Julie Halard-Decugis Explained

Julie Halard-Decugis
Residence:Pully, Switzerland
Birth Date:1970 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Versailles, France
Height:1.73 m
Turnedpro:1986
Retired:2000
Plays:Right-handed
(two handed-backhand)
Careerprizemoney:US$ 3,081,132
Singlestitles:12
Highestsinglesranking:No. 7 (14 February 2000)
Australianopenresult:QF (1993, 2000)
Frenchopenresult:QF (1994)
Wimbledonresult:4R (1992)
Usopenresult:4R (1999)
Othertournaments:yes
Wtachampionshipsresult:1R (1999, 2000)
Olympicsresult:3R (2000)
Doublesrecord:253–156
Doublestitles:15
Highestdoublesranking:No. 1 (11 September 2000)
Australianopendoublesresult:QF (2000)
Frenchopendoublesresult:SF (1994, 2000)
Wimbledondoublesresult:F (2000)
Usopendoublesresult:W (2000)
Othertournamentsdoubles:yes
Wtachampionshipsdoublesresult:QF (2000)
Olympicsdoublesresult:QF (2000)
Mixed:yes
Mixedrecord:5–9
Mixedtitles:0
Australianopenmixedresult:QF (1996)
Frenchopenmixedresult:3R (1995)
Wimbledonmixedresult:3R (2000)
Usopenmixedresult:1R (1998)

Julie Halard-Decugis (born 10 September 1970) is a French former professional tennis player.

Tennis career

Halard-Decugis lived in La Baule, France, during the initial stages of her career and later moved to Pully, Switzerland. She turned professional in 1986. She won the French Open junior singles title in 1988 and was the Wimbledon junior singles runner-up in 1987. She retired from the WTA Tour tennis circuit at the end of the 2000 season.[1] Her highest WTA Tour singles and doubles rankings was number seven and number one respectively. She had been coached by Arnaud Decugis since 1989.

Halard-Decugis won her first WTA Tour singles title in Puerto Rico. She enjoyed her best season in 1996, when she won her first WTA Tour Tier II singles title in Paris and finished the year with a career-high season-ending singles ranking of No. 15 and as the No. 1 singles player from France. This occurred despite the fact that her playing schedule in the second half of 1996 was curtailed because of a wrist injury sustained during the Fed Cup semifinal match against Spain. She only played two tournaments in late 1997 because of injuries.

By winning the singles title in Rosmalen in 1998, she became the 20th player to have won singles titles on all four surfaces in the Open Era. Halard also won the singles and doubles titles in Pattaya that year, and broke into the top 10 singles ranking in August 1999, becoming the fifth Frenchwoman after Françoise Dürr, Mary Pierce, Nathalie Tauziat and Amélie Mauresmo to do so. In 1999, she won WTA Tour singles titles in Auckland and Birmingham and was runner-up on three other occasions.[2] Between 15 November 1999 and 9 January 2000, Julie Halard, Nathalie Tauziat, Amélie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce were all ranked inside the singles top 10, the first time France had four players ranked among the singles top 10.

2000 was to be the final and perhaps the finest year of Halard's professional playing career. She reached the Australian Open singles quarterfinal for the second time, captured the second WTA Tour Tier II title of her career in Eastbourne and reached her career-high singles ranking of No. 7 in February. Halard was also runner-up in Tokyo's Princess Cup in October and won the doubles title with Ai Sugiyama. The following week, she won both the singles and doubles titles at the Japan Open in Tokyo, saving three match points in the final to defeat the defending champion Amy Frazier.

On her 30th birthday, Halard won the 2000 US Open women's doubles title with Ai Sugiyama, her only Grand Slam title as a professional. The pair also reached the final at Wimbledon, the semifinal at the French Open and the quarterfinal at the Australian Open that year. Halard-Decugis won nine other doubles titles in 2000, five of them with Sugiyama, and became the first Frenchwoman to attain the No. 1 doubles ranking in the Open Era. Halard-Decugis represented her country in the Federation Cup Fed Cup from 1990 to 2000 and in the Olympic Games in 1992 and 2000.

