Melanie South facts for kids
South at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships
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| Full name | Melanie Jayne South |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United Kingdom |
| Residence | New Malden, London |
| Born | 3 May 1986 Kingston, London |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned pro | 2004 |
| Retired | 2013 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $464,831 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 301–257 (53.94%) |
| Career titles | 6 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 99 (2 February 2009) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (2009) |
| French Open | 1R (2009) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2006) |
| US Open | Q3 (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 236–156 (60.2%) |
| Career titles | 24 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 120 (9 March 2009) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2008, 2009) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (2007) |
| Team competitions | |
| Fed Cup | 2–2 |
Melanie Jayne South (born 3 May 1986) is a former English tennis player. She was a professional tennis player who competed around the world.
Melanie won six singles titles and 24 doubles titles. These wins were on the ITF Circuit, which is a series of professional tennis tournaments. She reached her highest singles ranking of world No. 99 on 2 February 2009. In doubles, her best ranking was No. 120 on 9 March 2009.
One of her most exciting moments was at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. She was ranked No. 305 but managed to beat the world No. 14 player, Francesca Schiavone. This was a huge upset! Melanie retired from professional tennis on 2 December 2013. She decided to focus on becoming a tennis coach instead.
About Melanie South
Family and Early Life
Melanie's mother is Sheila, and her father, John, used to play professional football. He played for Fulham and Brentford in the 1960s. John is now a tennis coach, and Sheila used to coach "short tennis" (a simpler version for beginners).
Melanie has two brothers, Andrew and Stephen. Both of them enjoyed playing tennis for fun. Melanie herself started playing tennis when she was six years old.
Education and Studies
Melanie went to Nonsuch High School in Cheam, South London. She did very well in her school exams, earning good grades in her GCSEs. She also achieved high grades in her A-levels, studying Psychology and Physical Education.
After her tennis career, Melanie continued her education. She took a course called "Understanding Health" through the Open University. She hoped this would lead her to study more about psychology.
How Melanie Played Tennis
Melanie South's tennis style was known for her powerful serve. She also hit the ball very hard with her groundstrokes (shots hit after the ball bounces). When she was playing her best, her serve was so strong that opponents often couldn't return it. This gave her many easy points.
However, because her serve was so powerful, it was also a bit risky. Sometimes, she would hit a lot of "double faults" (serving incorrectly twice in a row). This could put her at a disadvantage during a game.
For example, in a match at Wimbledon 2008, she served ten aces. An ace is a serve that the opponent cannot touch. But she also had seven double faults. This shows her aggressive, all-or-nothing approach to the game.
A famous tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri, watched Melanie play in 2008. He said she had a good serve and strong groundstrokes. He also noted that she moved well for her size. However, he observed that moving sideways could be a challenge for her.
Melanie's Tennis Journey
Junior Career (1999–2004)
Melanie started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in June 1999. She didn't have much success in singles until 2002. In July 2002, she reached her first quarterfinal at a junior tournament in Scotland.
Six months later, she won her only junior singles title at the 17th Salik Open. She then reached the semifinals of her next tournament. Melanie played in the Wimbledon girls' tournament twice but lost in the first round each time. Her highest junior singles ranking was world No. 266.
In junior doubles, she won one title and reached two other finals. In 2004, she made it to the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon girls' doubles with her partner, Katie O'Brien.
Starting Professional Tennis (2001–2003)
Melanie played her first professional match in October 2001. She lost this match. In 2002, she got a special entry (called a wildcard) into the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon. She didn't win any matches there. For the rest of 2002, she played in smaller ITF tournaments in Great Britain. She finished 2002 ranked No. 931 in the world.
In 2003, she played ten matches and won four of them. She still struggled to get past the second round in any tournament. By the end of 2003, her ranking was No. 851.
Building Her Career (2004–2005)
The year 2004 started well for Melanie. She reached the quarterfinals or semifinals in several tournaments. She then won her first professional title. Later, she reached another final, losing to Elke Clijsters, whose sister Kim Clijsters was a famous world No. 1 player.
In June 2004, Melanie played her first match on the WTA Tour, which is the highest level of women's professional tennis. She received a wildcard into a tournament in Birmingham but lost in the first round of qualifying. She also got a wildcard for Wimbledon qualifying but lost again. By the end of 2004, her ranking had improved to No. 453.
In January 2005, she reached the quarterfinals of a tournament in Tipton. In April, she won her second ITF title, beating Anne Keothavong in the final. She continued to play in ITF events, reaching another final and a semifinal. Her ranking was No. 449 at the end of 2005.
Breakthrough Moments (2006–2008)
In 2006, Melanie won her third ITF tournament in Hull. She also reached the semifinals of another event. Before Wimbledon, she played in two WTA tournaments with wildcards but lost early.
Then came her big moment at Wimbledon in June 2006. As a wildcard, she entered the main draw for the first time. She famously beat the No. 11 seed, Francesca Schiavone, in the first round. This was her first win against a top-20 player. It was also the best win by a British player at Wimbledon since 1998. She lost in the second round. Her year-end ranking improved significantly to No. 176.
The year 2007 was a bit slower for Melanie. She lost in the qualifying rounds for the Australian Open and French Open. She did beat Alicia Molik at a tournament in Eastbourne. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round. Her ranking dropped to No. 214 by the end of the year.
In 2008, Melanie started strong, reaching the semifinals of a tournament in Midland. She won another title in Sorrento and reached quarterfinals in other events. She played in the qualifying rounds for the French Open but didn't make it to the main draw.
Her grass-court season was good. She reached the quarterfinals of the Birmingham Classic, beating a seeded player. She also played a tough three-set match at Wimbledon against a top player, Alona Bondarenko, but lost.
After Wimbledon, she got a chance to play in a big tournament in Los Angeles as a "lucky loser." This happened when another player, Serena Williams, withdrew. Melanie took advantage of this and won her first match. She reached the third round of that tournament. She also made it to the final round of qualifying for the US Open. She finished 2008 ranked No. 116.
Reaching the Top 100 (2009)
In early 2009, Melanie qualified for the Sydney International tournament. She then gained direct entry into the main draw of the Australian Open because another player was injured. This was a big deal because it was the first time her ranking was high enough to get into a Grand Slam without a wildcard. She lost in the first round of the Australian Open.
On 2 February 2009, Melanie broke into the top 100 for the first time, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 99. This was a special achievement, as it had been nearly 16 years since two British women were in the top 100 at the same time.
Melanie also played for Great Britain in the 2009 Fed Cup. She won her doubles matches with partner Sarah Borwell, helping Britain win their group. She also won a singles match. She ended 2009 ranked No. 160.
Later Career and Retirement (2010–2013)
Melanie continued to play on the ITF Circuit and in qualifying rounds for WTA events. She won several more doubles titles during these years. In 2010, she won two doubles titles in Australia with Tímea Babos. In 2011, she won a doubles title in Sutton with Emma Laine.
In 2012, she won two more doubles titles in Australia with Arina Rodionova. In 2013, her final year, she won three doubles titles. These included wins in Glasgow and Rancho Mirage with Tara Moore, and in Nottingham with Anna Smith.
Melanie South officially retired from professional tennis on 2 December 2013. She decided to move into coaching, sharing her knowledge and experience with new players.
Images for kids
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South at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships
