Amanda Coetzer
Amanda Coetzer (born 22 October 1971 in Hoopstad) is a South African former professional tennis player. Coetzer finished in the WTA-tour top 20 for ten consecutive seasons (1992–2001), peaking at world number 3. She reached three Grand Slam semi-finals (Australian Open 1996 and 1997, French Open 1997) and one Grand Slam doubles final (US Open 1993). Coetzer earned a reputation for regularly beating players who were ranked higher than her. By virtue of scoring so many upset wins in spite of her five-foot-two (1.58m) stature, she gained the nickname: "The Little Assassin".[1]
![]() Coetzer in 2003 | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Residence | Hoopstad |
Born | Hoopstad | 22 October 1971
Height | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) |
Turned pro | January 1988 |
Retired | June 2004 |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $5,594,821 |
Singles | |
Career record | 568–337 |
Career titles | 9 WTA |
Highest ranking | No. 3 (3 November 1997) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1996, 1997) |
French Open | SF (1997) |
Wimbledon | 4R (1994) |
US Open | QF (1994, 1996, 1998) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 269–219 |
Career titles | 9 WTA |
Highest ranking | No. 15 (27 September 1993) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | QF (2002) |
French Open | SF (1993, 1994) |
Wimbledon | 3R (1998, 2001) |
US Open | F (1993) |
Mixed doubles | |
Career record | 18–18 |
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (1995, 2001) |
French Open | QF (1994) |
Wimbledon | QF (2000) |
US Open | 2R (1992, 1993) |
Team competitions | |
Fed Cup | QF (1995, 1996), Total 31 – 13 |
Hopman Cup | W (2000) |
Personal life
Coetzer was born in Hoopstad, South Africa, to Nico and Suska Coetzer. She started playing tennis at the age of 6. During her playing career she resided primarily in Hilton Head, South Carolina and was coached by Gavin Hopper and, later, Lori McNeil. She is married to the Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan.[2] They have two children:- Shimon (born 2009) and Olivia (born 2011).[3]
Career
Coetzer's breakthrough year was in 1992. She beat world number 3 Gabriela Sabatini in Boca Raton and Jennifer Capriati at the Italian Open, entering into the top 20 in August.
In 1993, Coetzer won her first WTA-tour title in Melbourne, defeating Naoko Sawamatsu in the final, and reached the final of the US Open women's doubles with Inés Gorrochategui.
At the Canadian Open in 1995, Coetzer defeated three players ranked in the world's top 5 – Steffi Graf (No. 1), Jana Novotná (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 end of the year, Coetzer was awarded the WTA Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award (voted for by other players).
At the Australian Open in 1996, Coetzer became the first South African woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, where she lost in three sets to Anke Huber.
In 1997, Coetzer reached the Australian Open semi-finals for the second consecutive year, defeating world no. 1 Graf in the fourth round. She beat Graf for a second time that year at the German Open in May (inflicting Graf's worst-ever loss: 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 only four to defeat her more than once in Grand Slam matches. Coetzer lost in the French Open semi-finals to eventual champion Iva Majoli. She broke into the top 10 in June and top 5 in August, and 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, reached 15 semi-finals (or better) in total and was awarded the WTA Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award for a second time, the WTA Most Improved Player and WTA Diamond Aces awards.
Coetzer won the biggest title of her career in 1998, at the Charleston Open. She also beat Conchita Martinez on her way to a third quarter-finals showing at the US Open.
In 1999, Coetzer defeated world number 1 Lindsay Davenport and world number 4 Monica Seles on her way to the final of Tokyo, thereby becoming the only player to ever defeat Graf, Hingis and Davenport while they were ranked No. 1.
Coetzer teamed-up with Wayne Ferreira to win the 2000 Hopman Cup for South Africa. She beat world number 3 Venus Williams in Hamburg and also reached the final of the German Open in Berlin.
In 2001, she qualified for her ninth consecutive WTA year-end championships, and finished her tenth consecutive season in the world's top 20.
Coetzer retired in 2004. Overall, she won 18 WTA tour titles: nine in singles and nine in doubles. Her final singles title was won in Acapulco in 2003, and her career prize-money earnings totalled $5,594,821.
