In her first year at USF, Fernandez took 39 credit hours and compiled a 3.8 grade point average. In August 2001, she enrolled at USF to pursue completion of a bachelor's degree. Since beginning with Fernandez as coach, Stubbs has won five Grand Slam doubles titles.įernandez also continues to manage the Gigi Fernandez Charitable Foundation, which has contributed more than $500,000 to various Hispanic and Puerto Rican organizations.įernandez played one season at Clemson University in 1982-83, where she reached the NCAA singles final prior to turning professional. Since her retirement, Fernandez has remained every bit as active in tennis, coaching the Puerto Rican National Team since 1999 and also working as coach to Rennae Stubbs, who has ranked as high as number one in the world doubles rankings, and presently ranks second. Players throughout the majority of her career. She ranked as high as 17th in the world in singles and was among the top 30 Fernandez won 14 of her 17 Grand Slam championships with Natasha Zvereva, ranking as the second highest total by any doubles team inįernandez also enjoyed success as a singles player, having reached the semifinals at Wimbledon (1994) and the quarterfinals twice at the U.S. Open championships, four Wimbledon titles, six French Open titles and two Australian Open championships, all in doubles competition.
#NATASHA ZVEREVA GIGI FERNANDEZ PROFESSIONAL#
Recognized primarily as a doubles specialist during her professional career, Fernandez won five U.S. She was later named Puerto Rico's Female Athlete of the Century. In 1983, she turned professional, becoming Puerto Rico's first-ever female professional athlete.
I'm very excited about this new chapter in my life."įernandez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and began playing tennis as an eight-year-old. To achieve that, I will need the involvement of the tennis community in Tampa Bay and I look forward to being very active in that partnership.
#NATASHA ZVEREVA GIGI FERNANDEZ FULL#
"My goal is to turn the program into a national contender with a full recruiting cycle. I have been coaching the Puerto Rico Federation Cup Team, which is the same age group as college students and I really enjoy working with young adults. The game in a college setting are tremendous assets that she brings to our program."įernandez adds, "I'm really excited to have this opportunity. "Gigi's passion for tennis and her desire to teach
"We feel like we've won a Grand Slam event ourselves in attracting Gigi Fernandez to take over our women's tennis program," says USF director of athletics Lee Roy Selmon. Fernandez, who won 17 Grand Slam doubles championships and two Olympic Gold Medals replaces Sherry Bedingfield, who retired this summer after 23 seasons as head coach. TAMPA - Gigi Fernandez, half of the number one ranked doubles team in the world from 1991 until her retirement from women's professional tennis in 1997, has been named head coach of the women's tennis team at the University of Southįlorida. Gigi Fernandez, half of the number one ranked doubles team in the world from 1991 until her retirement from women's professional tennis in 1997, has been named head coach of the women's tennis team at the University of South Gigi Fernandez Named USF Women's Tennis Coach
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