Manuela Maleeva
Manuela Georgieva Maleeva-Fragnière (Bulgarian: Мануела Георгиева Малеева; born 14 February 1967) is a Bulgarian former professional tennis player. She played on the WTA Tour between 1982 and 1994. Through her marriage, Maleeva began representing Switzerland officially from January 1990 until her retirement in February 1994.
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Country (sports) | ![]() ![]() | |||||||||||||
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Residence | La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland | |||||||||||||
Born | Sofia, Bulgaria | 14 February 1967|||||||||||||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||
Turned pro | 1982 | |||||||||||||
Retired | February 1994 | |||||||||||||
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | |||||||||||||
Prize money | $3,244,557 | |||||||||||||
Singles | ||||||||||||||
Career record | 475–187 | |||||||||||||
Career titles | 19 WTA | |||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 3 (4 February 1985) | |||||||||||||
Grand Slam Singles results | ||||||||||||||
Australian Open | QF (1985, 1992, 1994) | |||||||||||||
French Open | QF (1985, 1987, 1989, 1990) | |||||||||||||
Wimbledon | QF (1984) | |||||||||||||
US Open | SF (1992, 1993) | |||||||||||||
Olympic Games | ![]() | |||||||||||||
Doubles | ||||||||||||||
Career record | 129–131 | |||||||||||||
Career titles | 4 WTA, 1 ITF | |||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 11 (2 August 1993) | |||||||||||||
Mixed doubles | ||||||||||||||
Career titles | 1 | |||||||||||||
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | ||||||||||||||
US Open | W (1984) | |||||||||||||
Team competitions | ||||||||||||||
Fed Cup | ![]() SF (1985, 1987) ![]() QF (1991) | |||||||||||||
Hopman Cup | ![]() W (1992) | |||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
Maleeva-Fragnière was born in Sofia, the oldest of the three children of Georgi Maleev and Yuliya Berberyan. Her mother, who came from an Armenian family, was the best Bulgarian tennis player in the 1960s. After she retired from professional tennis in the 1970s, Berberyan started a coaching career. She coached all three of her daughters, Manuela, Katerina, and Magdalena, each of whom became a WTA top ten player.
In 1982, Maleeva, won the junior French Open. Later that year, she made her debut on the senior tour and ended the year ranked in the top 200.
In 1984, Maleeva, won five tournaments and recorded wins over Chris Evert, Hana Mandlíková, Helena Suková, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Wendy Turnbull, Kathy Jordan, and Zina Garrison Jackson. After winning the tournament in Indianapolis, Maleeva rose to world No. 3 in the rankings. Once in the top ten, she did not leave it until 1992. Also in 1984, Maleeva won her only Grand Slam title – in mixed doubles at the US Open with American Tom Gullikson.
In 1988, Maleeva-Fragnière, won a bronze medal in singles at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
In 1992 and 1993, Maleeva-Fragnière registered her all-time best achievement in Grand Slam singles competition when she reached the semifinals of the US Open both years (in 1992 after beating her sister Magdalena in the quarterfinals).
In 1994, Maleeva-Fragnière retired from professional tennis.
During her 12-year career, Maleeva won 19 WTA Tour singles titles, four doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. She teamed with Jakob Hlasek to help Switzerland win the Hopman Cup in 1992 and, while playing for Bulgaria, twice reached the semifinals of Fed Cup (1985 and 1987).
Maleeva married 1987 Swiss tennis coach François Fragnière. They lived in Blonay, Switzerland with two girls and a boy (Lora born in 1995, Iva in 1997, Timo in 1999) but divorced in 2007, after 20 years of marriage. Manuela Maleeva then moved with her children to La Tour-de-Peilz, not far from Lausanne.
Grand Slam finals
Mixed Doubles: 1 title
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Winner | 1984 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
Olympics
Singles: 1 bronze medal
Outcome | Year | Location | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronze | 1988 | Seoul | Hard | Tied | DNP |
Maleeva-Fragnière lost in the semifinals to Gabriela Sabatini 1–6, 2–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match; both beaten semifinal players received bronze medals.
