Arantxa Sánchez Vicario facts for kids
![]() Arantxa Sánchez Vicario holding the Australian Open trophy
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Full name | Aránzazu Isabel María Sánchez Vicario | ||||||||||||||||
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Country (sports) | ![]() |
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Residence | Barcelona, Spain | ||||||||||||||||
Born | Barcelona, Spain |
18 December 1971 ||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||
Turned pro | 1985 | ||||||||||||||||
Retired | 2002 | ||||||||||||||||
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | ||||||||||||||||
Prize money | $16,942,640
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Int. Tennis HoF | 2007 (member page) | ||||||||||||||||
Singles | |||||||||||||||||
Career record | 764-296 (72.1%) | ||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 29 | ||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 1 (6 February 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | F (1994, 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
French Open | W (1989, 1994, 1998) | ||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | F (1995, 1996) | ||||||||||||||||
US Open | W (1994) | ||||||||||||||||
Other tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Cup | QF (1998, 1999) | ||||||||||||||||
Tour Finals | F (1993) | ||||||||||||||||
Doubles | |||||||||||||||||
Career record | 676–224 (75.11%) | ||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 69 | ||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 1 (19 October 1992) | ||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | W (1992, 1995, 1996) | ||||||||||||||||
French Open | F (1992, 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | W (1995) | ||||||||||||||||
US Open | W (1993, 1994) | ||||||||||||||||
Other doubles tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
Tour Finals | W (1992, 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
Mixed doubles | |||||||||||||||||
Career record | 68–29 (70.1%) | ||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | W (1993) | ||||||||||||||||
French Open | W (1990, 1992) | ||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | 3R (1990) | ||||||||||||||||
US Open | W (2000) | ||||||||||||||||
Team competitions | |||||||||||||||||
Fed Cup | W (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998) | ||||||||||||||||
Hopman Cup | W (1990, 2002) | ||||||||||||||||
Coaching career (2015–) | |||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Arantxa Sánchez Vicario is a famous Spanish former professional tennis player. She was born on December 18, 1971. Arantxa was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles for 12 weeks. She was also the world No. 1 in women's doubles for 111 weeks.
Arantxa was known for her strong defense on the court. She won 29 singles titles and 69 doubles titles during her career. This includes 14 major titles, which are the biggest tournaments in tennis. She won four in singles, six in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. She also won four Olympic medals and helped Spain win five Fed Cup titles. In 1994, she was named the ITF World Champion.
Contents
Her Amazing Tennis Career
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario started playing tennis when she was only four years old. She would go to the court with her older brothers, Emilio Sánchez and Javier Sánchez, who also became professional players. She would hit balls against the wall with her first racket.
When she was 17, Arantxa became the youngest player to win the women's singles title at the 1989 French Open. She beat the top-ranked player, Steffi Graf, in the final match. Another player, Monica Seles, later broke this record.
Arantxa was known for being very determined and never giving up on a point. A tennis commentator, Bud Collins, called her the "Barcelona Bumblebee." This nickname showed how she would chase every ball on the court.
Grand Slam and Team Wins
Arantxa won six Grand Slam titles in women's doubles. These included the US Open in 1993 and Wimbledon in 1995. She also won four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
She was a key player for Spain's national team. She helped Spain win its first-ever Fed Cup title in 1991. They won the Fed Cup again in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1998. Arantxa holds the record for the most matches won by a player in Fed Cup history (72 wins). She also played in the most Fed Cup matches (58). She was also part of the Spanish teams that won the Hopman Cup in 1990 and 2002.
Retirement and Honors
Arantxa retired from professional tennis in November 2002. She had won 29 singles titles and 69 doubles titles. She briefly came out of retirement in 2004 to play doubles in a few tournaments, including the 2004 Summer Olympics. She is the only tennis player to have played in five Olympics.
Arantxa was one of Spain's most successful Olympic athletes, winning four medals: two silver and two bronze. Later, other Spanish athletes like David Cal and Saúl Craviotto won more medals.
In 2005, TENNIS magazine ranked her among the 40 greatest tennis players of her time. In 2007, she was honored by being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was the first Spanish woman to receive this honor.
In 2009, a tennis court at the Madrid Masters venue, called the Caja Mágica, was named "Court Arantxa Sánchez Vicario" in her honor.
Personal Life
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario has been married twice. She married sports writer Juan Vehils in 2000, and they later separated in 2001. She then married businessman Josep Santacana in 2008. They have a daughter, born in 2009, and a son, born in 2011. They divorced in 2019.
In 2012, Arantxa wrote a book about her life. She mentioned that she had some disagreements about her finances with her family.
