Mara Santangelo Explained

Mara Santangelo
Residence:Rome, Italy
Birth Date:1981 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Latina, Lazio, Italy
Turnedpro:1998
Retired:28 January 2011
Plays:Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney:$1,691,518
Singlesrecord:286–238
Singlestitles:1
Highestsinglesranking:No. 27 (9 July 2007)
Australianopenresult:4R (2004)
Frenchopenresult:3R (2007)
Wimbledonresult:3R (2007)
Usopenresult:3R (2006)
Doublesrecord:219–143
Doublestitles:9
Highestdoublesranking:No. 5 (10 September 2007)
Australianopendoublesresult:SF (2009)
Frenchopendoublesresult:W (2007)
Wimbledondoublesresult:SF (2007)
Usopendoublesresult:3R (2007)
Team:yes
Fedcupresult:W (2006)

Mara Santangelo (born 28 June 1981) is a former tennis player from Italy and Grand Slam champion in doubles.

Tennis career

Santangelo reached the fourth round at the 2004 Australian Open, defeating 16th-seeded Magüi Serna, Barbara Schett, and 19th-seeded Eleni Daniilidou—losing to eventual champion and world No. 1 Justine Henin, after having been up 4–2 in the second set. She also won her first WTA Tour title in 2006, defeating Jelena Kostanić in the final.

She took a set from top-seeded Amélie Mauresmo in the third round of the 2006 US Open, and led 2–0 in the deciding set, only to lose the next six games. She also defeated Anastasia Myskina in 2006, her first win over a top-20 player. She and her Italian teammates Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta, and Roberta Vinci beat the Belgian team 3–2 in the 2006 Fed Cup final. Justine Henin had to retire in the fifth and final match because of an injury in her right knee, which let Italy win their first Fed Cup trophy.[1]

Despite holding match points in both matches, Santangelo lost to Agnieszka Radwańska and Dinara Safina in successive first rounds at Luxembourg and Stuttgart respectively, in three set matches. In Moscow, Santangelo lost in the first round to Iveta Benešová in another three-setter. In Linz, Santangelo defeated Alona Bondarenko; she lost to eventual semifinalist Nicole Vaidišová. At her final tournament of the year in Hasselt, Santangelo retired while 5–2 down against Michaëlla Krajicek in the first round. She ended the year ranked world No. 31, a new career high.

Santangelo was still recovering from injury when 2007 commenced. At her first tournament in Hobart, she defeated countrywoman Maria Elena Camerin in the first round, losing to Catalina Castaño in the second round. At the Australian Open, Santangelo drew then-world No. 81 eventual champion Serena Williams in the first round, losing in two sets. She reached her first quarterfinal of the year at the Tier IV Pattaya City tournament, losing to Sania Mirza in straight sets. At her very next tournament, the Tier III Bangalore, as the defending champion, Santangelo made the final for the second straight year, where she lost to Yaroslava Shvedova in the final.

In Doha during the second round, Santangelo faced fellow countrywoman Francesca Schiavone, and led 6–4, 6–6 (6–5), but lost 6–4, 6–7, 0–1 ret., after dropping a match point. She rebounded during her next tournament, however, in Key Biscayne, defeating Jelena Janković in the third round in three sets – which was the first top 10 victory of her career. She lost in the round of 16 to Anna Chakvetadze. Reaching the fourth round of Key Biscayne has thus far been the best showing of Santangelo's in a high-tier event.

During the clay court season, Santangelo defeated Nadia Petrova in the second round of Warsaw, for her second career top-10 victory, reaching her third quarterfinal of the year. She lost to eventual champion Henin. At the French Open, in singles, Santangelo reached the third round, losing to eventual champion Henin. For doubles, however, partnering Alicia Molik, she won the championship, winning her first Grand Slam title. The victory was her fourth title in doubles for the year, with four different partners at each championship.

In 2007 Wimbledon Championships, Santangelo was defeated in round three by the defending champion and fourth-seeded, Amélie Mauresmo, in 57 minutes. Santangelo took part in the 2007 Fed Cup final, where she was defeated by Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second rubber and by Elena Vesnina in the fourth rubber; Italy failed in defending the title and Russia won the trophy with a 4–0 score. Santangelo had to miss the warm-ups for the Australian Open and the Australian Open itself in 2008 because of a troublesome left foot injury. She also missed the Paris indoors event and the Bangalore Open event, where she had previously won a WTA-level title and been a runner-up.

Santangelo returned from eight-month left foot injury lay-off in May; she reached the second round twice (including the 2008 Wimbledon Championships) and she won two ITF tournaments, Biella and Ortisei. At the Beijing Olympics, she was defeated by Dinara Safina in the first round.