Personal life

She married her coach, Arnaud Decugis, on 22 September 1995.[3] [4] Arnaud Decugis is the great nephew of Max Decugis, a leading tennis player from France during the early 20th century. The couple have three children

Grand Slam finals

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

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss Grass 3–6, 2–6
WinHard Ai Sugiyama 6–0, 1–6, 6–1

WTA career finals

Singles: 21 (12 titles, 9 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments
Virginia Slims
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Tier IV & V
ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.Oct 1987Athens Open, GreeceClay Katerina Maleeva0–6, 1–6
Loss2.Aug 1991Albuquerque, U.S.Hard Gigi Fernández0–6, 2–6
Win3.Oct 1991San Juan Open, Puerto RicoHard Amanda Coetzer7–5, 7–5
Win4.Apr 1992Taranto Trophy, ItalyClay Emanuela Zardo6–0, 7–5
Loss5.Feb 1994Paris Indoors, FranceCarpet (i) Martina Navratilova5–7, 3–6
Win6.Apr 1994Taranto TrophyClay Irina Spîrlea6–2, 6–3
Win7.May 1995Prague Open, Czech RepublicClay Ludmila Richterová6–4, 6–4
Win8.Jan 1996Hobart International, AustraliaHard Mana Endo6–1, 6–2
Win9.Feb 1996Paris IndoorsCarpet (i) Iva Majoli7–5, 7–6(7–4)
Loss10.Feb 1996Linz Open, AustriaCarpet (i) Sabine Appelmans2–6, 4–6
Loss11.May 1998Internationaux de Strasbourg, FranceClay Irina Spîrlea6–7(5–7), 3–6
Win12.Jun 1998Rosmalen Championships, NetherlandsGrass Miriam Oremans6–3, 6–4
Win13.Nov 1998Pattaya Open, ThailandHard Li Fang6–1, 6–2
Win14.Jan 1999Auckland Open, New ZealandHard Dominique Monami6–4, 6–1
Loss15.Apr 1999Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Corina Morariu2–6, 0–6
Loss16.May 1999German Open, BerlinClay Martina Hingis0–6, 1–6
Win17.Jun 1999Birmingham Classic, UKGrass Nathalie Tauziat6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Loss18.Aug 1999Los Angeles Classic, U.S.Hard Serena Williams1–6, 4–6
Win19.Jun 2000Eastbourne International, UKGrass Dominique Monami7–6(7–4), 6–4
Loss20.Oct 2000Tokyo Cup, JapanHard Serena Williams5–7, 1–6
Win21.Oct 2000Tokyo Championships, JapanHard Amy Frazier5–7, 7–5, 6–4

Doubles: 25 (15 titles, 10 runner-ups)

ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Sep 1991Clarins Open Paris, FranceClay Alexia Dechaume Petra Langrová
Radka Zrubáková
4–6, 4–6
Loss2.Apr 1994Barcelona Open, SpainClay Nathalie Tauziat Larisa Neiland
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
2–6, 4–6
Win3.Aug 1994Los Angeles Classic, United StatesHard Nathalie Tauziat Jana Novotná
Lisa Raymond
6–1, 0–6, 6–1
Win4.Sep 1994Tokyo International, JapanHard Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Amy Frazier
Rika Hiraki
6–1, 0–6, 6–1
Win5.Jan 1996Auckland Open, New ZealandHard Els Callens Jill Hetherington
Kristine Kunce
6–0, 6–1
Loss6.Feb 1996Paris Indoors, FranceCarpet (i) Nathalie Tauziat Kristie Boogert
Jana Novotná
4–6, 3–6
Loss7.Mar 1996Indian Wells Open, U.S.Hard Nathalie Tauziat Chanda Rubin
Brenda Schultz
1–6, 4–6
Loss8.Sep 1997Tokyo Cup, JapanHard Chanda Rubin Monica Seles
Ai Sugiyama
1–6, 0–6
Loss9.Jan 1998Auckland Open, New ZealandHard Janette Husárová Nana Miyagi
Tamarine Tanasugarn
6–71, 4–6
Loss10.Jan 1998Hobart International, AustraliaHard Janette Husárová Virginia Ruano Pascual
Paola Suárez
6–76, 3–6
Win11.Jun 1998Birmingham Classic, UKGrass Els Callens Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
2–6, 6–4, 6–4
Win12.Nov 1998Pattaya Open, ThailandHard Els Callens Rika Hiraki
Aleksandra Olsza
3–6, 6–2, 6–2
Loss13.Oct 1999Kremlin Cup, RussiaCarpet (i) Anke Huber Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
0–6, 1–6
Win14.Jan 2000Gold Coast Hardcourts, AustraliaHard Anna Kournikova Sabine Appelmans
Rita Grande
6–3, 6–0
Win15.Jan 2000Sydney International, AustraliaHard Ai Sugiyama Martina Hingis
Mary Pierce
6–0, 6–3
Win16.Feb 2000Paris Indoors, FranceCarpet (i) Sandrine Testud Émilie Loit
Åsa Carlsson
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win17.Mar 2000Miami Masters, U.S.Hard Ai Sugiyama Nicole Arendt
Manon Bollegraf
4–6, 7–5, 6–4
Win18.May 2000Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Corina Morariu Tina Križan
Katarina Srebotnik
6–2, 6–2
Loss19.Jun 2000Wimbledon, UKGrass Ai Sugiyama Serena Williams
Venus Williams
3–6, 2–6
Loss20.Aug 2000Rogers Cup Montreal, CanadaHard Ai Sugiyama Martina Hingis
Nathalie Tauziat
3–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win21.Aug 2000Connecticut Open, U.S.Hard Ai Sugiyama Virginia Ruano Pascual
Paola Suárez
6–4, 5–7, 6–2
Win22.Aug 2000US OpenHard Ai Sugiyama Cara Black
Elena Likhovtseva
6–0, 1–6, 6–1
Win23.Oct 2000Tokyo Cup, JapanHard Ai Sugiyama Nana Miyagi
Paola Suárez
6–0, 6–2
Win24.Oct 2000Tokyo Championships, JapanHard Corina Morariu Tina Križan
Katarina Srebotnik
6–1, 6–2
Win25.Oct 2000Kremlin Cup, RussiaCarpet (i) Ai Sugiyama Martina Hingis
Anna Kournikova
4–6, 6–4, 7–65

