Francesca Schiavone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Francesca Schiavone

Schiavone at the 2017 Aegon International Eastbourne
Country (sports)	Italy
Residence	Milan, Italy
Born	(1980-06-23) 23 June 1980 (age 45) Milan, Italy
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Turned pro	1998
Retired	2018
Plays	Right (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	$11,324,245
Official website	schiavonefrancesca.com
Singles
Career record	614–479 (56.18%)
Career titles	8
Highest ranking	No. 4 (31 January 2011)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2011)
French Open	W (2010)
Wimbledon	QF (2009)
US Open	QF (2003, 2010)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	RR (2010)
Olympic Games	QF (2004)
Doubles
Career record	224–205 (52.21%)
Career titles	7
Highest ranking	No. 8 (12 February 2007)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	SF (2009)
French Open	F (2008)
Wimbledon	SF (2012)
US Open	SF (2006)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2006)
Olympic Games	QF (2008)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2006, 2009, 2010), record 27–22

Francesca Schiavone (born 23 June 1980) is a famous Italian former professional tennis player. She was known for her powerful game and unique style. Francesca reached a high ranking of world No. 4 in singles and No. 8 in doubles.

She won eight singles titles during her career. Her biggest win was a major championship at the 2010 French Open. This made her the first Italian woman to win a major singles title. Francesca is also the last player to win a major women's title using a one-handed backhand.

Francesca was also a runner-up in singles at the 2011 French Open. In doubles, she was a runner-up at the 2008 French Open. She helped Italy win the Fed Cup three times: in 2006, 2009, and 2010. She holds the record for the most match wins for the Italian team.

Francesca Schiavone played the longest women's singles match ever at a major tournament. This happened at the 2011 Australian Open. She beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in a match that lasted 4 hours and 44 minutes!

She announced her retirement from tennis at the 2018 US Open. After retiring, she started coaching other players. In April 2021, she began coaching Petra Martić.

Francesca's Tennis Career

Francesca Schiavone won eight singles titles and was a runner-up eleven times. She had to wait a while for her first title. She lost her first eight finals on the WTA Tour before finally winning a championship in July 2007.

She was a key player for the Italian Fed Cup team.

• In 2006, she and her teammates Mara Santangelo, Flavia Pennetta, and Roberta Vinci beat the Belgian team to win Italy's first Fed Cup trophy.
• In 2009, Italy won the Fed Cup again, this time against the United States.
• In 2010, Italy, with Francesca, won the Fed Cup for a third time.

Francesca also had some big wins against top players. In 2008, she beat the world No. 1 player, Justine Henin, at the Dubai Open. She also defeated Amélie Mauresmo in a Fed Cup match in 2006 when Mauresmo was ranked No. 1.

In doubles, Francesca reached the finals of the 2008 French Open with her partner Casey Dellacqua. They finished as runners-up. She also made it to the semifinals in doubles at the other three major tournaments.

Winning the French Open in 2010

Francesca Schiavone was seeded 17th at the French Open in 2010. Not many people expected her to win. However, she played incredibly well.

• She defeated several players, including Li Na and Maria Kirilenko.
• She then beat world No. 3, Caroline Wozniacki, to reach her first French Open quarterfinal since 2001.
• In the semifinals, she faced Elena Dementieva. Francesca won when Dementieva had to stop playing due to an injury. This win made Francesca the first Italian woman to reach a major final. It also meant she would become a top-ten player for the first time.

In the final, Francesca played against Samantha Stosur. Stosur was considered the favorite because she had beaten many strong players. But on June 5, 2010, Francesca surprised everyone! She won the match 6–4, 7–6. This made her the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title. She also became the oldest woman to win her first major title in the Open Era. After this victory, she rose to No. 6 in the world rankings. This was the highest ranking ever for an Italian woman at that time.

After her big win, Francesca continued to play in other tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals of the US Open for the first time since 2003. She also played in the season-ending Tour Championships for the first time in her career.

2011: Reaching New Heights

Francesca started 2011 strong at the Australian Open. She reached the quarterfinals for the first time. In the fourth round, she played a very long match against Svetlana Kuznetsova. The match lasted almost five hours (4 hours and 44 minutes)! Francesca saved six match points before winning 6–4, 1–6, 16–14.

After this tournament, Francesca's ranking rose to world No. 4. This was the highest ranking ever achieved by an Italian woman. In the quarterfinal, she lost to world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, in a tough three-set match.

Francesca was the defending champion at the French Open. She played very well again, beating many strong opponents. She reached the final for the second year in a row. However, she lost to Li Na, who won her first major title.

2012: Continued Efforts

Francesca Schiavone at the 2012 French Open

Francesca began 2012 at the Brisbane International. She reached the semifinals there. She also played for Italy in the Fed Cup, helping her team reach the semifinals.

Later in the year, Francesca found her form on clay courts. She won the Strasbourg tournament, beating Sloane Stephens and Alizé Cornet. She reached the third round of the French Open. At Wimbledon, she made it to the fourth round in singles and the semifinals in doubles with her partner Flavia Pennetta. She also played at the Olympics.

Francesca's Playing Style

Francesca Schiavone was known for her unique and exciting playing style. She played an "all-court game," meaning she could hit shots from anywhere on the court. She had a very classic way of playing on clay courts. One of her special shots was her one-handed backhand, which she hit with an "extreme eastern grip." Tennis experts also described her forehand as a "buggy whip" shot, which means it had a lot of spin.

Endorsements and Gear

Throughout her career, Francesca was supported by different companies.

• From 2004, she wore clothing and shoes from Diadora.
• In 2007, she switched to Lotto.
• In 2013, she joined Adidas.
• In 2014, she moved to Asics and stayed with them until she retired.
• For her racquets, she used Yonex until 2006.
• Then she switched to Babolat, using the Pure Aero racquet until her retirement in 2018.

Personal Life

Francesca Schiavone was born in Milan, Italy. Her father, Franco, is from Manocalzati, and her mother, Luiscita, is from Bornato.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Finals

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2010	French Open	Clay	Samantha Stosur	6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Loss	2011	French Open	Clay	Li Na	4–6, 6–7(0–7)

Doubles: 1 (runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	2008	French Open	Clay	Casey Dellacqua	Anabel Medina Garrigues Virginia Ruano Pascual	6–2, 5–7, 4–6

See also

In Spanish: Francesca Schiavone para niños