In 2009, once again plagued by her foot injury, Santangelo won three doubles tournaments, all of them partnering Nathalie Dechy: Auckland Open where they defeated Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja, the Monterrey Open with a two-sets win over Iveta Benešová and Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová and, finally, Strasbourg, defeating Claire Feuerstein and Stéphanie Foretz with a 6–0, 6–1 score. On 6 September, partnering Laura Olivieri, she won the 2009 European Beach Tennis Championships with a straight-sets win over the defending champions, Simona Briganti and Rossella Stefanelli.[2]

In May 2010, Santangelo announced her decision to compete in doubles events only, citing her recurrent left foot injury as the main cause that persuaded her to renounce to play singles matches.[3] On 28 January 2011, she declared her retirement from professional tennis due to recurring injuries with her left foot.

Personal life

Santangelo was born in Latina, but grew up in the Fiemme Valley in Trentino. She started playing tennis at the age of 6. Her mother, Patrizia, died in a car accident in 1997, when she was sixteen.

Santangelo is a Catholic.[4] In 2010, she went on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Medjugorje, and has been vocal about her faith since then. Santangelo has written an autobiography, Te lo prometto (I promise you), based on her tennis career and spiritual life.[5]

Grand Slam tournament finals

Doubles: 1 (title)

WTA Tour finals

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

Legend
Grand Slam
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III (1–1)
Tier IV & V
Resultwidth=25No.width=145Datewidth=160Tournamentwidth=75Surfacewidth=190OpponentScore
Win1.19 February 2006Bangalore OpenHard Jelena Kostanić3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–3
Loss1.18 February 2007Bangalore OpenHard Yaroslava Shvedova4–6, 4–6

Doubles: 12 (9 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Legend: Before 2009Legend: Starting in 2009
Grand Slam (1–0)
Tier I (1–0)Premier Mandatory (0–0)
Tier II (2–1)Premier 5 (0–0)
Tier III (1–0)Premier (0–0)
Tier IV & V (1–2)International (3–0)
ResultNo.Datewidth=140TournamentSurfacewidth=150Partnerwidth=210OpponentsScore
Win1.3 October 2004HasseltHard (i) Jennifer Russell Nuria Llagostera Vives
Marta Marrero
6–3, 7–5
Loss1.11 October 2004TashkentHard Marion Bartoli Adriana Serra Zanetti
Antonella Serra Zanetti
6–1, 3–6, 4–6
Loss2.8 August 2005StockholmHard Eva Birnerová Émilie Loit
Katarina Srebotnik
4–6, 3–6
Win2.11 February 2007Pattaya CityHard Nicole Pratt Chan Yung-jan
Chuang Chia-jung
6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Win3.8 April 2007Amelia IslandClay Katarina Srebotnik Anabel Medina Garrigues
Virginia Ruano Pascual
6–3, 7–6(7–4)
Win4.20 May 2007RomeClay Nathalie Dechy Tathiana Garbin
Roberta Vinci
6–4, 6–1
Win5.8 June 2007French OpenClay Alicia Molik Katarina Srebotnik
Ai Sugiyama
7–6(7–5), 6–4
Loss3.19 August 2007Los AngelesHard Alicia Molik Květa Peschke
Rennae Stubbs
0–6, 1–6
Win6.25 August 2007New HavenHard Sania Mirza Cara Black
Liezel Huber
6–1, 6–2
Win7.10 January 2009AucklandHard Nathalie Dechy Nuria Llagostera Vives
Arantxa Parra Santonja
4–6, 7–6(7–3), [12–10]
Win8.8 March 2009MonterreyHard Nathalie Dechy Iveta Benešová
Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová
6–3, 6–4
Win9.18 May 2009StrasbourgClay Nathalie Dechy Claire Feuerstein
Stéphanie Foretz
6–0, 6–1

ITF finals

Legend
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles (8–4)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.14 August 2000ITF Aosta, ItalyClay Andreea Ehritt-Vanc1–6, 6–0, 6–1
Winner2.27 August 2000ITF Cuneo, ItalyClay Edith Nunes6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Runner-up3.24 June 2002ITF Fontanafredda, ItalyClay Alona Bondarenko3–6, 0–6
Winner4.25 August 2002Maribor Open, SloveniaClay Edina Gallovits-Hall6–2, 6–3
Runner-up5.8 September 2002ITF Fano, ItalyClay Flavia Pennetta6–3, 4–6, 0–6
Runner-up6.20 October 2002Open de Touraine, FranceHard (i) Camille Pin6–2, 3–6, 0–6
Winner7.2 February 2003ITF Ortisei, ItalyCarpet (i) Sofia Arvidsson2–6, 6–2, 6–2
Winner8.29 March 2005ITF Poza Rica, MexicoHard Ryōko Fuda3–6, 6–2, 6–0
Winner9.26 April 2005 ITF Taranto, ItalyClay Kira Nagy6–1, 6–0
Runner-up10.23 October 2005Open Saint Raphael, FranceHard (i) Maret Ani3–6, 5–7
Winner11.20 July 2008 ITF Biella, ItalyClay Jelena Kostanić Tošić6–3, 6–1
Winner12.19 October 2008 ITF Ortisei, ItalyCarpet (i) Kristina Barrois6–3, ret.

