Gigi may have hung up her professional tennis playing shoes but she decided to enter the division of being a tennis coach, guiding and instructing doubles players Rennae Stubbs, Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur as well as coaching the University of South Florida.Fernandez also focused on her education and earned her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of South Florida in 2003 and Rollins College's Crummer School of Business earning a Masters of Business Administration. Gigi may have hung up her professional tennis playing shoes but she decided to enter the division of being a tennis coach, guiding and instructing doubles players Rennae Stubbs, Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur as well as coaching the University of South Florida. Currently, WTA player Monica Puig has become another shining starlet for Puerto Rico as being the second Puerto Rican to earn Gold in the Olympics happening at the 2016 Rio Games. Gigi earned enough points to participate in the WTA Finals in 19 back then happening at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York City.By 1997, Gigi found it more difficult to compete with up and coming tennis players and decided to retire from professional tennis.īut it was after two years of retirement she was named Puerto Rico's "Female Athlete of the Century". She was also an Olympian winning Gold medalist in 1992 at the Barcelona Games in Spain and in 1996 earning Gold at the Atlanta Games in Georgia with doubles partner and now ESPN tennis commentator, Mary Jo Fernandez. No tennis accolate was beyond Gigi as she was on the United States winning team of the Fed Cup in 1990. Gigi's two singles titles came in 1986 at the WTA Singapore Open defeating Argentina's Mercedes Paz and 1991 The Virginia Slims of Albuquerque winning over Julie Halard-Decugis. Despite the fact of being great at doubles, she did play mixed doubles and was a runner-up in 1995 at theAustralian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open partnering all with ATP's Cyril Suk. It was a gracious omen that she take over as captain of the New York Empire since they will be playing at the infamous 'Court 17' at the National Tennis Center at Flushing a coincidence of the number 17 since Gigi had 17 Grand Slam Doubles titles: 2 Australian, 6 French Opens, 4 Wimbledons, and 5 US Opens, winning nearly a grand slam every year from 1988 through 1977.įernandez and doubles partner Belarus' Natasha Zvereva partnered for 14 of the 17 titles and in singles Fernandez reached a career high ranking of 17. Gigi has played all levels of tennis but was known as a doubles specialist throughout her career. She had played at Clemson University before turning pro and reached the singles final at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). Gigi started getting the tennis fever at 7 and turning pro in 1983 at 19 became Puerto Rico's first female professional athlete. ".I'm really excited to be on the court and help out.I like to win, so hopefully we'll have an exciting season for New York tennis fans" Gigi happily says.But wait! Who is Gigi Fernandez? She was one of the most dynamic, spirited doubles players of all time between 1983 through 1977.Ī native born from San Juan, Puerto Rico, her dad Tuto a well-known doctor in Puerto Rico and her cousin is the famous actor, director Jose Ferrer.
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