Meghann Shaughnessy

Meghann Shaughnessy (born April 13, 1979 in Richmond, Virginia) is a retired American tennis player. She achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 11 in 2001, and won six WTA Tour titles. Her best doubles ranking was world No. 4. She won 17 WTA Tour doubles titles, including the WTA Championships. She is best known for her serve, which was one of the most powerful on tour, and has produced as many as 22 aces in a match.

Meghann Shaughnessy

Meghann Shaughnessy at the 2011 Australian Open
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Scottsdale, Arizona
Born	(1979-04-13) April 13, 1979 Richmond, Virginia
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Turned pro	1996
Retired	2014
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$3,975,223
Singles
Career record	378–343
Career titles	6 WTA, 6 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 11 (10 September 2001)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	QF (2003)
French Open	4R (2001)
Wimbledon	4R (2001)
US Open	4R (2003)
Doubles
Career record	315–185
Career titles	17 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 4 (March 21, 2005)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open	SF (2006)
French Open	SF (2005)
Wimbledon	QF (2004, 2005, 2006)
US Open	QF (2002, 2007, 2010)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2004)
Mixed doubles
Career record	22–21
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open	SF (2001)
French Open	QF (2007)
Wimbledon	QF (2007)
US Open	F (2007)

Shaughnessy was coached and managed by Rafael Font de Mora for most of her career. She is the niece of Dan Shaughnessy, a Boston Globe sports columnist.[1]

Career

Shaughnessy made her debut on the WTA Tour in 1996 in Budapest and broke into the top 100 in 1998. In 2000, she won her first WTA singles title in Shanghai, defeating Iroda Tulyaganova in the final, and breaking into the top 50. In her breakout year of 2001, she achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 11, won the second singles title of her career in Quebec City, and reached the finals of Hamburg and her home tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona.[2] She also recorded wins over world number five Conchita Martínez, world No. 4 Monica Seles,[3] and world number two Venus Williams.[4]

In 2002, Shaughnessy began the season by reaching the final of Sydney, and recaptured her career-high No. 11 ranking. She also reached the quarterfinals or better of four other tournaments that year,[2] with wins over top five players Jelena Dokić and Serena Williams.[5][6] In 2003, Shaughnessy had another strong year, finishing the season in the top 20 for the second time in her career. She captured her third career singles title in Canberra and also had strong Grand Slam results. She defeated Nuria Llagostera Vives, Ľudmila Cervanová, Klára Koukalová and Elena Bovina to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, and she reached the round of 16 at the US Open.[2] Shaughnessy also scored an upset over world No. 2 Venus Williams, in the round of 16 of the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami. In 2004, she produced sub-par results, finishing just inside of the top 40, with only one top five win, over Anastasia Myskina in Dubai. However, she obtained the best doubles results of her career, winning seven tournaments with partner Nadia Petrova, including the WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles.[2]

In 2005, Shaughnessy struggled with injuries and consistency. Her year began with a right leg injury, which forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open doubles competition, and from a tournament in Hyderabad, India. However, she showed signs of recovery in February, reaching the final of Memphis, defeating Nicole Vaidišová in the semifinals. The match featured Shaughnessy serving 22 aces in a 7–6, 7–6 win. After Memphis, Shaughnessy struggled with back injuries for the duration of the spring, not reaching another semifinal until June at the Ordina Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

By July, Shaughnessy's ranking had dropped so low that she was forced to qualify for the Palo Alto tournament. She qualified, and then surprised fifth seed Vera Zvonareva in the first round,[7] before losing to Daniela Hantuchová in the second round. A back injury forced her to withdraw from tournaments in Carlsbad, California and Los Angeles. As a wildcard in New Haven, she defeated No. 9 seed Nathalie Dechy for the first time in ten attempts,[8] before losing to doubles partner Anna-Lena Grönefeld in the second round. In the opening round of the US Open, Shaughnessy led 16-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva 6–3, 5–2 and held two match points, before losing 6–3, 5–7, 5–7.

However, on March 24, 2006, Shaughnessy beat No. 3 seed Justine Henin 7–5, 6–4 in the second round of the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami. She then won a WTA-level event in Rabat, beating eighth seeded Martina Suchá in three sets. It was her fourth tour title. She became the first American to win a WTA-level title as well as the first to reach a WTA final in 2006. Shaughnessy afterwards reached the second round at Istanbul, beating third seeded Anna Chakvetadze in the first round. She then fell in the first round in the French Open to top-seeded Amélie Mauresmo, 4–6, 4–6.

