Gisela Dulko facts for kids
Dulko at the 2009 Italian Open
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| Country (sports) |  Argentina |
|---|---|
| Residence | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Born | 30 January 1985 Tigre, Argentina |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Turned pro | January 2001 |
| Retired | 18 November 2012 |
| Plays | Right–handed (two–handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $4,246,105 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 309–242 |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 26 (21 November 2005) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2010) |
| French Open | 4R (2006, 2011) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009) |
| US Open | 4R (2009) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 305–182 |
| Career titles | 17 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (1 November 2010) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2011) |
| French Open | QF (2007, 2010) |
| Wimbledon | SF (2010) |
| US Open | QF (2010) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | W (2010) |
| Team competitions | |
| Hopman Cup | F (2005) |
Gisela Dulko (born 30 January 1985) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. She was very successful in doubles tennis. She became the world's number one doubles player and won 17 titles in the WTA.
Gisela also had good results in singles, reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 26. She won four WTA singles titles. With her partner Flavia Pennetta, Gisela won the 2010 WTA Tour Championships and the 2011 Australian Open. She also reached the mixed-doubles final at the 2011 US Open with Eduardo Schwank.
During her career, Gisela beat many famous players. These included Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2009 and Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 2004. Gisela Dulko stopped playing professional tennis on 18 November 2012, when she was 27 years old.
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Early Life and Training
Gisela was born and grew up in Tigre, a place in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Her older brother, Alejandro, was her coach. Gisela's parents were Ana and Estanislao Dulko. Her father had Hungarian family roots.
When Gisela was twelve, she moved from Argentina to Miami, Florida, in the United States. She moved there to focus on becoming a professional tennis player.
Junior Tennis Success
Before becoming a professional, Gisela was a very strong junior player. She won three major junior doubles titles, known as Grand Slams.
- In 2000, she won the US Open junior doubles with María Emilia Salerni.
- In 2001, she won the Wimbledon junior doubles with Ashley Harkleroad.
- In 2002, she won the Australian Open junior doubles with Angelique Widjaja.
Professional Career Highlights
Gisela Dulko had a successful career, especially in doubles. She won many tournaments and reached high rankings.
Early WTA Titles (1999–2008)
Gisela won her first WTA singles title on 29 April 2007. She beat Sorana Cîrstea in the final of a tournament in Budapest. Later that year, on 25 August 2007, she won her second WTA title. This was at the Forest Hills tournament, where she defeated Virginie Razzano.
On 4 May 2008, Gisela won her third WTA singles title. She beat Anabel Medina Garrigues at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem tournament.
Notable Matches in 2009
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In 2009, Gisela started the year by reaching the quarter-finals at the Hobart International. At the Australian Open, she lost to the eventual champion, Serena Williams, in the second round.
Gisela reached her first final of 2009 at the Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas. She lost to María José Martínez Sánchez. A big moment for her was at Wimbledon. She upset the 24th seed, Maria Sharapova, in a tough three-set match in the second round. She then lost in the third round to Nadia Petrova.
At the US Open, Gisela made it to the round of 16. This was a strong performance in a major tournament.
Doubles Success in 2010
The year 2010 was very important for Gisela, especially in doubles. She won the doubles title at the Copa BBVA-Colsanitas with Edina Gallovits.
At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Gisela achieved a big singles win. She defeated former world No. 1 player, Justine Henin.
Gisela and her doubles partner, Flavia Pennetta, had an amazing year. They won their first major doubles title together at the Sony Ericsson Open. They beat Nadia Petrova and Samantha Stosur in the final. They continued their winning streak, also winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the Internazionali d'Italia. They won 19 matches in a row before losing in the final of the Madrid Open to Serena and Venus Williams.
Gisela and Flavia also defended their doubles title at the Swedish Open. They won a long doubles final at the Rogers Cup in Montreal. They then won their sixth title of the season at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
At the end of 2010, Gisela and Flavia were invited to the Tour Championships. They won this important year-end tournament, beating Květa Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the final. On 1 November 2010, Gisela Dulko became the world's number one ranked doubles player.
Grand Slam Victory and Retirement (2011–2012)
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In 2011, Gisela and Flavia Pennetta achieved their biggest doubles win. They won their first Grand Slam title at the 2011 Australian Open. They defeated Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko in a thrilling final match.
Gisela also won her fourth career singles title in 2011. This was at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, where she beat Arantxa Parra Santonja. At the French Open, she reached the fourth round. She had a great win against the 2010 finalist, Samantha Stosur.
Gisela Dulko announced her retirement from professional tennis in November 2012. She was 27 years old. She explained that she no longer had the same strong desire to make the sacrifices needed to compete at the top level of tennis.
Personal Life
Gisela Dulko was married to the Argentine football player Fernando Gago. They have two sons and a daughter together.
Awards and Recognition
- 2010 — WTA Award for Doubles Team of the Year (with Flavia Pennetta)
- 2010 — ITF Doubles World Champion (with Flavia Pennetta)
See also
In Spanish: Gisela Dulko para niños
