Amanda Coetzer (born 22 October 1971, in Hoopstad) is a South African former professional tennis player. Coetzer finished in the WTA rankings top 20 for ten consecutive seasons (1992–2001), peaking at world No. 3. She reached three Grand Slam semifinals (Australian Open 1996 and 1997, French Open 1997) and one Grand Slam doubles final (US Open 1993). Coetzer earned a reputation for regularly beating players who were ranked higher than her. By virtue of scoring so many upset wins in spite of her five-foot-two (1.58m) stature, she gained the nickname: "The Little Assassin".[1]
![]() Coetzer at the 2000 French Open | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
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Residence | Hoopstad |
Born | Hoopstad, South Africa | 22 October 1971
Height | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) |
Turned pro | January 1988 |
Retired | June 2004 |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $5,594,821 |
Singles | |
Career record | 568–337 (62.8%) |
Career titles | 9 |
Highest ranking | No. 3 (3 November 1997) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1996, 1997) |
French Open | SF (1997) |
Wimbledon | 4R (1994) |
US Open | QF (1994, 1996, 1998) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 269–219 |
Career titles | 9 |
Highest ranking | No. 15 (27 September 1993) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | QF (2002) |
French Open | SF (1993, 1994) |
Wimbledon | 3R (1998, 2001) |
US Open | F (1993) |
Mixed doubles | |
Career record | 18–18 |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (1995, 2001) |
French Open | QF (1994) |
Wimbledon | QF (2000) |
US Open | 2R (1992, 1993) |
Team competitions | |
Fed Cup | QF (1995, 1996), record 31–13 |
Hopman Cup | W (2000) |
Personal life
editCoetzer was born in Hoopstad, South Africa, to Nico and Suska Coetzer. She started playing tennis at the age of six. During her career, she resided primarily in Hilton Head, South Carolina and was coached by Gavin Hopper, later by Lori McNeil. As a photographer's model she appeared as a Sunshine Girl in the Canadian Sun newspaper chain. She is married to the Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan.[2] They have two children, Shimon (born 2009) and Olivia (born 2011).[3]
In 1998, Coetzer was featured in All Star Tennis '99, a tennis video game released on PlayStation and Nintendo 64.[4]
Career
editCoetzer's breakthrough year was in 1992. She beat world No. 3, Gabriela Sabatini, in Boca Raton, and Jennifer Capriati at the Italian Open, entering into the top 20 in August.
In 1993, Coetzer won her first WTA Tour title in Melbourne, defeating Naoko Sawamatsu in the final, and reached the final of the US Open women's doubles with Inés Gorrochategui.
At the Canada Masters in 1995, Coetzer defeated three players ranked in the world's top 5 – Steffi Graf (No. 1), Jana Novotná (No. 4) and Mary Pierce (No. 5) – before finally losing to Monica Seles in the final. The defeat of Graf ended a 32-match winning-streak for the German. At the end of the year, Coetzer was awarded the WTA Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award (voted for by other players).
At the Australian Open in 1996, Coetzer became the first South African woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, where she lost in three sets to Anke Huber.
In 1997, she reached the Australian Open semifinals for the second consecutive year, defeating world No. 1, Steffi Graf, in the fourth round. She beat Graf for a second time that year at the German Open in May (inflicting Graf's worst-ever loss: 6–0, 6–1 in just 56 minutes), and then, in the quarterfinals of the French Open, she defeated Graf yet again to become one of only four to defeat her more than once in Grand Slam matches. Coetzer lost in the French Open semifinals to eventual champion Iva Majoli. She broke into the top 10 in June and top 5 in August, and in Leipzig Coetzer beat Martina Hingis, who by then had taken over the world No. 1 ranking. Coetzer won two singles titles that year – in Budapest and Luxembourg, reached 15 semifinals (or better) in total and was awarded the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award for a second time, the Most Improved Player and Diamond Aces awards (all WTA).
Coetzer won the biggest title of her career in 1998, at the Charleston Open. She also beat Conchita Martínez on her way to a third quarterfinals showing at the US Open.
In 1999, Coetzer defeated world No. 1, Lindsay Davenport, and world No. 4, Monica Seles, on her way to the final of Tokyo, thereby becoming the only player to ever defeat Graf, Hingis and Davenport while they were ranked number one.
Coetzer teamed-up with Wayne Ferreira to win the 2000 Hopman Cup for South Africa. She beat world No. 3, Venus Williams, in Hamburg and also reached the final of the German Open in Berlin.
