Alexandra Fusai Explained

Alexandra Fusai
Residence:Nantes, France
Birth Date:1973 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Saint-Cloud, France
Turnedpro:September 1989
Retired:April 2003
Plays:Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$1,608,170
Singlesrecord:284–269
Singlestitles:6 ITF
Highestsinglesranking:No. 37 (26 October 1998)
Australianopenresult:3R (1996)
Frenchopenresult:3R (1994, 1998)
Wimbledonresult:2R (1996, 1998)
Usopenresult:3R (1997)
Doublesrecord:300–225
Doublestitles:12 WTA, 2 ITF
Highestdoublesranking:No. 6 (14 September 1998)
Australianopendoublesresult:QF (2001)
Frenchopendoublesresult:SF (1997, 1999, 2000)
Wimbledondoublesresult:3R (1997)
Usopendoublesresult:QF (1997)
Team:yes
Fedcupresult:W (1997)

Alexandra Fusai (born 22 November 1973) is a former professional tennis player from France.

Fusai was born in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine. Starting from September 1989 when she turned professional, Fusai played four tournaments (all of them part of the ITF Women's Circuit) on the international tennis circuit in 1989. She played right-handed and lived in Nantes during her career. She retired from the professional tennis circuit in April 2003 when she discovered that she was pregnant with her first child. Fusai's highest WTA rankings were No. 37 and No. 6 respectively, both attained in 1998. Her career prize money earnings reached the one million USD-mark in 1999.[1]

Fusai won six singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She reached her only career WTA Tour singles final in Warsaw in 1995, losing to Barbara Paulus of Austria in three sets. She was a losing singles quarterfinalist on six occasions and a losing singles semifinalist on three occasions in WTA tournaments. Fusai never advanced beyond the singles third round of the main draw of any Grand Slam tournament. She earned her career-best singles victory at the Italian Open in Rome in 1998 by beating world No. 3 Jana Novotná.

Fusai excelled as a doubles player. She achieved her best results in doubles competition in partnership with fellow Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat from 1997 to 2000. She was a losing quarterfinalist on four occasions and a losing semifinalist on three occasions in seven Grand Slam women's doubles tournaments; in five of those tournaments, her doubles partner was Tauziat. Fusai's doubles performances qualified her to play in the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000. and 2001; her doubles partner was Tauziat in the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 editions of the WTA Tour Championships. She and Tauziat were the runners-up there in 1997 and 1998. All in all, Fusai won a total of 12 WTA Tour doubles titles, eight of them with Tauziat. She was the doubles runner-up in WTA Tour tournaments on 21 occasions, eleven of them with Tauziat. Fusai was a losing doubles semifinalist in WTA tournaments on 27 occasions, excluding Grand Slam tournaments: 1992(1), 1993(1), 1994(1), 1995(2), 1996(1), 1997(3), 1998(4), 1999(4), 2000(3), 2001(6), 2003(1). Fusai had a career women's doubles win–loss record of 300–225 (260–192 for only main draw matches in WTA Tour tournaments).[2]

Fusai achieved her best mixed-doubles result at the 2001 French Open; she was paired with Jérôme Golmard and they lost in the quarterfinals. Fusai was a member of the France Fed Cup team that won the title in 1997, winning all the three World Group doubles matches that she played from the opening round (quarterfinals) against Japan to the final against the Netherlands. She also played for her country in the Fed Cup in 1994 and 1998. She had a Fed Cup career record of 1–1 in singles and 5–1 in doubles. However, Fusai did not play for her country in the Olympic Games.[3]

Fusai married David Crochu on 13 July 2002. Their son Oscar was born on 7 December 2003.

WTA career finals

Singles (0–1)

Finals by surface
Grand Slam (0)
Tier I (1)
Tier II (3)
Tier III (3)
Tier IV & V (5)

Doubles (12–21)