Doubles (14–5)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1.16 August 1998Alghero, ItalyHard Laura Dell'Angelo6–3, 2–6, 4–6
Winner2.14 September 1998Reggio di Calabria, ItalyClay Katia Altilia Andreea Ehritt-Vanc
Elena Pioppo
7–6(3), 4–6, 6–4
Winner3.26 September 1999Horb, GermanyClay Rewa Hudson Eva Fislová
Andrea Šebová
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up4.30 August 1999Zadar, CroatiaClay Natasha Galouza Jana Macurová
Olga Vymetálková
1–6, 3–6
Winner5.13 September 1999Biograd na Moru, CroatiaClay Natasha Galouza Silvia Uríčková
Eva Fislová
6–2, 6–2
Winner6.4 October 1999Girona, SpainClay Maria Wolfbrandt Marina Escobar
Rocia Gonzalez
6–7(3), 6–1, 6–3
Winner7.10 April 2000Hvar, CroatiaClay Marijana Kovačević Zuzana Hejdová
Petra Kučová
6–3, 4–6, 6–3
Runner-up8.30 April 2000Cerignola, ItalyClay Maria Elena Camerin Maria Boboedova
Liudmila Nikoyan
w/o
Winner9.20 August 2000Aosta, ItalyClay Maria Elena Camerin Oana-Elena Golimbioschi
Andreea Ehritt-Vanc
7–5, 4–6, 6–1
Winner10.27 August 2000Cuneo, ItalyClay Maria Elena Camerin Silvia Disderi
Anna Floris
7–5, 6–2
Winner11.3 September 2000Spoleto, ItalyClay Maria Elena Camerin Oana-Elena Golimbioschi
Andreea Ehritt-Vanc
w/o
Winner12.30 September 2000Tbilisi, GeorgiaClay Mariana Díaz Oliva Jolanda Mens
Alena Paulenková
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up13.21 July 2003Innsbruck, AustriaClay Melinda Czink Kira Nagy
Maria Wolfbrandt
4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up14.Bronx Open, United StatesHard Yuliya Beygelzimer
Tatiana Poutchek
4–6, 5–7
Winner15.Open Denain, FranceClay Antonella Serra Zanetti Yuliya Beygelzimer
Tatiana Poutchek
7–5, 6–3
Winner16.12 October 2003 Latina, ItalyClay Roberta Vinci Maret Ani
Libuše Průšová
3–6, 6–2, 6–4
Winner17.2 April 2005Poza Rica, MexicoHard Seda Noorlander Daniela Klemenschits
Sandra Klemenschits
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Winner18.Prostějov, Czech RepublicClay Yuliya Beygelzimer Dája Bedáňová
Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová
6–1, 4–6, 6–2
Winner19.3 August 2008Rimini, ItalyClay Roberta Vinci Stefanie Vögele
Kathrin Wörle
6–1, 6–4

Grand Slam performance timelines

Singles

Tournament
Australian OpenQ34R1R3R1RA1R5–5
French OpenQ11R1R2R3R1R1R3–6
WimbledonQ21R2R1R3R2RQ14–5
US Open1R1R1R3R1RAA2–5

Doubles

Tournament
Australian Open1RQF1R1RAbgcolor=yellowSF7–5
French Open2R1R2Rbgcolor=limeW1R1R8–5
Wimbledon3R2R2Rbgcolor=yellowSF1R1R8–6
US Open1R1R2R3R2RA4–5

Head-to-head record against top players

Players who have been ranked world No. 1 are in boldface.

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.fedcup.com/news/matchreport.asp?articleid=10986 Italy wins the Fed Cup for the first time
  2. http://www.itftennis.com/beachtennis/news/newsarticle.asp?articleid=20307 2009 European Beach Tennis Championships completed
  3. http://www.officinadeltennis.it/2010/05/26/mara-santangelo-a-tennis-club-lascio-il-singolare/
  4. Web site: Mara Santangelo, famous Italian tennis player in Medjugorje .
  5. Web site: Mara Santangelo: Ho vinto tanto ma ero infelice. A Medjugorje è cambiata la mia vita . 17 December 2018 .