Grand Slam finals
Doubles: 1 (1 runner–up)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1993 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–4, 6–2 |
WTA career finals
Singles: 21 (9–12)
|
|
Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1. | Oct 1991 | San Juan | Hard | ![]() |
5–7, 5–7 |
Win | 1. | Jan 1993 | Melbourne | Hard | ![]() |
6–2, 6–3 |
Loss | 2. | Feb 1993 | Indian Wells | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 1–6, 6–7(6–8) |
Win | 2. | Sep 1993 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | Febr 1994 | Indian Wells | Hard | ![]() |
0–6, 4–6 |
Win | 3. | May 1994 | Prague | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 7–6(16–14) |
Loss | 4. | Aug 1995 | Toronto | Hard | ![]() |
0–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 5. | Oct 1995 | Brighton | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 5–7 |
Loss | 6. | Feb 1996 | Oklahoma City | Hard (i) | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 4. | Apr 1997 | Budapest | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–3 |
Loss | 7. | Sep 1997 | Leipzig | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
Win | 5. | Oct 1997 | Luxembourg | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 3–6, 7–5 |
Win | 6. | Mar 1998 | Hilton Head | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 8. | Feb 1999 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
2–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 9. | Feb 1999 | Oklahoma City | Hard (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 0–6 |
Loss | 10. | May 2000 | Berlin | Clay | ![]() |
1–6, 2–6 |
Win | 7. | May 2000 | Antwerp | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
Win | 8. | Feb 2001 | Acapulco | Clay | ![]() |
2–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
Loss | 11. | Apr 2001 | Amelia Island | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 5–7 |
Loss | 12. | Feb 2003 | Memphis | Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 9. | Feb 2003 | Acapulco | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–3 |
Doubles: 23 (9–14)
|
|
Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | Apr 1992 | Taranto | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–0) |
Loss | 1. | Jul 1992 | Kitzbühel | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 2. | Sep 1992 | Taipei | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 2. | Oct 1992 | San Juan | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 4–6, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | Apr 1993 | Amelia Island | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 3–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 4. | Aug 1993 | US Open | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 5. | Sep 1993 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 6. | Novr 1993 | Oakland | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 0–6 |
Loss | 7. | Apr 1994 | Amelia Island | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 7–6(8–6), 4–6 |
Win | 3. | May 1994 | Prague | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
Win | 4. | Apr 1995 | Amelia Island | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 3–6, 6–2 |
Win | 5. | May 1995 | Berlin | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–2 |
Loss | 8. | Sep 1995 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Win | 6. | Sep 1996 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–1, 7–6(7–5) |
Win | 7. | Apr 1997 | Budapest | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–1 |
Loss | 9. | May 1998 | Rome | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7(1–7), 4–6 |
Loss | 10. | Feb 1999 | Oklahoma City | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Loss | 11. | Apr 1999 | Hamburg | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 12. | Sep 1999 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6(7–5), 4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 13. | May 2000 | Berlin | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 2–6, 6–7(7–9) |
Win | 8. | Feb 2001 | Oklahoma City | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 2–6, 6–0 |
Loss | 14. | May 2001 | Strasbourg | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–7(0–0) |
Win | 9. | Sep 2001 | Bahia | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7(8–10), 6–2, 6–4 |
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
Tournament | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | SR | W–L | W% | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | SF | SF | 4R | 4R | 2R | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | 0 / 12 | 31–12 | 72% | ||||
French Open | A | 4R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 4R | 2R | 4R | SF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 1R | A | 0 / 15 | 23–15 | 61% | ||||
Wimbledon | Q3 | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 4R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | A | 0 / 14 | 17–14 | 55% | ||||
US Open | Q1 | 1R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | QF | 1R | QF | 4R | QF | 1R | 3R | 1R | 3R | 3R | A | 0 / 15 | 25–15 | 63% | ||||
Win–Loss | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 11–4 | 4–4 | 13–4 | 14–4 | 8–4 | 5–4 | 6–4 | 8–4 | 6–4 | 6–4 | 1–1 | 0 / 56 | 96–56 | 63% | ||||
Year-end championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tour Championships | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | A | A | A | 0 / 9 | 2–9 | 18% | ||||
Tier I tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tokyo | Tier III | Tier II | A | A | A | A | QF | SF | F | QF | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 7 | 10–7 | 59% | |||||||
Boca Raton | Tier II | 2R | SF | Tier II | Not Held | 0 / 2 | 5–2 | 71% | ||||||||||||||||
Indian Wells | NH | T III | Tier II | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | A | QF | QF | A | 0 / 6 | 8–6 | 57% | ||||||||||
Miami | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | QF | 4R | 4R | 4R | 3R | 2R | 4R | QF | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | A | 0 / 15 | 26–15 | 63% | ||||
Charleston | Tier II | A | 2R | 3R | QF | 3R | 3R | 2R | QF | W | 3R | QF | QF | QF | 3R | A | 1 / 13 | 28–12 | 70% | |||||
Berlin | A | 2R | 1R | 3R | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | SF | 3R | 1R | F | QF | 1R | A | A | 0 / 11 | 15–11 | 58% | ||||
Rome | T IV | T II | 2R | 2R | SF | 3R | 2R | 3R | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | 2R | A | 0 / 10 | 13–10 | 57% | ||||
San Diego | T V | T IV | Tier III | Tier II | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 0% | ||||||||||||||||
Montreal / Toronto | Tier II | A | A | 3R | 3R | 3R | F | 3R | QF | 3R | QF | 2R | 3R | 3R | 3R | A | 0 / 12 | 22–12 | 65% | |||||
Moscow | NH | Tier V | Not Held | Tier III | A | A | A | A | A | SF | 1R | A | 0 / 2 | 3–2 | 60% | |||||||||
Zürich | T IV | T III | Tier II | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | QF | QF | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 8 | 7–8 | 47% | ||||||
Philadelphia | Not Held | Tier II | QF | 1R | 1R | Tier II | Not Held | Tier II | 0 / 3 | 2–3 | 40% | |||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Year-end ranking | 157 | 63 | 76 | 67 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 286 |
- A = did not participate in the tournament.
- SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number played.
Wins over Top 10 players
Season | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Total |
Wins | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
# | Player | Rank | Event | Surface | Rd | Score | Coetzer Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | |||||||
1. | ![]() |
3 | Virginia Slims of Florida, USA | Hard | Quarterfinal | 4–6, 6–1, 6–2 | 61 |
2. | ![]() |
6 | Italian Open | Clay | 3R | 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 | 31 |
1993 | |||||||
3. | ![]() |
6 | Amelia Island, USA | Hard | 2R | 6–2, 1–6, 6–4 | 15 |
4. | ![]() |
2 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Semifinal | 6–3, 6–4 | 17 |
5. | ![]() |
6 | WTA Tour Championships, Japan | Carpet | 1R | 6–3, 6–4 | 16 |
1994 | |||||||
6. | ![]() |
7 | Evert Cup, USA | Hard | Quarterfinal | 6–2, 2–6, 7–6(4) | 16 |
7. | ![]() |
6 | French Open | Clay | 1R | 6–2, 6–1 | 18 |
1995 | |||||||
8. | ![]() |
1 | Canadian Open | Hard | 2R | 3–6, 6–2, 7–6(6) | 27 |
9. | ![]() |
5 | Canadian Open | Hard | Quarterfinal | 6–4, 5–7, 6–0 | 27 |
10. | ![]() |
4 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinal | 6–4, 6–3 | 27 |
11. | ![]() |
8 | Brighton UK | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–3, 6–3 | 23 |
1996 | |||||||
12. | ![]() |
10 | Oklahoma City, USA | Hard | Semifinal | 6–2, 2–6, 7–6(4) | 17 |
13. | ![]() |
5 | US Open | Hard | 1R | 6–1, 2–6, 6–2 | 17 |
1997 | |||||||
14. | ![]() |
1 | Australian Open | Hard | 4R | 6–2, 7–5 | 14 |
15. | ![]() |
10 | Tokyo | Carpet | 2R | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 | 12 |
16. | ![]() |
4 | Family Circle Cup, USA | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 5–7, 6–0 | 15 |
17. | ![]() |
4 | Amelia Island, USA | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 1–6, 6–1 | 14 |
18. | ![]() |
2 | German Open | Clay | Quarterfinal | 6–0, 6–1 | 10 |
19. | ![]() |
7 | French Open | Clay | 4R | 6(4)–7, 6–4, 6–3 | 11 |
20. | ![]() |
2 | French Open | Clay | Quarterfinals | 6–1, 6–4 | 11 |
21. | ![]() |
3 | New Haven | Hard | Quarterfinal | 1–6, 6–3, 6–1 | 5 |
22. | ![]() |
1 | Leipzig | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(3) | 6 |
1998 | |||||||
23. | ![]() |
7 | US Open | Hard | 4R | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 | 11 |
24. | ![]() |
4 | Philadelphia, USA | Hard | 2R | 6–4, 6–1 | 15 |
1999 | |||||||
25. | ![]() |
1 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet | Quarterfinal | 2–6, 6–4, 6–3 | 15 |
26. | ![]() |
4 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet | Semifinal | 6–4, 6–2 | 15 |
27. | ![]() |
8 | Miami, USA | Hard | 3R | 6–1, 4–2(ret) | 9 |
2000 | |||||||
28. | ![]() |
7 | Key Biscayne, USA | Hard | 3R | 6–1, 6–2 | 20 |
29. | ![]() |
3 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Quarterfinal | 6–3, 6–4 | 18 |
30. | ![]() |
10 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | 3R | 6–2, 6–2 | 16 |
31. | ![]() |
10 | New Haven, USA | Hard | Quarterfinal | 7–6(3), 6–1 | 14 |
2001 | |||||||
32. | ![]() |
10 | Acapulco, Mexico | Clay | Final | 2–6, 6–1, 6–2 | 11 |
2002 | |||||||
33. | ![]() |
5 | Moscow, Russia | Carpet | 3R | 7–6(3), 3–6, 6–1 | 26 |
2003 | |||||||
34. | ![]() |
5 | Indian Wells, USA | Carpet | 3R | 6–4, 6–4 | 19 |
References
- Cavannaugh, Jack (27 August 1998). "Coetzer Bounces Back With a Vengeance". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- "Women in Sport: The Little Assassin who chose the quiet life". The Citizen. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- "Former SA tennis star welcomes baby". News24. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amanda Coetzer. |
- Amanda Coetzer at the Women's Tennis Association
- Amanda Coetzer at the International Tennis Federation
- Amanda Coetzer at the Fed Cup
Awards | ||
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Preceded by![]() |
Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award 1995 |
Succeeded by![]() |