Zina Garrison facts for kids
Garrison in 2001
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
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| Residence | Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Born | November 16, 1963 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1982 | ||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1997 | ||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (one handed-backhand) | ||||||||||||||||
| Prize money | $4,590,816 | ||||||||||||||||
| Singles | |||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 587–270 (68.49%) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (November 20, 1989) | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | SF (1983) | ||||||||||||||||
| French Open | QF (1982) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | F (1990) | ||||||||||||||||
| US Open | SF (1988, 1989) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | SF (1988) | ||||||||||||||||
| Doubles | |||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 436–231 (65.37%) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 20 | ||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 5 (May 23, 1988) | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | F (1987, 1992) | ||||||||||||||||
| French Open | QF (1988, 1989, 1991, 1995) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | SF (1988, 1990, 1991, 1993) | ||||||||||||||||
| US Open | SF (1985, 1991) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | W (1988) | ||||||||||||||||
| Mixed doubles | |||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (1987) | ||||||||||||||||
| French Open | SF (1989) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | W (1988, 1990) | ||||||||||||||||
| US Open | SF (1987) | ||||||||||||||||
| Team competitions | |||||||||||||||||
| Fed Cup | W (1989, 1990) | ||||||||||||||||
| Hopman Cup | F (1991) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Zina Lynna Garrison (born November 16, 1963) is an American former professional tennis player. She was a top player who reached the finals at the 1990 Wimbledon Championships. Zina also won three major titles in mixed doubles. She earned a gold and a bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Her highest singles ranking was world No. 4 in 1989.
Contents
Zina Garrison's Tennis Journey
Early Life and Junior Success
Zina Garrison was the youngest of seven children. She started playing tennis when she was 10 years old. By age 12, she entered her very first tournament. At 14, she won a national title for girls aged 18 and under.
In 1981, Zina won junior titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open. She was ranked the world's No. 1 junior player that year. Zina graduated from Sterling High School in Houston, Texas, in 1982.
Becoming a Professional Player
Zina Garrison became a professional tennis player in 1982. She even skipped her high school graduation to play in the French Open. This was her first tournament as a professional, and she reached the quarterfinals! Because of her great start, she was named WTA Newcomer of the Year in 1982.
Zina had a lot of success early in her career. In 1983, her first full year as a pro, she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. She ended that year ranked No. 10 in the world. In 1984, she won her first major singles title in Zürich.
In 1985, Zina won the Amelia Island Championships. She beat two top players, Hana Mandlíková and Chris Evert, on her way to the title. She also made it to the Wimbledon semifinals that year. In 1986, she won her first doubles title at the Canadian Open with her partner, Gabriela Sabatini.
Grand Slam and Olympic Achievements
Zina had great success in mixed doubles. In 1987, she won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open with Sherwood Stewart. They also won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 1988.
A big moment for Zina was at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. She teamed up with Pam Shriver to win the gold medal in women's doubles for the United States. They beat Jana Novotná and Helena Suková in the final match. Zina also won a bronze medal in the singles event at those Olympics.
At the US Open in 1988, Zina beat the defending champion, Martina Navratilova. This was her first time beating Navratilova. She reached the semifinals before losing to Gabriela Sabatini. In 1989, Zina beat Chris Evert in the quarterfinals of the US Open. This was Evert's last tournament. Zina reached the semifinals again and finished 1989 ranked No. 4 in the world, her highest ranking ever.
The most famous part of Zina's career was at Wimbledon in 1990. She had an amazing run, beating Monica Seles in the quarterfinals. Then, she defeated the defending champion and world No. 1, Steffi Graf, in the semifinals. This made her the first African-American woman to reach the Wimbledon singles final since Althea Gibson. She lost to Martina Navratilova in the final. That same year, Zina won her third mixed doubles title at Wimbledon with Rick Leach.
In 1992, Zina was a runner-up in the Australian Open women's doubles with Mary Joe Fernández. In 1994, she beat world No. 2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario at Wimbledon. This helped her reach her 15th and final Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Zina Garrison retired from professional tennis in 1996. For 13 years, from 1982 to 1995, she was always ranked among the top 25 players in the world. During her career, she won 14 singles titles and 20 doubles titles.
Life After Tennis
Community and Coaching Roles
After retiring, Zina Garrison became a television commentator. She also stayed very active in her community and in tennis. In 1988, she started the Zina Garrison Foundation for the Homeless. In 1992, she created the Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis Program. This program helps support tennis for kids in inner-city Houston.
Zina was also a member of the United States President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She is part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Zina continued to be involved in professional tennis. She was the captain for the U.S. Fed Cup team. She also led the U.S. women's team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. There, Venus and Serena Williams won a gold medal in doubles.
Playing Style
Zina Garrison had an attacking style of play. She often used a slice backhand and would quickly move to the net. She was known for her excellent volleys and overhead shots. Her main goal was to get to the net to finish points with a volley.
Images for kids
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Zina Garrison in 2001
See also
In Spanish: Zina Garrison para niños
