Jiske Griffioen facts for kids
Griffioen at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
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| Country (sports) |  Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Residence | Woerden, Netherlands |
| Born | 17 April 1985 Woerden, Netherlands |
| Turned pro | 2001 |
| Plays | Right handed |
| Official website | www.jiskegriffioen.com |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 508–173 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (8 June 2015) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2015, 2016) |
| French Open | W (2015) |
| Wimbledon | W (2016) |
| US Open | SF (2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Masters | W (2012, 2015, 2016) |
| Paralympic Games |  Gold Medal (2016) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 401–90 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (25 July 2005) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024) |
| French Open | W (2008, 2013, 2015) |
| Wimbledon | W (2012, 2023) |
| US Open | W (2006, 2007, 2013, 2015) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Masters Doubles | W (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015) |
| Paralympic Games |  Gold Medal (2016) |
Jiske Griffioen (born April 17, 1985) is a super talented Dutch wheelchair tennis player. She has won many big tournaments, including Grand Slams and Paralympic gold medals! She was even ranked number one in the world.
Jiske was born with a condition called spina bifida. When she was just 14 years old, she played wheelchair basketball for her country at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
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Jiske's Tennis Journey
Jiske Griffioen has had an amazing career in wheelchair tennis. She has won a total of 20 major titles, which include four in singles and 16 in doubles. She also has two Paralympic gold medals and has won the Masters tournament seven times. She was once the world's top-ranked player in both singles and doubles!
Starting Out: 2001–2004
Jiske began her professional tennis career in 2001. She quickly started winning tournaments. In 2002, she reached her first final in Antwerp, but lost to Sharon Walraven. She kept working hard and in 2004, she won her first singles title in Christchurch. She also won other tournaments that year in places like Bein and Amsterdam.
In doubles, Jiske teamed up with Korie Homan and won the Masters tournament. She also won titles with Maaike Smit and Esther Vergeer. She was part of the winning team at the World Team Cup.
Becoming a Champion: 2005–2008
From 2005 to 2008, Jiske continued to shine. She won several singles titles, including in Nottingham and Japan. She also reached many finals.
In doubles, she formed a very strong partnership with Esther Vergeer. They won many tournaments together, including the Masters multiple times. They also won Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and the US Open.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games, Jiske won a silver medal in doubles with Esther Vergeer. This was a huge achievement for them.
More Success: 2009–2012
Jiske kept up her winning ways in the following years. In 2010, she won three tournaments early in the season. She also helped the Netherlands win their 23rd women's title at the World Team Cup.
The year 2011 was very successful for Jiske. She won two singles tournaments and seven doubles titles. She teamed up with Aniek van Koot in doubles. They reached the finals of all four Grand Slams that year, but narrowly lost to Esther Vergeer and Sharon Walraven each time.
In 2012, Jiske won two more singles titles. At the Paralympic Games, she won a bronze medal in singles, which was her first singles medal at the Paralympics. She also won her first Masters singles title. With Aniek van Koot, she won their first Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon. They also won their first Masters doubles title together.
Grand Slam Glory: 2013–2017
The year 2013 was truly special for Jiske and Aniek van Koot. They won the doubles titles at the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. This meant they completed the Grand Slam in doubles, winning all four major tournaments in a single year! Jiske also ended 2013 as the world number one in doubles.
In 2015, Jiske achieved a huge milestone by winning her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open. She won it again in 2016. She also won the French Open singles title in 2015 and the Wimbledon singles title in 2016.
In October 2017, Jiske decided to retire from tennis. She said she no longer had the same passion for competing. By then, she had won 59 singles titles and 106 doubles titles. She had also been the world number one in singles for 106 weeks between 2015 and 2017.
Coming Back to the Court
In 2019, Jiske decided to return to tennis! She partnered with Diede de Groot and together they won the women's doubles wheelchair tennis title at the 2024 Australian Open. This shows her amazing dedication and talent!
Images for kids
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A gold medal from the Paralympics.
