AMANDA COETZER
Name: Amanda Coetzer
Born: 22 October 1971 Hoopstad, South Africa
Amanda Coetzer (born October 22, 1971 in Hoopstad, South Africa) is a former
professional tennis player from South Africa.
Coetzer turned professional in 1988. She won her first top-level singles title
in 1993 in Melbourne, and her second later that year in Tokyo.
Coetzer entered the top-20 on the women's world rankings in 1992 and remained
there for most of the next 10 years. She developed a reputation for regularly
beating players who were higher ranked than her as she climbed to her career
high ranking of World No. 3 in 1997.
At the Canadian Open in 1995, Coetzer defeated three players ranked in the world's
top-5 – Steffi Graf (No. 1), Jana Novotna (No. 4) and Mary Pierce (No. 5) –
before finally losing to Monica Seles in the final. The defeat of Graf ended a
32-match winning-streak for the German.
At the Australian Open in 1996, Coetzer became the first South African woman in
the Open era to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, where she lost in three sets to
Anke Huber.
1997 was the best season of Coetzer's career. In reaching the Australian Open
semi-finals for the second consecutive year, she defeated World No. 1 Graf in
the fourth round. She then beat Graf for a second time in the quarter-finals at
Berlin, handing her her worst-ever loss by defeating her 6-0, 6-1 in just 56
minutes. And then in the quarter-finals of the French Open she defeated Graf yet
again to become one of just six players to beat Graf three times in one year,
and one of only four to defeat her more than once in Grand Slam play. Coetzer
lost in the French Open semi-finals to eventual-champion Iva Majoli. Later in
the year in Leipzig, Coetzer beat Martina Hingis who by then had taken over the
World No. 1 ranking. Coetzer won two singles titles that year in Budapest and
Luxembourg.
Coetzer won the biggest title of her career in 1998 at Hilton Head (Tier 1 event).
In 1999 Coetzer became the only player ever to defeat Steffi Graf, Martina
Hingis and Lindsay Davenport while they were ranked No. 1.
In 2000, Coetzer teamed-up with Wayne Ferreira to win the Hopman Cup for South
Africa. She also played of South Africa's Fed Cup team for six years and
represented South Africa in the Olympic Games three times.
In 2001 she qualified for her ninth consecutive year-end championship.
During her career, Coetzer won nine top-level singles titles and nine doubles
titles. Her final singles title was won in Acapulco in 2003. Her career prize-money
earnings totalled US$5,594,821.
Coetzer retired from the professional tour in 2004.
Name: Amanda Coetzer
Born: 22 October 1971 Hoopstad, South Africa
Amanda Coetzer (born October 22, 1971 in Hoopstad, South Africa) is a former
professional tennis player from South Africa.
Coetzer turned professional in 1988. She won her first top-level singles title
in 1993 in Melbourne, and her second later that year in Tokyo.
Coetzer entered the top-20 on the women's world rankings in 1992 and remained
there for most of the next 10 years. She developed a reputation for regularly
beating players who were higher ranked than her as she climbed to her career
high ranking of World No. 3 in 1997.
At the Canadian Open in 1995, Coetzer defeated three players ranked in the world's
top-5 – Steffi Graf (No. 1), Jana Novotna (No. 4) and Mary Pierce (No. 5) –
before finally losing to Monica Seles in the final. The defeat of Graf ended a
32-match winning-streak for the German.
At the Australian Open in 1996, Coetzer became the first South African woman in
the Open era to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, where she lost in three sets to
Anke Huber.
1997 was the best season of Coetzer's career. In reaching the Australian Open
semi-finals for the second consecutive year, she defeated World No. 1 Graf in
the fourth round. She then beat Graf for a second time in the quarter-finals at
Berlin, handing her her worst-ever loss by defeating her 6-0, 6-1 in just 56
minutes. And then in the quarter-finals of the French Open she defeated Graf yet
again to become one of just six players to beat Graf three times in one year,
and one of only four to defeat her more than once in Grand Slam play. Coetzer
lost in the French Open semi-finals to eventual-champion Iva Majoli. Later in
the year in Leipzig, Coetzer beat Martina Hingis who by then had taken over the
World No. 1 ranking. Coetzer won two singles titles that year in Budapest and
Luxembourg.
Coetzer won the biggest title of her career in 1998 at Hilton Head (Tier 1 event).
In 1999 Coetzer became the only player ever to defeat Steffi Graf, Martina
Hingis and Lindsay Davenport while they were ranked No. 1.
In 2000, Coetzer teamed-up with Wayne Ferreira to win the Hopman Cup for South
Africa. She also played of South Africa's Fed Cup team for six years and
represented South Africa in the Olympic Games three times.
In 2001 she qualified for her ninth consecutive year-end championship.
During her career, Coetzer won nine top-level singles titles and nine doubles
titles. Her final singles title was won in Acapulco in 2003. Her career prize-money
earnings totalled US$5,594,821.
Coetzer retired from the professional tour in 2004.