In 2001, she qualified for her ninth consecutive Year-end championships, and finished her tenth consecutive season in the world's top 20.
Coetzer retired in 2004. Overall, she won 18 WTA tournament titles, nine in singles and nine in doubles. Her final singles title was won in Acapulco in 2003, and her career prize-money earnings totalled $6 million.
Grand Slam finals
editDoubles: 1 runner–up
editOutcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Runner-up | 1993 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–4, 6–2 |
WTA career finals
editSingles: 21 (9 titles, 12 runner-ups)
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Doubles: 23 (9 titles, 14 runner-ups)
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Grand Slam singles performance timeline
editW | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | P# | DNQ | A | Z# | PO | G | S | B | NMS | NTI | P | NH |
Tournament | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | SR | W–L | W% | ||||
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Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | SF | SF | 4R | 4R | 2R | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | 0 / 12 | 31–12 | 72% | ||||
French Open | A | 4R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 4R | 2R | 4R | SF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 1R | A | 0 / 15 | 23–15 | 61% | ||||
Wimbledon | Q3 | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 4R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | A | 0 / 14 | 17–14 | 55% | ||||
US Open | Q1 | 1R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | QF | 1R | QF | 4R | QF | 1R | 3R | 1R | 3R | 3R | A | 0 / 15 | 25–15 | 63% | ||||
Win–loss | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 11–4 | 4–4 | 13–4 | 14–4 | 8–4 | 5–4 | 6–4 | 8–4 | 6–4 | 6–4 | 1–1 | 0 / 56 | 96–56 | 63% | ||||
Year-end championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tour Championships | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | A | A | A | 0 / 9 | 2–9 | 18% | ||||
Tier I tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo | Tier III | Tier II | A | A | A | A | QF | SF | F | QF | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 7 | 10–7 | 59% | |||||||
Boca Raton | Tier II | 2R | SF | Tier II | Not Held | 0 / 2 | 5–2 | 71% | ||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | NH | T III | Tier II | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | A | QF | QF | A | 0 / 6 | 8–6 | 57% | ||||||||||
Miami | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | QF | 4R | 4R | 4R | 3R | 2R | 4R | QF | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | A | 0 / 15 | 26–15 | 63% | ||||
Charleston | Tier II | A | 2R | 3R | QF | 3R | 3R | 2R | QF | W | 3R | QF | QF | QF | 3R | A | 1 / 13 | 28–12 | 70% | |||||
Berlin | A | 2R | 1R | 3R | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | SF | 3R | 1R | F | QF | 1R | A | A | 0 / 11 | 15–11 | 58% | ||||
Rome | T IV | T II | 2R | 2R | SF | 3R | 2R | 3R | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | 2R | A | 0 / 10 | 13–10 | 57% | ||||
San Diego | T V | T IV | Tier III | Tier II | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 0% | ||||||||||||||||
Montreal / Toronto | Tier II | A | A | 3R | 3R | 3R | F | 3R | QF | 3R | QF | 2R | 3R | 3R | 3R | A | 0 / 12 | 22–12 | 65% | |||||
Moscow | NH | Tier V | Not Held | Tier III | A | A | A | A | A | SF | 1R | A | 0 / 2 | 3–2 | 60% | |||||||||
Zürich | T IV | T III | Tier II | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | QF | QF | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 8 | 7–8 | 47% | ||||||
Philadelphia | Not Held | Tier II | QF | 1R | 1R | Tier II | Not Held | Tier II | 0 / 3 | 2–3 | 40% | |||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Year-end ranking | 157 | 63 | 76 | 67 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 286 |
Best Grand Slam results details
