Jamea Jackson facts for kids
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Bradenton, Florida |
| Born | September 7, 1986 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
| Turned pro | 2003 |
| Retired | August 24, 2009 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $455,220 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 120–87 |
| Career titles | 2 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 45 (November 13, 2006) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2006) |
| French Open | 2R (2006) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2005, 2006) |
| US Open | 2R (2006) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 7–23 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 266 (October 30, 2006) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | 1R (2006) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (2006) |
| US Open | 1R (2004, 2005, 2006) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 1–1 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| US Open | 2R (2006) |
Jamea Jackson (born September 7, 1986) is an American former professional tennis player. She played on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour. Jamea later became a coach for the United States Tennis Association (USTA). She reached her highest singles ranking of 45th in the world in late 2006.
Jamea was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She trained at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. After retiring from playing, she became an Assistant Coach for the Oklahoma State University Women's Tennis Team in August 2009. In 2010 and 2011, she coached the USTA college team. By July 2013, Jamea joined the USTA staff in Boca Raton, Florida. There, she worked as a National Coach for Women's Tennis.
Contents
Jamea's Tennis Journey
Jamea Jackson started her tennis career on the junior circuit. In 2003, she was ranked among the top 20 junior players worldwide. She turned professional in the same year. For the next few years, she played on the ITF Women's Circuit.
Early Wins and Professional Start
Jamea won two singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. Her first win was in 2003 in Dallas, Texas. This was a $10,000 tournament played on a hard court. Her second win came in 2004 in Tucson, Arizona. This was a $50,000 tournament, also on a hard court.
In 2004, Jamea began playing more WTA events. By 2005, she was playing a full schedule. This is when she broke into the top 100 players in the world.
Career Highlights in 2006
The year 2006 was Jamea's best year in tennis. She won 26 singles matches and lost 22. She made history at the 2006 Miami Masters tournament. She was the first tennis player to use the Hawk-Eye instant replay system in a professional match. She challenged a call in her first-round match against Ashley Harkleroad. The replay showed the call was wrong. Jamea won that tough match 7–5, 6–7, 7–5.
Later that year, Jamea helped the United States Fed Cup team win against Germany. She won both of her matches, guiding the USA to the next round. She beat Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Martina Müller.
Jamea reached her first WTA Tour final on June 17, 2006. This was at the DFS Classic in Birmingham, England, played on grass courts. She defeated strong players like Jelena Janković and Maria Sharapova. However, she lost in the final match to Vera Zvonareva in a very close game.
Dealing with Injuries and Retirement
Towards the end of 2006 and into 2007, Jamea faced a hip injury. This injury kept coming back and needed surgery. After being away from the tour for eight months, she returned in April 2008. She played in an ITF event in Dothan, Alabama. She won six matches in a row before having to stop due to her injury.
She played her last professional match at the 2008 US Open. She lost to Alyona Bondarenko. Jamea officially retired from professional tennis on August 24, 2009. This was because of her ongoing hip injury and her new coaching job at Oklahoma State University.
Life After Tennis
Jamea started playing tennis when she was 8 years old. Her family has a background in sports and writing. Her father, Ernest, played professional football in the NFL. He was a cornerback for teams like the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. Her mother, Ruby, was a flight attendant for over 30 years. She even wrote a book about her experiences. Jamea also has an older brother named Jarryd.
As an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University, Jamea focused on helping players grow. She also helped find new talent for the team. In 2014, Jamea earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma State. She studied University Studies with a minor in Psychology.
