementieva in the final of the Open Gaz de France tournament in Paris.
She then played in the Indian Wells Open and Key Biscayne tournaments. At Key Biscayne, she won the doubles event with her partner Svetlana Kuznetsova.
At the Madrid Masters, Mauresmo had a great run, reaching the semifinals. She lost to the rising young star Caroline Wozniacki.
Mauresmo lost in the first round of the French Open. At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, she was the 17th seed. Her fourth-round match became part of tennis history because it was the first competitive match where the new roof closed due to rain. Mauresmo went on to lose that match.
At the 2009 US Open, Mauresmo lost in the second round.
On 8 October 2009, Mauresmo announced that she was thinking about retiring from tennis. On 3 December 2009, she officially announced her retirement at a press conference in Paris. She ended her career ranked world No. 21.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Amélie Mauresmo began a successful coaching career.
Early Coaching Roles (2010–2013)
In 2010, Mauresmo briefly coached fellow French player Michaël Llodra during the grass court season. In 2012, she joined the team of Victoria Azarenka, who was then the world No. 1 player.
In 2013, Mauresmo started coaching French tennis player Marion Bartoli. Soon after Mauresmo became her coach, Bartoli won her first Grand Slam title at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. Bartoli said that Mauresmo helped her a lot in her career comeback.
Coaching Andy Murray (2014–2016)
On 8 June 2014, it was announced that Mauresmo would be the new coach of Andy Murray. Under her coaching, Murray reached the 2015 Australian Open final. In May 2015, Mauresmo helped Murray win his first ever titles on clay courts. This included the 2015 Madrid Open, where he beat Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time. Murray also reached the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Mauresmo took some time off in August 2015 after giving birth to her son. She returned to coaching Murray later that year. In 2016, Murray reached his fifth Australian Open final under her guidance. Mauresmo's last tournament as Murray's coach was the 2016 Madrid Open. She stepped down as his coach on 9 May 2016.
At the same time, she was also the captain of the France Fed Cup team since 2013. After the 2016 final, which her team lost, she announced she was leaving that role because she was expecting her second child.
Later Coaching Roles (2018–2020)
In June 2018, she was chosen to be the captain of the France Davis Cup team. However, she decided not to take this position. Instead, she chose to coach French player Lucas Pouille for the 2019 season.
Under Mauresmo's coaching, Lucas Pouille reached the semifinals of the 2019 Australian Open. This was a big achievement for him, as he had never won a match at the Australian Open before. Mauresmo and Pouille stopped working together in October 2020.
Playing Style
Amélie Mauresmo was an exciting player known for her all-court game. She was very skilled technically. Her best shot was her one-handed backhand, which was one of the most effective on the WTA tour. She could hit her backhand with power, spin, or slice. Her backhand often won her many points.
Her forehand was sometimes less consistent, and opponents would try to hit to her forehand to make her make mistakes. However, Mauresmo worked hard and improved her forehand over her career.
Her serve was powerful, often reaching speeds of 107 mph (172 km/h). She could even serve as fast as 116 mph (186 km/h), which helped her hit many aces. Her second serve was also reliable, so she didn't make many double faults.
Mauresmo was one of the best players at the net on the WTA Tour. She often chose to finish points close to the net. She was excellent at hitting volleys, showing great touch and a variety of shots. She was also good at the "serve and volley" tactic, especially on grass courts.
She was an aggressive returner, standing close to the baseline to receive serves. She could effectively neutralize powerful serves with her backhand or forehand. Despite her great skills, Mauresmo sometimes struggled with confidence and nerves. However, her game was effective on all types of tennis courts, and she won tournaments on every surface.
Grand Slam Performance
Even though Amélie Mauresmo was one of the top players for many years, it took her some time to win a Grand Slam tournament. People sometimes criticized her mental strength, saying she got nervous in big matches. For example, in two Wimbledon semifinals, she lost after being in a strong winning position. Before she won the 2006 Australian Open title, many people called her "the greatest women's player never to win a Grand Slam." After winning the 2006 Wimbledon title, Mauresmo joked, "I don't want anyone to talk about my nerves anymore."
Mauresmo is one of several tennis players who reached the world No. 1 ranking without first winning a Grand Slam singles title. Other players who did this include Kim Clijsters, Ivan Lendl, and Caroline Wozniacki.
Grand Slam Finals
Singles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1999 | Australian Open | Hard |  Martina Hingis |
2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 2006 | Australian Open | Hard |  Justine Henin |
6–1, 2–0 ret. |
| Win | 2006 | Wimbledon | Grass | Justine Henin |
2–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Doubles: 1 (runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2005 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Svetlana Kuznetsova |
 Cara Black Liezel Huber |
2–6, 1–6 |
Olympic Finals
Singles: 1 (silver medal)
| Result | Year | Location | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 2004 | Athens Olympics | Hard | Justine Henin |
3–6, 3–6 |
Personal Life
On 16 August 2015, Amélie Mauresmo announced that she had given birth to a baby boy named Aaron. She later gave birth to her daughter, Ayla, on 26 April 2017.
Mauresmo was one of the final people to carry the torch at the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
See Also
In Spanish: Amélie Mauresmo para niños
- List of Grand Slam Women's Singles champions