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Wins over top 10 players
editSeason | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Total |
Wins | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
# | Player | Rank | Event | Surface | Rd | Score | Coetzer Rank |
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1992 | |||||||
1. | ![]() | 3 | Virginia Slims of Florida, U.S. | Hard | Quarterfinal | 4–6, 6–1, 6–2 | 61 |
2. | ![]() | 6 | Italian Open | Clay | 3R | 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 | 31 |
1993 | |||||||
3. | ![]() | 6 | Amelia Island, U.S. | Hard | 2R | 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 | 15 |
4. | ![]() | 2 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Semifinal | 6–3, 6–4 | 17 |
5. | ![]() | 6 | WTA Tour Championships | Carpet (i) | 1R | 6–3, 6–4 | 16 |
1994 | |||||||
6. | ![]() | 7 | Evert Cup, U.S. | Hard | Quarterfinal | 6–2, 2–6, 7–6(4) | 16 |
7. | ![]() | 6 | French Open | Clay | 1R | 6–2, 6–1 | 18 |
1995 | |||||||
8. | ![]() | 1 | Canadian Open | Hard | 2R | 3–6, 6–2, 7–6(6) | 27 |
9. | ![]() | 5 | Canadian Open | Hard | Quarterfinal | 6–4, 5–7, 6–0 | 27 |
10. | ![]() | 4 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinal | 6–4, 6–3 | 27 |
11. | ![]() | 8 | Brighton, UK | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–3, 6–3 | 23 |
1996 | |||||||
12. | ![]() | 10 | Oklahoma City, U.S. | Hard | Semifinal | 6–2, 2–6, 7–6(4) | 17 |
13. | ![]() | 5 | US Open | Hard | 1R | 6–1, 2–6, 6–2 | 17 |
1997 | |||||||
14. | ![]() | 1 | Australian Open | Hard | 4R | 6–2, 7–5 | 14 |
15. | ![]() | 10 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet | 2R | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 | 12 |
16. | ![]() | 4 | Family Circle Cup, U.S. | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 5–7, 6–0 | 15 |
17. | ![]() | 4 | Amelia Island, U.S. | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 1–6, 6–1 | 14 |
18. | ![]() | 2 | German Open | Clay | Quarterfinal | 6–0, 6–1 | 10 |
19. | ![]() | 7 | French Open | Clay | 4R | 6(4)–7, 6–4, 6–3 | 11 |
20. | ![]() | 2 | French Open | Clay | Quarterfinals | 6–1, 6–4 | 11 |
21. | ![]() | 3 | New Haven Open, U.S. | Hard | Quarterfinal | 1–6, 6–3, 6–1 | 5 |
22. | ![]() | 1 | Leipzig Cup, Germany | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(3) | 6 |
1998 | |||||||
23. | ![]() | 7 | US Open | Hard | 4R | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 | 11 |
24. | ![]() | 4 | Philadelphia, U.S. | Hard | 2R | 6–4, 6–1 | 15 |
1999 | |||||||
25. | ![]() | 1 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet | Quarterfinal | 2–6, 6–4, 6–3 | 15 |
26. | ![]() | 4 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–4, 6–2 | 15 |
27. | ![]() | 8 | Miami Open, U.S. | Hard | 3R | 6–1, 4–2(ret) | 9 |
2000 | |||||||
28. | ![]() | 7 | Key Biscayne, U.S. | Hard | 3R | 6–1, 6–2 | 20 |
29. | ![]() | 3 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Quarterfinal | 6–3, 6–4 | 18 |
30. | ![]() | 10 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 6–2 | 16 |
31. | ![]() | 10 | New Haven, U.S. | Hard | Quarterfinal | 7–6(3), 6–1 | 14 |
2001 | |||||||
32. | ![]() | 10 | Acapulco, Mexico | Clay | Final | 2–6, 6–1, 6–2 | 11 |
2002 | |||||||
33. | ![]() | 5 | Moscow, Russia | Carpet (i) | 3R | 7–6(3), 3–6, 6–1 | 26 |
2003 | |||||||
34. | ![]() | 5 | Indian Wells, U.S. | Carpet (i) | 3R | 6–4, 6–4 | 19 |
Longest winning streaks
editFirst 8–match singles winning streak (1992)
edit# | Tournament | Category | Start date | Surface | Rd | Opponent | Rank | Score | ACR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– | Family Circle Cup, United States | Tier I | 30 March 1992 | Clay | 3R | ![]() | No. 3 | 5–7, 4–6 | No. 35 |
1 | Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone, Greece | Team event | 13 April 1992 | Clay | - | ![]() | No. NR | 6–0, 6–0 | No. 35 |
2 | - | ![]() | No. 828 | 6–0, 6–0 | |||||