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 2 (2–0)

Legend
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.13 July 1987ITF Erlangen, West GermanyClay Wiltrud Probst4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Winner2.27 July 1987ITF Neumünster, West GermanyClay Brenda Schultz-McCarthy6–2, 6–4

Doubles: 4 (2–2)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1.20 July 1987ITF Vaihingen, West GermanyClay Virginie Paquet Hana Fukárková
Denisa Krajčovičová
6–4, 6–3
Winner2.3 December 1990ITF Le Havre, FranceClay Agnès Zugasti Gaby Coorengel
Amy van Buuren
6–3, 6–0
Runner-up1.7 December 1992ITF Val-d'Oise, FranceHard (i) Sabine Appelmans Isabelle Demongeot
Catherine Suire
5–7, 4–6
Runner-up2.7 December 1997ITF Cergy-Pontoise, FranceHard (i) Anne-Gaëlle Sidot Kristie Boogert
Miriam Oremans
5–7, 4–6

Grand Slam performance timelines

Singles

width=130Tournament!width=381987!width=381988!width=381989!width=381990!width=381991!width=381992!width=381993!width=381994!width=381995!width=381996!width=381997!width=381998!width=381999!width=382000!width=50SR!width=50W–L
Australian OpenA2R1R3R2R1RQF2R1R3RAA2RQF0 / 1116–11
French Open2R2R1R3R2R3R3RQF3R2RA2R4R1R0 / 1320–13
WimbledonA1R2R2R2R4R1R1R1RAA3R3R1R0 / 1110–11
US Open3R1R2R2R2R2R2R2R2RAA1R4R1R0 / 1212–12
Overall win–loss3–22–42–46–44–46–47–46–43–43–20–03–39–44–40 / 4758–47
Career statistics
style=text-align:leftTitles0000110113012212
style=text-align:leftFinals1000210214025321
Year-end ranking62751184120272921512022915

Doubles

width=130Tournament!width=381987!width=381988!width=381989!width=381990!width=381991!width=381992!width=381993!width=381994!width=381995!width=381996!width=381997!width=381998!width=381999!width=382000!width=50SR!width=50W–L
Australian OpenA1R2R2RA1R1R1R2R3RAA3RQF0 / 1010–10
French OpenA1R2R1R3R2R1Rbgcolor=yellowSFQF3RA2R1Rbgcolor=yellowSF0 / 1218–12
WimbledonAAAA1R1R2R3R3RAAQF2Rbgcolor=thistleF0 / 814–8
US OpenAAAA1R1R1R1RQFAA3R3Rbgcolor=limeW1 / 813–7
Overall win–loss0–00–22–21–22–31–41–46–49–44–20–06–35–418–31 / 3855–37

Head-to-head records

Notes and References

  1. News: Berkrot . Bill . Halard-Decugis decides to retire . 6 October 2019 . . 16 November 2000 . New York City.
  2. Web site: Tennis — DFS Classic; Halard-Decugis beats Tauziat. The New York Times. 14 June 1999.
  3. Web site: Gene Frenette. When Love is a good game. jacksonville.com. 16 April 2000.
  4. Web site: Iain Carter. Julie Halard-Decugis. BBC Sport. June 2000.