Arantxa has an older sister, Marisa, who also played professional tennis for a short time. Her brothers, Javier and Emilio, were also professional tennis players.
Career Statistics
Grand Slam Performance
Singles
Tournament | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | SR | W–L |
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Australian Open | NH | A | A | A | A | SF | SF | SF | F | F | QF | 3R | QF | 2R | QF | A | 1R | 0 / 11 | 41–11 |
French Open | Q1 | QF | QF | W | 2R | F | SF | SF | W | F | F | QF | W | SF | SF | 2R | 1R | 3 / 16 | 72–13 |
Wimbledon | A | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | QF | 2R | 4R | 4R | F | F | SF | QF | 2R | 4R | 2R | A | 0 / 15 | 41–15 |
US Open | A | 1R | 4R | QF | SF | QF | F | SF | W | 4R | 4R | QF | QF | 4R | 4R | 3R | 1R | 1 / 16 | 56–15 |
Win–loss | 0–0 | 4–3 | 7–3 | 15–2 | 6–3 | 19–4 | 16–4 | 18–4 | 23–2 | 21–4 | 19–4 | 15–4 | 19–3 | 9-4 | 15–4 | 4–3 | 0–3 | 4 / 58 | 210–54 |
Doubles
Tournament | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | Career SR |
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Australian Open | A | A | A | A | 3R | W | QF | SF | W | W | SF | QF | QF | 1R | A | F | A | A | A | 3 / 11 |
French Open | 3R | 1R | QF | QF | SF | F | QF | A | F | SF | SF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 17 |
Wimbledon | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | SF | QF | F | W | QF | QF | QF | 3R | 3R | QF | A | A | 1R | A | 1 / 16 |
US Open | 2R | 2R | 1R | QF | 3R | SF | W | W | QF | F | SF | 3R | SF | 3R | QF | 1R | A | A | A | 2 / 16 |
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 2 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 6 / 60 |
Grand Slam Finals
Singles: 12 (4 titles, 8 runners-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
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Win | 1989 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 3–6, 7–5 |
Loss | 1991 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 1992 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 1994 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
0–6, 2–6 |
Win | 1994 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 1994 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
1–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–4 |
Loss | 1995 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 1995 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 6–4, 0–6 |
Loss | 1995 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() |
6–4, 1–6, 5–7 |
Loss | 1996 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 7–6(7–4), 8–10 |
Loss | 1996 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() |
3–6, 5–7 |
Win | 1998 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
7–6(7–5), 0–6, 6–2 |
Doubles: 11 (6 titles, 5 runners-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Win | 1992 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 7–6(7–3) |
Loss | 1992 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
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3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 1993 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–2 |
Loss | 1994 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() |
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4–6, 1–6 |
Win | 1994 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–3 |
Win | 1995 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–4 |
Loss | 1995 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 4–6, 5–7 |
Win | 1995 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() |
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5–7, 7–5, 6–4 |
Win | 1996 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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7–5, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 1996 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–1, 1–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 2002 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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2–6, 7–6(7–4), 1–6 |
Mixed Doubles: 8 (4 titles, 4 runners-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Loss | 1989 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
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3–6, 7–6, 2–6 |
Win | 1990 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6, 7–6 |
Loss | 1991 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
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2–6, 6–7 |
Loss | 1992 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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3–6, 6–4, 9–11 |
Win | 1992 | French Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–3 |
Win | 1993 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–4 |
Loss | 2000 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–7 |
Win | 2000 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–3 |
Summer Olympics
Singles: 2 medals (1 silver medal, 1 bronze medal)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
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Bronze | 1992 | Barcelona | Clay | Tied | DNP |
Silver | 1996 | Atlanta | Hard | ![]() |
6–7(8–10), 2–6 |
Note: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario lost in the semi-finals to Jennifer Capriati 3–6, 6–3, 1–6. In 1992, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semi-final players received bronze medals
Doubles: 2 medals (1 silver medal, 1 bronze medal)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Silver | 1992 | Barcelona | Clay | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–2, 2–6 |
Bronze | 1996 | Atlanta | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–1 |
Year-End Championships Finals
Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
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Loss | 1993 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
Doubles: 6 (2 titles, 4 runners-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Loss | 1990 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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6–7(4–7), 4–6 |
Win | 1992 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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7–6(7–4), 6–1 |
Loss | 1994 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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3–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6 |
Win | 1995 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–1 |
Loss | 1996 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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3–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 1999 | New York City | Carpet | ![]() |
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4–6, 4–6 |
See also
In Spanish: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario para niños
- WTA Awards
- World number 1 ranked female tennis players