Monica Puig facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Monica Puig

Puig at the 2019 French Open
Native name	Mónica Puig Marchán
Country (sports)	Puerto Rico
Residence	Atlanta, Georgia, US
Born	(1993-09-27) September 27, 1993 (age 31) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro	2010
Retired	2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Dorian Descloix
Prize money	$3,570,823
Singles
Career record	303–215 (58.49%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 27 (26 September 2016)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2016)
French Open	3R (2013, 2016, 2019)
Wimbledon	4R (2013)
US Open	2R (2014, 2018)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	W (2016)
Doubles
Career record	18–36 (33.33%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 210 (25 May 2015)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2018)
French Open	1R (2014, 2015, 2016)
Wimbledon	2R (2016)
US Open	1R (2013, 2014, 2016)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	27–12 (69.23%)
Medal record Women's tennis Representing  Puerto Rico Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles

Monica Puig Marchán (born September 27, 1993) is a former professional tennis player from Puerto Rico. She made history by becoming the first Puerto Rican to win a gold medal at the Olympics. This amazing win happened in 2016 during the women's singles tennis event.

Monica Puig also won a championship at the Central American and Caribbean Games. She earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games. She became a professional tennis player in 2010. During her career, she won two major WTA Tour singles titles. She also won six titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.

On September 26, 2016, she reached her highest singles ranking. She was ranked No. 27 in the world. In doubles, her highest ranking was No. 210 in May 2015. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Monica Puig won the gold medal. This was Puerto Rico's ninth medal ever at the Olympic Games. She was also the first Latin American woman to win gold in singles tennis. She was the only unseeded female player to win the gold medal since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988.

Monica Puig defeated several top-ten players during her career. These included Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki. She retired from professional tennis on June 13, 2022.

Early Life and Family

Monica Puig Marchán was born to José Puig and Astrid Marchán. Her father, José, is Cuban American. Her mother, Astrid, is Puerto Rican. Monica has shared that her grandparents on her father's side are from Catalonia.

Tennis Career Highlights

Junior Years and Early Success

Monica Puig started playing in junior tournaments in 2007. In 2008, she reached the final of the Costa Rica Bowl. She continued to play well in smaller tournaments. In 2009, she started doing much better in bigger tournaments. She reached her first Grade-1 final in Casablanca.

In 2010, Monica continued to succeed at a higher level. She reached two more finals early in the year. She then won a big Grade-A title at the Copa Gerdau. In July 2010, she won a gold medal in women's singles. This was at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

Junior Major Finals

In January 2011, Monica won the Traralgon International. She also reached the final of the junior event at the Australian Open. Later that year, she reached the final of the junior event at the French Open. She won a silver medal at the Pan American Games.

Becoming a Professional Player

Monica Puig started to climb the professional rankings. In 2012, she reached the top 200 players in the world. She won her first $50,000 tournament in France. By 2013, she had entered the top 100 players. She started playing in bigger tournaments like the Brisbane International.

First WTA Tour Title

In May 2014, Monica Puig won her first WTA Tour final. This happened in Strasbourg, France. This win helped her reach her highest WTA ranking of 41st in the world. In October 2014, she won the WTA Rising Stars Invitational in Singapore. She also won a gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico.

Olympic Gold Medal Win

Puig at the 2016 French Open

The year 2016 was a huge year for Monica Puig. She started strong by reaching the final of the Sydney International. She also reached the third round at the 2016 Australian Open and the 2016 French Open.

At the Rio Summer Olympics, Monica Puig achieved something incredible. She won the gold medal in women's singles tennis. She defeated several strong players, including Angelique Kerber in the final. This made her the first athlete from Puerto Rico to win a gold medal in any sport at the Olympics. She was also the first Latin American woman to win gold in singles tennis.

After her Olympic win, she became the 32nd seed at the US Open. She finished 2016 with a career-best ranking of No. 32.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2017, Monica Puig faced some challenges. Her ranking dropped, and she did not advance far in major tournaments. However, she did reach her fourth WTA-level final at the Luxembourg Open.

Puig at the 2018 US Open

In 2018, she had a good run at the Miami Open. She surprised the second seed, Caroline Wozniacki. However, injuries started to affect her play. She had to withdraw from some tournaments due to a hip strain.

Puig at the 2019 Madrid Open

In 2019, she continued to compete. She played for Puerto Rico in the Fed Cup. She also upset a higher-ranked player in Acapulco.

In 2020, Monica Puig missed the start of the season. She had surgery on her right elbow. She returned to play later that year but struggled with her form.

Monica Puig made a comeback in 2022 at the Madrid Open. However, she announced her retirement in June 2022. This was due to the many injuries she had throughout her career.

Coaching and Support

Monica Puig worked with many coaches during her career. These coaches helped her improve her game. Some of her coaches included Alain De Vos and Juan Todero. Her last coach was Dorian Descloix.

Life After Tennis

World TeamTennis

Monica Puig played one season of World TeamTennis in 2019. She played for the Vegas Rollers team.

Personal Life

Monica Puig was in a relationship with baseball player Derek Dietrich. They met in 2017. In 2019, she even threw the first pitch at one of his games using a tennis racket!

Monica Puig became engaged to Nathan Rakitt in 2021. Nathan is also a former tennis player. They got married on November 11, 2022. In February 2025, Monica and Nathan announced they were expecting their first child.

Marathon Running

After retiring from tennis, Monica Puig found a new passion: marathon running. She started running with her husband, Nathan. They enjoyed it so much that they signed up for the 2022 New York City Marathon. Monica finished the marathon in just over 4 and a half hours.

Monica and Nathan plan to run the six major marathons by 2024. This goal will earn them the Six Star medal. Monica also works as a live commentator for ESPN and the Tennis Channel. She trains to improve her running skills.

Career Statistics Overview

Monica Puig's career included many matches in Grand Slam tournaments. These are the biggest tennis events in the world.

Grand Slam Singles Performance

Olympic Final Match

Singles: 1 (Gold Medal)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Opponent	Score
Gold	2016	Rio de Janeiro	Hard	Angelique Kerber	6–4, 4–6, 6–1

See also

In Spanish: Mónica Puig para niños

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Sports in Puerto Rico
• Puerto Rico at the Olympics
• History of women in Puerto Rico