Gigi Fernández facts for kids
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
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| Residence | Connecticut, US | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | February 22, 1964 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
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| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | Nov. 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | Nov. 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (one handed-backhand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prize money | $4,646,829 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2010 (member page) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 270–232 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 17 (October 6, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 4R (1990, 1993) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Open | 2R (1986, 1987, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | SF (1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | QF (1991, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 664–184 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (March 4, 1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (1993, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Open | W (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | W (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | W (1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour Finals | W (1993, 1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games |  Gold Medal (1992, 1996) |
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| Mixed doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | F (1995) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Beatriz "Gigi" Fernández (born February 22, 1964) is a former professional tennis player from Puerto Rico. She became famous for her amazing skills in doubles tennis.
Gigi won 17 major doubles titles, which are also known as Grand Slams. She also earned two Olympic gold medals while playing for the United States. Gigi was ranked as the world's number one doubles player. In singles, her highest ranking was world No. 17 in 1991. After she stopped playing professionally in 1997, Gigi became a tennis coach and started her own businesses. She now teaches doubles strategies to tennis fans across the US. Gigi Fernández is the first person from Puerto Rico to be honored in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Contents
Gigi Fernández's Amazing Tennis Career
Gigi Fernández was known as a doubles expert during her tennis career. She won a "career doubles Grand Slam," meaning she won all four major tournaments at least once. She earned 17 Grand Slam women's doubles titles in total. These include six French Open titles, five US Open titles, four Wimbledon titles, and two Australian Open titles.
She won at least one Grand Slam title every year from 1988 to 1997, except for 1989. For three years in a row (1992–1994), she won three out of the four Grand Slam doubles titles in the same year. Most of her Grand Slam titles (14 out of 17) were won with her partner, Natasha Zvereva. Their partnership is one of the most successful in tennis history.
Doubles and Mixed Doubles Success
Gigi also played in mixed doubles, where a team has one male and one female player. In 1995, she was a runner-up in three Grand Slam mixed doubles events: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. She played with Cyril Suk in these tournaments.
Overall, Gigi Fernández won 69 doubles titles in her career. She first reached the world No. 1 doubles ranking in 1991. She also held the No. 1 ranking again in 1993, 1994, and 1995.
Olympic Gold Medals
Gigi proudly represented the United States at the Olympic Games in 1992 (in Barcelona) and 1996 (in Atlanta). She teamed up with Mary Joe Fernández (who is not related to her) to win the women's doubles gold medal both times. Their first gold medal win in Barcelona was especially exciting. They beat the Spanish team of Conchita Martínez and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario with the King and Queen of Spain watching.
Representing Puerto Rico
Before playing for the United States, Gigi represented Puerto Rico. In 1979, when she was just 15 years old, she won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in San Juan. In 1982, at the Central American-Caribbean Games in Cuba, she won a gold medal in doubles with Marilda Julia. She also won a silver medal in singles there. She represented Puerto Rico at the 1984 Olympics.
Gigi was also part of the United States team that won the Federation Cup in 1990.
Singles Career Highlights
While best known for doubles, Gigi also had a strong singles career. She reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 17. She won two top-level singles titles. In 1994, she reached the semifinals at Wimbledon. She was ranked 99th at the time, making her one of the lowest-ranked players to reach a Grand Slam singles semifinal at Wimbledon. She also made it to the quarterfinals at the US Open in both 1991 and 1994.
Gigi Fernández retired from professional tennis in 1997. In 1999, she was named Puerto Rico's "Female Athlete of the Century." On July 12, 2010, Gigi was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame along with her doubles partner, Natasha Zvereva.
Gigi's Life After Tennis
Gigi Fernández's parents are Tuto Fernández, a well-known doctor in Puerto Rico, and Beatriz Fernández. Her cousin, José Ferrer, was a famous Puerto Rican actor and director. Gigi started playing tennis when she was seven years old. She went to the respected Academia San José in Guaynabo.
When she became a professional tennis player in 1983, Gigi was the first female professional athlete from Puerto Rico. Before turning pro, she played tennis for one season at Clemson University in 1982–83. There, she was an All-American in both singles and doubles. She also reached the National Collegiate Athletic Association singles final.
Since retiring from playing, Gigi has become a tennis coach. She has coached several well-known players, including former world No. 1 doubles player Rennae Stubbs, Lisa Raymond, and Samantha Stosur. She helped Sam Stosur win her first Grand Slam title in 2005 at the US Open with Lisa Raymond. Gigi also coached for the Puerto Rican national team and the University of South Florida.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of South Florida in 2003. Later, she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Rollins College's Crummer School of Business. Gigi is a mother to twins, Karson Xavier and Madison Jane. Her partner is Jane Geddes, a retired professional golfer and former executive.
In 2010, Gigi Fernández started a company called Baby Goes Pro. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida. She used to be the Director of Adult Tennis at Chelsea Piers Connecticut. She was also the Summer Director at The Long Ridge Tennis Club.
In a 2021 interview, Gigi shared that she sometimes receives negative comments from some Puerto Ricans on social media, which makes her sad.
See also
In Spanish: Gigi Fernández para niños
- History of women in Puerto Rico
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Monica Puig
- Sports in Puerto Rico