Finals by surface
Grand Slam (0)
Tier I (0)
Tier II (0)
Tier III (0)
Tier IV & V (0)
ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Jul 1994Maria Lankowitz, AustriaClay Karina Habšudová Sandra Cecchini
Patricia Tarabini
5–7, 5–7
Loss2.Nov 1994Taipei, TaiwanHard Nancy Feber Michelle Jaggard-Lai
Rene Simpson
0–6, 6–7(10–12)
Loss3.Jul 1995Maria Lankowitz, AustriaClay Wiltrud Probst Silvia Farina
Andrea Temesvári
2–6, 2–6
Loss4.May 1996Bol, CroatiaClay Alexia Dechaume Laura Montalvo
Paola Suárez
7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Loss5.Sep 1996Warsaw, PolandClay Olga Lugina
Elena Pampoulova
6–1, 4–6, 5–7
Win6.Oct 1996Surabaya, IndonesiaHard Kerry-Anne Guse Tina Križan
Noëlle van Lottum
6–4, 6–4
Win7.Feb 1997Paris, FranceCarpet (i) Jana Novotná
Martina Hingis
3–6, 0–6
Loss8.Feb 1997Linz, AustriaCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Eva Melicharová
Helena Vildová
4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Win9.Apr 1997Budapest, HungaryClay Amanda Coetzer Eva Martincová
Elena Wagner
6–3, 6–1
Loss10.Aug 1997Atlanta, USHard Nathalie Tauziat Nicole Arendt
Manon Bollegraf
7–6(7–5), 3–6, 2–6
Loss11.Oct 1997Québec City, CanadaCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–5, 5–7
Win12.Nov 1997Chicago, USCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Monica Seles
6–3, 6–2
Loss13.Nov 1997New York, USCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Jana Novotná
7–6(7–5), 3–6, 2–6
Win14.Feb 1998Linz, AustriaCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Anna Kournikova
Larisa Neiland
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Loss15.Mar 1998Indian Wells, USHard Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Loss16.May 1998Berlin, GermanyClay Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva
3–6, 0–6
Win17.May 1998Strasbourg, FranceClay Nathalie Tauziat Yayuk Basuki
Caroline Vis
6–4, 6–3
Loss18.Aug 1998San Diego, USHard Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva
2–6, 1–6
Win19.Aug 1998New Haven, USHard Nathalie Tauziat Jana Novotná
Mariaan de Swardt
6–1, 6–0
Loss20.Nov 1998New York, USCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Lindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva
7–6(8–6), 5–7, 3–6
Win21.Feb 1999Prostějov, Czech RepublicCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Květa Peschke
Helena Vildová
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss22.Feb 1999Hanover, GermanyCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Serena Williams
Venus Williams
7–5, 2–6, 2–6
Loss23.May 1999Rome, ItalyClay Nathalie Tauziat Martina Hingis
Anna Kournikova
2–6, 2–6
Win24.May 1999Berlin, GermanyClay Nathalie Tauziat Jana Novotná
Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 7–5
Loss25.May 1999Strasbourg, FranceClay Nathalie Tauziat Elena Likhovtseva
Ai Sugiyama
6–2, 6–7(6–8), 1–6
Loss26.Jun 1999Birmingham, EnglandGrass Inés Gorrochategui Corina Morariu
Larisa Neiland
4–6, 4–6
Win27.Jan 2000Auckland, New ZealandHard Cara Black Barbara Schwartz
Patricia Wartusch
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss28.Feb 2000Tokyo, JapanCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Martina Hingis
Mary Pierce
4–6, 1–6
Win29.Sep 2000LuxembourgCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Lubomira Bacheva
Cristina Torrens Valero
6–3, 7–6(7–0)
Win30.Jan 2001Auckland, New ZealandHard Rita Grande Emmanuelle Gagliardi
Barbara Schett
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss31.Apr 2001Porto, PortugalClay Rita Grande María José Martínez Sánchez
Anabel Medina Garrigues
1–6, 7–6(7–5), 5–7
Loss32.Feb 2002Doha, QatarHard Caroline Vis Janette Husárová
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
3–6, 3–6
Loss33.Apr 2002Charleston, USClay Caroline Vis Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 6–3, 6–7(4–7)

ITF finals

Singles (6–2)

Legend
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Runner-up1.19 March 1990Granada, SpainHard Birgit Arming1–6, 6–7
Winner2.Cherbourg, FranceClay María José Llorca6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Winner3.Sezze, ItalyClay Sophie Woorons6–4, 6–3
Winner4.8 April 1991Limoges, FranceCarpet Eugenia Maniokova7–5, 5–7, 6–4
Runner-up5.14 June 1992Modena, ItalyClay Joannette Kruger4–6, 3–6
Winner6.26 October 1992Mount Gambier, AustraliaHard Sandra Cacic6–4, 6–2
Winner7.23 November 1992Nuriootpa, AustraliaHard Michelle Jaggard-Lai7–6, 3–6, 6–3
Winner8.8 May 1995Szczecin, PolandClay Magdalena Grzybowska7–5, 7–6

Doubles (2–7)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1.Cherbourg, FranceClay Olivia Gravereaux Cora Linneman
Louise Pleming
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up2.24 June 1991Caltagiron, ItalyHard Olivia Gravereaux Silvia Farina Elia
Misumi Miyauchi
7–6, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up3.14 June 1992Modena, ItalyClay Natalie Tschan Ruxandra Dragomir
Elena Pampoulova
3–6, 6–7
Runner-up4.22 June 1992Reggio Emilia, ItalyClay Barbara Collet Ruxandra Dragomir
Natalie Tschan
6–3, 2–6, 1–6
Runner-up5.24 April 1995Budapest, HungaryClay Kristin Godridge Eva Melicharová
Helena Vildová
3–6, 4–6
Winner6.8 August 1999Lexington, United StatesHard Florencia Labat Kim Eun-ha
Julie Pullin
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up7.17 October 1999Poitiers, FranceHard (i) Rita Grande Émilie Loit
Åsa Carlsson
2–6, 6–7(5–7)
Winner8.20 February 2000Redbridge, EnglandHard (i) Tina Križan Julie Pullin
Lorna Woodroffe
7–6(7–4), 3–6, 7–6(7–1)
Runner-up9.20 August 2000Bronx, United StatesHard Émilie Loit Surina De Beer
Nana Miyagi
7–5, 4–6, 4–6

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alexandra Fusai WTA Tour website. WTA Tour official website.
  2. Web site: ITF profile of Alexandra Fusai. ITF.
  3. Web site: Players: Alexandra Fusai (France). Fed Cup official website.