WTA Tour finals
Singles (19–18)
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Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
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Runner-up | 1. | 30 January 1984 | Houston, Unites States | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 1. | 7 May 1984 | Lugano, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–1 |
Winner | 2. | 21 May 1984 | Perugia, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–3 |
Winner | 3. | 6 August 1984 | Indianapolis, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
Winner | 4. | 12 November 1984 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–1, 1–6, 6–4 |
Winner | 5. | 10 December 1984 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
3–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 2. | 7 January 1985 | Washington, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 20 May 1985 | Lugano, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 4. | 21 October 1985 | Brighton, England | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
5–7, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 5. | 11 November 1985 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
5–7, 0–6 |
Winner | 6. | 9 December 1985 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
7–6(7–2), 3–6, 7–5 |
Runner-up | 6. | 19 May 1986 | Lugano, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 3–6, 6–7(6–8) |
Runner-up | 7. | 9 June 1986 | Birmingham, England | Grass | ![]() |
2–6, 6–7(0–7) |
Runner-up | 8. | 8 September 1986 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 7. | 30 March 1987 | Wild Dunes, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 6–2, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 9. | 6 April 1987 | Hilton Head, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 10. | 18 May 1987 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
3–6, 6–4, 2–6 |
Winner | 8. | 24 August 1987 | Mahwah, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
1–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 11. | 14 September 1987 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 6–7(6–8) |
Winner | 9. | 29 February 1988 | Wichita, U.S. | Hard (i) | ![]() |
7–6(7–5), 7–5 |
Winner | 10. | 12 September 1988 | Phoenix, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 12. | 17 October 1988 | Zürich, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
Runner-up | 13. | 24 October 1988 | Brighton, England | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
2–6, 0–6 |
Winner | 11. | 12 March 1989 | Indian Wells, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–4, 6–1 |
Winner | 12. | 22 May 1989 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–0 |
Runner-up | 14. | 12 February 1990 | Chicago, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 15. | 27 March 1990 | San Antonio, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 16. | 6 August 1990 | San Diego, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 13. | 11 February 1991 | Linz, Austria | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 7–6(7–1) |
Runner-up | 17. | 22 April 1991 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 1–6 |
Winner | 14. | 20 May 1991 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
Winner | 15. | 23 September 1991 | Bayonne, France | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 18. | 6 July 1992 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | ![]() |
0–6, 6–3, 2–6 |
Winner | 16. | 28 September 1992 | Bayonne, France | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–7(4–7), 6–2, 6–3 |
Winner | 17. | 22 February 1993 | Linz, Austria | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–2, 1–0 ret. |
Winner | 18. | 4 October 1993 | Zürich, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–3, 7–6(7–1) |
Winner | 19. | 8 February 1994 | Osaka, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–1, 4–6, 7–5 |
Doubles (4–7)
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Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Runner-up | 1. | 29 April 1985 | Houston, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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1–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
Winner | 1. | 22 July 1985 | Indianapolis, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 2. | 8 September 1986 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
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1–6, 7–6(9–7), 2–6 |
Winner | 2. | 6 July 1987 | Knokke, Belgium | Clay | ![]() |
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4–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 3. | 14 September 1987 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
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1–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 3. | 11 February 1991 | Linz, Austria | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
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6–4, 1–6, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 4. | 20 May 1991 | Geneva, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
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1–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 5. | 9 February 1993 | Osaka, Japan | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
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1–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 4. | 5 April 1993 | Amelia Island, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 6. | 19 April 1993 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 1–6, 0–6 |
Runner-up | 7. | 26 July 1993 | Stratton Mountain, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
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1–6, 2–6 |
ITF finals
Legend |
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$25,000 tournaments |
$10,000 tournaments |
Singles (2–2)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
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Runner-up | 1. | 28 March 1982 | Caserta, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
4–6, 1–6 |
Winner | 1. | 18 April 1982 | Lecce, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–4 |
Winner | 2. | 25 April 1982 | Catania, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 2. | 18 July 1982 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | ![]() |
7–6, 5–7, 3–6 |
Doubles (3–0)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Winner | 1. | 11 April 1982 | Taranto, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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7–5, 3–6, 6–2 |
Winner | 2. | 18 April 1982 | Lecce, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 2–6, 8–6 |
Winner | 3. | 23 September 1985 | Sofia, Bulgaria | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–2 |
Fed Cup
Manuela Maleeva debuted for the Bulgaria Fed Cup team in 1983. She has a 21–5 singles record and a 7–10 doubles record (28–15 overall).
Singles (21–5)
Edition | Round | Date | Against | Surface | Opponent | W/L | Result |
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1983 World Group I | R1 | 17 July 1983 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
L | 4–6, 6–4, 4–6 |
PO | 19 July 1983 | ![]() |
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W | 6–1, 6–0 | ||
PO | 21 July 1983 | ![]() |
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W | 6–0, 6–3 | ||
1984 World Group I | R1 | 15 July 1984 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
W | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
R2 | 16 July 1984 | ![]() |
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W | 6–2, 6–0 | ||
QF | 18 July 1984 | ![]() |
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W | 3–6, 6–3, 6–1 | ||
1985 World Group I | R1 | 6 October 1985 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
W | 6–7(3–7), 6–4, 6–1 |
R2 | 8 October 1985 | ![]() |
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W | 6–1, 6–3 | ||
QF | 10 October 1985 | ![]() |
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W | 6–2, 6–2 | ||
SF | 12 October 1985 | ![]() |
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L | 6–3, 2–6, 1–6 | ||
1986 World Group I | R1 | 20 July 1986 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
W | 6–2, 6–1 |
R2 | 21 July 1986 | ![]() |
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W | 6–0, 6–1 | ||
QF | 23 July 1986 | ![]() |
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W | 6–4, 6–2 | ||
1987 World Group I | R1 | 26 July 1987 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
W | 6–0, 6–0 |
R2 | 27 July 1987 | ![]() |
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W | 6–4, 6–0 | ||
QF | 29 July 1987 | ![]() |
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W | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
SF | 31 July 1987 | ![]() |
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L | 2–6, 6–2, 4–6 | ||
1989 World Group I | R1 | 1 October 1989 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
W | 6–1, 6–0 |
R2 | 3 October 1989 | ![]() |
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W | 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 | ||
QF | 5 October 1989 | ![]() |
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L | 3–6, 6–2, 4–6 | ||
↓ Representing ![]() | |||||||
1991 World Group I | R1 | 23 July 1991 | ![]() |
Hard | ![]() |
W | 6–0, 7–6(7–5) |
R2 | 24 July 1991 | ![]() |
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W | 6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–2 | ||
QF | 25 July 1991 | ![]() |
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L | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
1992 World Group I | R1 | 14 July 1992 | ![]() |
Clay | ![]() |
W | 6–0, 6–2 |
PO | 16 July 1992 | ![]() |
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W | 6–1, 6–0 | ||
PO | 17 July 1992 | ![]() |
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W | 6–2, 6–2 |
Doubles (7–10)
Edition | Round | Date | Partner | Against | Surface | Opponents | W/L | Result |
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1983 World Group I | PO | 19 July 1983 | ![]() |
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Clay | ![]() ![]() |
W | 6–4, 6–2 |
PO | 21 July 1983 | ![]() |
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L | 4–6, 3–6 | ||
1984 World Group I | R1 | 15 July 1984 | ![]() |
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Clay | ![]() ![]() |
W | 7–6, 7–5 |
R2 | 16 July 1984 | ![]() |
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L | 7–5, 5–7, 1–6 | ||
QF | 18 July 1984 | ![]() |
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L | 3–6, 1–6 | ||
1985 World Group I | R1 | 6 October 1985 | ![]() |
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Hard | ![]() ![]() |
W | 6–3, 7–5 |
R2 | 8 October 1985 | ![]() |
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W | 6–4, 7–6(9–7) | ||
QF | 10 October 1985 | ![]() |
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L | 4–5, Ret. | ||
SF | 12 October 1985 | ![]() |
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L | 3–6, 6–7(4–7) | ||
1986 World Group I | R1 | 20 July 1986 | ![]() |
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Clay | ![]() ![]() |
L | 6–1, 4–6, 1–6 |
QF | 23 July 1986 | ![]() |
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L | 4–6, 2–6 | ||
1989 World Group I | R1 | 1 October 1989 | ![]() |
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Hard | ![]() ![]() |
W | 7–5, 6–0 |
R2 | 3 October 1989 | ![]() |
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W | 6–1, 3–6, 6–1 | ||
QF | 5 October 1989 | ![]() |
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L | 7–5, 4–6, 0–6 | ||
↓ Representing ![]() | ||||||||
1991 World Group I | R2 | 24 July 1991 | ![]() |
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Hard | ![]() ![]() |
L | 1–3, Ret. |
QF | 25 July 1991 | ![]() |
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W | 6–4, 2–1, Ret. | ||
1992 World Group I | R1 | 14 July 1992 | ![]() |
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Clay | ![]() ![]() |
L | 4–6, 7–5, 4–6 |
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | SR | W–L | |||||||||
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Grand Slam Tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 2R | A | A | QF | NH | 4R | A | A | A | 2R | QF | 4R | QF | 0 / 7 | 18–6 | |||||||||
French Open | 2R | 3R | 4R | QF | 3R | QF | 3R | QF | QF | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | 0 / 12 | 30–12 | |||||||||
Wimbledon | 2R | 2R | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 3R | 2R | A | 0 / 10 | 16–10 | |||||||||
US Open | 3R | 3R | 1R | 4R | QF | 4R | QF | QF | QF | 4R | SF | SF | A | 0 / 12 | 39–12 | |||||||||
Win–Loss | 4–4 | 5–3 | 7–3 | 13–4 | 9–3 | 10–4 | 6–3 | 8–2 | 8–3 | 5–3 | 13–3 | 11–4 | 4–1 | 0 / 41 | 103–40 | |||||||||
Year-end ranking | 60 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | N/A |
- NH = tournament not held.
- A = did not participate in the tournament.
- SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
Record against other top players
Maleeva's win-loss record against certain players who have been ranked world No. 10 or higher is as follows:
Players who have been ranked world No. 1 are in boldface.
Katerina Maleeva 8–1 Catarina Lindqvist 7–2 Kathy Jordan 6–0 Kathy Rinaldi 6–1 Lori McNeil 6–2 Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 5–2 / Helena Suková 5–2 Conchita Martínez 5–4 Sylvia Hanika 4–0 / Natasha Zvereva 4–0 Jo Durie 4–1 Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 4–1 Zina Garrison 4–2 Nathalie Tauziat 4–6 / Karina Habšudová 3–0 Mima Jaušovec 3–0 Lisa Bonder 3–1 Barbara Potter 3–2 Andrea Temesvári 3–2 Bonnie Gadusek 3–4 / Hana Mandlíková 3–4 / Martina Navratilova 3–11 Magdalena Maleeva 2–0 Dominique Monami 2–0 Virginia Ruzici 2–0 Carling Bassett-Seguso 2–1 Kathleen Horvath 2–1 Dianne Fromholtz 2–2 Bettina Bunge 2–3 Mary Joe Fernández 2–5 Gabriela Sabatini 2–7 Pam Shriver 2–7 Chris Evert 2–17 Sue Barker 1–0 Kimiko Date-Krumm 1–0 Julie Halard-Decugis 1–0 Iva Majoli 1–0 Mary Pierce 1–0 Stephanie Rehe 1–0 Barbara Paulus 1–1 / Jana Novotná 1–2 Wendy Turnbull 1–2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 1–5 Tracy Austin 0–1 Jennifer Capriati 0–1 Evonne Goolagong Cawley 0–1 Anke Huber 0–2 / / Monica Seles 0–9 Steffi Graf 0–17
References
External links
- Manuela Maleeva at the Women's Tennis Association
- Manuela Maleeva at the International Tennis Federation
- Manuela Maleeva at the Fed Cup
Awards | ||
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Preceded by![]() |
Swiss Sportswoman of the Year 1993 |
Succeeded by![]() |