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Samantha Stosur
Stosur WM19 (1) (48521876427).jpg
Stosur at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
Country (sports)  Australia
Residence Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Born (1984-03-30) 30 March 1984 (age 41)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro 1999
Retired May 2022 (singles)
January 2023 (doubles)
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money US$20,069,776
  • 25th in all-time rankings
Official website samstosur.com
Singles
Career record 607–457 (57.05%)
Career titles 9
Highest ranking No. 4 (21 February 2011)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 4R (2006, 2010)
French Open F (2010)
Wimbledon 3R (2009, 2013, 2015)
US Open W (2011)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals SF (2010, 2011)
Olympic Games 3R (2016)
Doubles
Career record 450–258 (63.56%)
Career titles 28
Highest ranking No. 1 (6 February 2006)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open W (2019)
French Open W (2006)
Wimbledon F (2008, 2009, 2011)
US Open W (2005, 2021)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals W (2005, 2006)
Olympic Games QF (2021)
Mixed doubles
Career titles 3
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open W (2005)
French Open SF (2005)
Wimbledon W (2008, 2014)
US Open SF (2019)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Olympic Games QF (2012)
Team competitions
Fed Cup F (2019, 2022)
Record: 39–21 (65%)
Hopman Cup RR (2006, 2010, 2014)

Samantha Jane Stosur (born March 30, 1984) is an Australian former professional tennis player. She was once the world No. 1 in doubles. She held this top spot for 61 weeks in a row, starting on February 6, 2006.

Stosur also became a top ten singles player. Her highest singles ranking was world No. 4 on February 21, 2011. She stayed in the top ten for 165 weeks. She was also the best-ranked Australian singles player for 452 weeks straight. This was from October 2008 to June 2017.

Samantha won a total of 40 career titles. This includes 9 in singles, 28 in doubles, and 3 in mixed doubles. She also won 8 major titles and earned over $20 million in prize money.

One of her biggest wins was the Grand Slam singles title at the 2011 US Open. She beat Serena Williams in the final. This made her the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament. Before this, she reached another Grand Slam singles final at the 2010 French Open. There, she beat former world No. 1 Justine Henin and then-world No. 1 Serena Williams.

Stosur won four Grand Slam titles in women's doubles. She won the 2005 US Open and 2006 French Open with Lisa Raymond. She also won the 2019 Australian Open and 2021 US Open with Zhang Shuai. She also reached five other Grand Slam doubles finals.

She won back-to-back WTA Tour Championships doubles titles with Lisa Raymond in 2005 and 2006. They were the co-year-end world No. 1 team in 2006. Stosur also won three mixed-doubles Grand Slam titles. These were the 2005 Australian Open with Scott Draper, the 2008 Wimbledon Championships with Bob Bryan, and the 2014 Wimbledon Championships with Nenad Zimonjić.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Samantha Stosur was born in Brisbane, Queensland. She lived on the Gold Coast for her first six years. Her parents are Tony and Diane, and she has two brothers, Dominic and Daniel. Her family has Polish roots from her dad's side.

When she was six, a flood destroyed her family's home and business. They then moved to Adelaide. There, she started playing tennis at age eight after getting a racquet for Christmas. Her parents worked long hours at their cafe. Samantha played at local courts with her older brother Daniel. He later encouraged their parents to get her tennis lessons.

Her family moved back to the Gold Coast when she was eleven. She went to Helensvale State High School and Gaven State School. At 13, she went on her first trip overseas. She played in the World Youth Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.

At 14, Stosur joined the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) with Geoff Masters. In 2001, at 16, she joined the Australian Institute of Sport tennis program.

Tennis Career Highlights

Starting Professional Tennis (1999-2004)

Stosur began playing professional tennis in 1999 at 15. She won her first match at an ITF Women's Circuit event in Queensland. In 2000, she played in the Australian Open for the first time. The next year, she won four straight ITF titles.

In 2003, Stosur won her first matches on the WTA Tour. She reached the third round of the Australian Open. In 2004, she made it to the semifinals of the Gold Coast event. She also played at the Athens Olympics.

Doubles Success and World No. 1 (2005-2006)

In 2005, Stosur reached her first WTA Tour final in singles at the Gold Coast. She won her first doubles title with Bryanne Stewart in Sydney. She also won the mixed-doubles title at the Australian Open with Scott Draper.

In July, she teamed up with Lisa Raymond. They won seven WTA doubles titles that year. This included the US Open and the WTA Championships. Stosur ended 2005 ranked No. 2 in doubles.

Sam143
Stosur during the 2006 Hopman Cup

In 2006, Stosur and Raymond won 18 matches in a row. They won titles in Tokyo, Memphis, Indian Wells, and Miami. They also won the French Open and the WTA Championships. Stosur reached a singles ranking of No. 30. She finished 2006 as the world No. 1 in doubles.

Dealing with Illness (2007-2008)

Stosur and Raymond kept winning doubles titles in 2007. They won in Tokyo, Indian Wells, Miami, and Berlin.

After the French Open, Stosur started feeling sick. Months later, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. This made her play worse. She missed many tournaments and her ranking dropped.

SStosurWimbledon2008
Stosur at Wimbledon, 2008

She returned to playing in 2008. At Wimbledon, she reached the finals in both ladies' and mixed doubles. She and Lisa Raymond lost the ladies' doubles final to Serena and Venus Williams. But with Bob Bryan, Stosur won the mixed-doubles title.

At the Beijing Olympics, Stosur lost in singles to Serena Williams. She finished 2008 ranked No. 52 in singles.

Singles Breakthrough (2009)

Stosur Stubbs Australian Open 2009
Stosur (left) with doubles partner Rennae Stubbs at the 2009 Australian Open

In 2009, Stosur had a big win against world No. 2, Dinara Safina, at the Miami Open. She then beat former world No. 1, Amélie Mauresmo. Her singles ranking went up to No. 31.

Stosur reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open. She beat fourth seed Elena Dementieva and reached the semifinals. This made her the first Australian woman to reach the French Open semifinals since 1988. This result put her into the top 20 for the first time.

Samantha Stosur at the 2009 US Open 05
Stosur at the 2009 US Open

She reached the semifinals at the Stanford tournament. She then made it to her fifth WTA Tour final at the LA Championships. Stosur won her first-ever WTA title at the Japan Open in Osaka. She beat Francesca Schiavone in the final.

Reaching the Top Ten and First Grand Slam Final (2010)

Stosur started 2010 by reaching a career-high ranking of No. 11. She won her second WTA Tour title at the Charleston Open. She beat Vera Zvonareva in the final. This win put her back into the top ten at world No. 10. She is the only Australian woman to have won this title.

Samantha Stosur, Round 1, Roland Garros, 2010
Stosur reached her first singles Grand Slam final at Roland Garros

At the French Open, Stosur was a favorite to win. She beat three former world No. 1 players: Justine Henin, Serena Williams, and Jelena Janković. She reached her first Grand Slam singles final, but lost to Francesca Schiavone.

Samantha Stosur at the 2010 US Open 07
Stosur at the 2010 US Open

Stosur reached a new career high of world No. 6. At the US Open, she made it to her first quarterfinal. She qualified for the year-ending WTA Championships for the first time. She reached the semifinals there, losing to Kim Clijsters. Stosur ended 2010 ranked No. 6.

Winning the US Open (2011)

Flickr - Carine06 - Sam Stosur (3)
Stosur at Wimbledon, 2011

Stosur started 2011 by reaching a new career high of No. 4. She reached the final of the Italian Open but lost to Maria Sharapova. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round. However, she reached the doubles final with Sabine Lisicki.

Flickr - Carine06 - Sam Stosur (1)
Stosur practising before her third-round match with Nadia Petrova

Stosur reached the final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. She then played at the US Open. She had a very tough third-round match against Nadia Petrova, which lasted over three hours. She also had a record-long tiebreak in the fourth round against Maria Kirilenko. Stosur then beat second seed Vera Zvonareva to reach the semifinals. She then beat Angelique Kerber to reach her first US Open singles final. There, she defeated three-time champion Serena Williams to win her first Grand Slam singles title. This was the first time an Australian woman won a Grand Slam since 1980.

Stosur qualified for the WTA Championships again. She beat Maria Sharapova for the first time. She reached the semifinals for the second year in a row. Stosur finished 2011 ranked No. 6.

Continued Success (2012)

Stosur started 2012 by reaching the final of the Qatar Ladies Open. She lost to Victoria Azarenka, who was undefeated at that point. At the Family Circle Cup, she beat Venus Williams for the first time.

At the French Open, Stosur reached her third semifinal. She lost to Sara Errani in a close match. At the US Open, she made it to the quarterfinals. She lost a thrilling match to world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka. Stosur won the first-ever US Open Sportsmanship Award.

Finding Form Again (2013-2014)

Samantha Stosur Champion
Stosur wins the Southern California Open in 2013

Stosur had a tough start to 2013. She lost early in Australian tournaments. However, she won her second-round match at the Qatar Ladies Open. She reached the quarterfinals there and at the Dubai Championships.

Sam Stosur (9156706940)
Stosur at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships

Stosur won the Southern California Open in Carlsbad. She beat Victoria Azarenka in the final, which was her first win against Azarenka. This was her first WTA Tour title since her 2011 US Open win.

In 2014, Stosur won the mixed-doubles title at Wimbledon with Nenad Zimonjić. This was her second Wimbledon mixed-doubles title.

500th Career Win (2015)

In 2015, Stosur won her seventh WTA title at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. She came back from a set down to win the final. She also won her second title of 2015 at the Gastein Ladies.

Another Grand Slam Semifinal (2016)

In 2016, Stosur reached the semifinals in Prague and Madrid. At the French Open, she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2012. She beat world No. 6, Simona Halep. She then won her quarterfinal match. Stosur reached the semifinals, but lost to Garbiñe Muguruza. This was her first Grand Slam semifinal since 2012.

Ninth WTA Title (2017)

In 2017, Stosur won her ninth WTA title in Strasbourg. She defeated fellow Australian Daria Gavrilova in a long final. She then reached the fourth round of the French Open. After this, she lost her Australian women's No. 1 ranking. She missed the grass-court season due to a hand injury.

Doubles Success Continues (2018-2021)

In 2018, Stosur reached the semifinals at Mallorca.

In 2019, Stosur won the Australian Open doubles title with Zhang Shuai. This was her first Grand Slam title since 2014.

In August 2021, Stosur won the Cincinnati Open doubles with Zhang Shuai. This was her 27th career doubles title. She then won the 2021 US Open title with Zhang Shuai.

Retirement from Singles (2022) and Doubles (2023)

Stosur announced she would retire from singles after the 2022 Australian Open. She reached the second round there. At Wimbledon, she reached the mixed doubles final with Matthew Ebden.

Sam Stosur announced that the 2023 Australian Open would be her last tournament. She retired from professional tennis after this event.

Apparel and Equipment

Since 2012, Stosur has been sponsored by Asics for her clothing and shoes. Before that, she wore Nike clothing. In 2009, she was sponsored by Lacoste for clothing.

Stosur has used different racquets. Until 2009, she used a Prince O3 racquet. Then she switched to the Babolat Pure Storm racquet. In 2018, Stosur started using Head racquets, specifically the Head Graphene 360+ Speed.

Personal Life

On July 13, 2020, Samantha Stosur announced that she and her partner, Liz Astling, had welcomed their daughter, Genevieve.

Coaching

Stosur has worked with several coaches. David Taylor coached her from 2008 to 2013 and again from 2015 to 2016. Miles Maclagan was her coach in 2013 and 2014. Other coaches include Simon Rea (2014–2015) and Joshua Eagle (2017–2018). In November 2018, she started working with Nick Watkins. In 2019, she began working with Rennae Stubbs.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance Timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A P Z# PO G F-S SF-B NMS NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (F-S) silver or (SF-B) bronze Olympic medal; a (NMS) downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.

Singles

Tournament 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 SR W–L Win%
Australian Open 1R 3R 2R 1R 4R 2R A 3R 4R 3R 1R 2R 3R 2R 1R 1R 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R 0 / 20 20–20 50%
French Open A A 1R 2R 1R 3R 2R SF F 3R SF 3R 4R 3R SF 4R 3R 2R A A A 0 / 16 40–16 71%
Wimbledon A 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R 2R 3R 1R 1R 2R 3R 1R 3R 2R A 2R 1R NH 1R A 0 / 17 12–17 41%
US Open A A 2R 1R 1R 1R 1R 2R QF W QF 1R 2R 4R 2R A 1R 1R A 1R A 1 / 16 22–15 59%
Win–loss 0–1 2–2 2–4 1–4 4–4 4–4 2–3 10–4 13–4 11–3 10–4 5–4 6–4 8–4 7–4 3–2 3–4 1–4 0–1 1–3 1–1 1 / 69 94–68 58%

Doubles

Tournament 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 SR W–L Win%
Australian Open 1R 1R 2R 2R F SF A 3R 1R A A 2R 2R 3R 2R 2R A W 1R 1R 2R 1R 1 / 18 26–17 60%
French Open A A 3R 3R W SF 3R 3R 3R A 1R 3R 1R 3R 1R 1R 2R QF A A 3R A 1 / 16 30–15 67%
Wimbledon A 2R 2R SF 3R SF F F 3R F 2R 1R 3R 2R A A 1R 2R NH 1R 1R A 0 / 17 34–17 67%
US Open A 2R 3R W SF 3R F SF A 1R A 2R A 1R 2R A SF 1R A W 1R A 2 / 15 36–13 73%
Win–loss 0–1 2–3 6–4 13–3 17–3 14–4 12–3 13–4 4–3 5–2 1–2 4–4 3–3 5–4 2–3 1–2 5–3 10–3 0–1 6–2 3–4 0–1 4 / 66 126–62 67%

Mixed Doubles

Tournament 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 SR W–L Win%
Australian Open W SF QF A A A A A A A A 2R SF 2R 2R 2R F 2R 1R 1 / 11 26–10 72%
French Open SF A A A A A A A A A A A A A A NH A QF A 0 / 2 5–2 71%
Wimbledon QF QF 3R W QF 3R 1R A A W A 1R A 1R 1R NH 2R F A 2 / 13 25–11 69%
US Open QF A A 2R A A A A A A A A A A SF NH 1R QF A 0 / 5 7–5 58%
Win–loss 16–3 9–2 5–2 6–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 0–0 5–0 0–0 1–2 3–1 1–2 4–3 1–1 5–3 5–3 0–1 3 / 31 67–28 71%

Grand Slam Finals

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score Ref
Loss 2010 French Open Clay Italy Francesca Schiavone 4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win 2011 US Open Hard United States Serena Williams 6–2, 6–3

Doubles: 9 (4 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 2005 US Open Hard United States Lisa Raymond Russia Elena Dementieva
Italy Flavia Pennetta
6–2, 5–7, 6–3
Loss 2006 Australian Open Hard United States Lisa Raymond China Yan Zi
China Zheng Jie
6–2, 6–7(7–9), 3–6
Win 2006 French Open Clay United States Lisa Raymond Slovakia Daniela Hantuchová
Japan Ai Sugiyama
6–3, 6–2
Loss 2008 Wimbledon Grass United States Lisa Raymond United States Serena Williams
United States Venus Williams
2–6, 2–6
Loss 2008 US Open Hard United States Lisa Raymond Zimbabwe Cara Black
United States Liezel Huber
3–6, 6–7(6–8)
Loss 2009 Wimbledon Grass Australia Rennae Stubbs United States Serena Williams
United States Venus Williams
6–7(4–7), 4–6
Loss 2011 Wimbledon Grass Germany Sabine Lisicki Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
3–6, 1–6
Win 2019 Australian Open Hard China Zhang Shuai Hungary Tímea Babos
France Kristina Mladenovic
6–3, 6–4
Win 2021 US Open Hard China Zhang Shuai United States Coco Gauff
United States Caty McNally
6–3, 3–6, 6–3

Mixed Doubles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 2005 Australian Open Hard Australia Scott Draper South Africa Liezel Huber
Zimbabwe Kevin Ullyett
6–2, 2–6, [10–6]
Win 2008 Wimbledon Grass United States Bob Bryan Slovenia Katarina Srebotnik
United States Mike Bryan
7–5, 6–4
Win 2014 Wimbledon (2) Grass Serbia Nenad Zimonjić Belarus Max Mirnyi
Chinese Taipei Chan Hao-ching
6–4, 6–2
Loss 2021 Australian Open Hard Australia Matthew Ebden Czech Republic Barbora Krejčíková
United States Rajeev Ram
1–6, 4–6
Loss 2022 Wimbledon Grass Australia Matthew Ebden United States Desirae Krawczyk
United Kingdom Neal Skupski
4–6, 3–6

See also

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