3 | - | ![]() | No. 514 | 6–1, 6–1 | |||||
4 | Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone, Greece | - | ![]() | No. NR | 6–3, 6–0 | ||||
5 | - | ![]() | No. 141 | 6–4, 4–6, 6–1 | |||||
6 | - | ![]() | No. 131 | 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 | |||||
7 | Ilva Trophy, Italy | Tier V | 27 April 1992 | Clay | 1R | ![]() | No. 180 | 6–3, 6–2 | No. 32 |
8 | 2R | ![]() | No. 115 | 4–6, 6–0, 7–5 | |||||
– | QF | ![]() | No. 95 | 4–6, 2–6 |
Second 8–match singles winning streak (1994)
edit# | Tournament | Category | Start date | Surface | Rd | Opponent | Rank | Score | ACR |
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– | Italian Open, Italy | Tier I | 2 May 1994 | Clay | 2R | ![]() | No. 168 | 0–6, 5–7 | No. 18 |
1 | BVV Prague Open, Czech Republic | Tier IV | 9 May 1994 | Clay | 1R | ![]() | No. 122 | 6–3, 6–3 | No. 18 |
2 | 2R | ![]() | No. 93 | 6–2, 6–4 | |||||
3 | QF | ![]() | No. 82 | 6–3, 6–1 | |||||
4 | SF | ![]() | No. 154 | 7–5, 6–2 | |||||
5 | F | ![]() | No. 84 | 6–1, 7–6(16–14) | |||||
6 | French Open, France | Grand Slam | 23 May 1994 | Clay | 1R | ![]() | No. 6 | 6–2, 6–1 | No. 18 |
7 | 2R | ![]() | No. 77 | 6–4, 6–4 | |||||
8 | 3R | ![]() | No. 55 | 6–0, 6–3 | |||||
– | 4R | ![]() | No. 12 | 1–6, 1–6 |
Third 8–match singles winning streak (1997)
edit# | Tournament | Category | Start date | Surface | Rd | Opponent | Rank | Score | ACR |
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– | Amelia Island Championships, United States | Tier II | 7 April 1997 | Clay | SF | ![]() | No. 8 | 5–7, 2–6 | No. 14 |
1 | Budapest Grand Prix, Hungary | Tier IV | 21 April 1997 | Clay | 1R | ![]() | No. 207 | 7–6, 6–2 | No. 12 |
2 | 2R | ![]() | No. 89 | 6–0, 6–4 | |||||
3 | QF | ![]() | No. 119 | 6–1, 6–7, 6–2 | |||||
4 | SF | ![]() | No. 34 | 6–7, 6–1, 6–0 | |||||
5 | F | ![]() | No. 23 | 6–1, 6–3 | |||||
6 | Croatian Bol Ladies Open, Croatia | Tier IV | 28 April 1997 | Clay | 1R | ![]() | No. 160 | 6–1, 6–2 | No. 10 |
7 | 2R | ![]() | No. 89 | 2–6, 6–0, 6–3 | |||||
8 | QF | ![]() | No. 60 | 6–4, 7–6 | |||||
– | SF | ![]() | No. NR | 4–6, 3–6 |
Fourth 8–match singles winning streak (1998)
edit# | Tournament | Category | Start date | Surface | Rd | Opponent | Rank | Score | ACR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– | Lipton Championships, United States | Tier I | 16 March 1998 | Hard | 4R | ![]() | No. 31 | 7–6, 2–6, 1–6 | No. 5 |
– | Family Circle Cup, United States | Tier I | 30 March 1998 | Clay | 1R | bye | No. 4 | ||
1 | 2R | ![]() | No. 28 | 6–4, 6–3 | |||||
2 | 3R | ![]() | No. 49 | 6–0, 6–4 | |||||
3 | QF | ![]() | No. 94 | 4–6, 7–6 ret. | |||||
4 | SF | ![]() | No. 19 | 6–4, 6–1 | |||||
5 | F | ![]() | No. 12 | 6–3, 6–4 | |||||
– | Amelia Island Championships, United States | Tier II | 6 April 1998 | Clay | 1R | bye | No. 4 | ||
6 | 2R | ![]() | No. 41 | 6–3, 6–3 | |||||
7 | 3R | ![]() | No. 22 | 6–4, 6–7, 6–0 | |||||
8 | QF | ![]() | No. 74 | 6–4, 6–4 | |||||
– | SF | ![]() | No. 9 | 4–6, 0–6 |
References
edit- ^ Cavannaugh, Jack (27 August 1998). "Coetzer Bounces Back With a Vengeance". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Women in Sport: The Little Assassin who chose the quiet life". The Citizen. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Former SA tennis star welcomes baby". News24. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "All Star Tennis '99 (Nintendo 64)". Diario AS (in Spanish). 14 January 1999. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
You can choose between 12 characters to play, and the best of it is that eight of them will be tennis players who are well renowned in the world. We can see Conchita Martínez (Where is Arantxa?), Jonas Bjorkman, Richard Krajicek, Mark Philippoussis, Gustavo Kuerten, Jana Novotna, Michael Chang and Amanda Coetzer.
External links
edit![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)