The next year, she faced the previous year's runner-up, Svetlana Kuznetsova, in the second round of the French Open. Shaughnessy raced into a 5–0 lead in the first set, and in the sixth game held three set points on Kuznetsova's serve. However, Kuznetsova saved them all, won the game and recovered to clinch the set on a tie-break, before winning the second set 6–3.

Shaughnessy then concentrated on doubles, and regularly partnered with fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The pair reached the doubles finals of the 2011 Indian Wells Masters, by successively defeating Alisa Kleybanova & Yan Zi, Raquel Kops-Jones & Abigail Spears, Liezel Huber & Nadia Petrova and Victoria Azarenka & Maria Kirilenko, but lost to Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina in the finals.

Personal life

Shaughnessy was romantically involved with her coach Rafael Font de Mora since before she turned 18.[9] Their romantic and coaching relationship ended in 2005. However, Shaughnessy re-united with Font De Mora as her coach during the latter part of 2006.[10] Shaughnessy stated that she was in an intimate relationship with Major League Baseball player Roberto Alomar from 2004 to 2006, also claiming that he did not inform her whether or not he was HIV positive during their relationship. Alomar's former wife's lawyer claims that Alomar paid $4 million in settlements to her and Shaughnessy.[11]

WTA career finals

Singles: 10 (6–4)

Legend (pre/post 2009)
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Tier I / Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 (0–0)
Tier II / Premier (0–3)
Tier III, IV & V / International (6–1)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1.	22 October 2000	Shanghai, China	Hard (i)	Iroda Tulyaganova	7–6, 7–5
Runner-up	1.	4 March 2001	Scottsdale, United States	Hard	Lindsay Davenport	2–6, 3–6
Runner-up	2.	6 May 2001	Hamburg, Germany	Clay	Venus Williams	3–6, 0–6
Winner	2.	23 September 2001	Quebec City, Canada	Carpet (i)	Iva Majoli	6–1, 6–3
Runner-up	3.	12 January 2002	Sydney, Australia	Hard	Martina Hingis	2–6, 3–6
Winner	3.	11 January 2003	Canberra, Australia	Hard	Francesca Schiavone	6–1, 6–1
Runner-up	4.	19 February 2005	Memphis, United States	Hard (i)	Vera Zvonareva	6–7^(3–7), 2–6
Winner	4.	21 May 2006	Rabat, Morocco	Clay	Martina Suchá	6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Winner	5.	26 August 2006	Forest Hills, United States	Hard	Anna Smashnova	1–6, 6–0, 6–4
Winner	6.	16 June 2007	Barcelona, Spain	Clay	Edina Gallovits	6–3, 6–2

Doubles: 33 (17–16)

Legend (pre/post 2009)
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (1–0)
Tier I / Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 (5–5)
Tier II / Premier (6–6)
Tier III, IV & V / International (5–5)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Runner-up	1.	2 May 1999	Bol, Croatia	Clay	Andreea Vanc	Jelena Kostanić Michaela Paštiková	5–7, 7–6^(7–1), 2–6
Runner-up	2.	16 May 1999	Antwerp, Belgium	Clay	Louise Pleming	Laura Golarsa Katarina Srebotnik	4–6, 2–6
Runner-up	3.	22 October 2000	Shanghai	Hard (i)	Rita Grande	Lilia Osterloh Tamarine Tanasugarn	5–7, 1–6
Winner	1.	5 November 2000	Quebec City	Hard (i)	Nicole Pratt	Els Callens Kimberly Po	6–3, 6–4
Runner-up	4.	6 January 2001	Gold Coast, Australia	Hard	Katie Schlukebir	Giulia Casoni Janette Husárová	6–7, 5–7
Runner-up	5.	4 March 2001	Scottsdale	Hard	Kim Clijsters	Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs	w/o
Winner	2.	13 May 2001	Berlin, Germany	Clay	Els Callens	Cara Black Elena Likhovtseva	6–4, 6–3
Runner-up	6.	14 October 2001	Filderstadt, Germany	Hard (i)	Justine Henin	Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond	4–6, 7–6^(7–4), 5–7
Winner	3.	5 January 2002	Gold Coast	Hard	Justine Henin	Åsa Carlsson Miriam Oremans	6–1, 7–6^(8–6)
Runner-up	7.	13 October 2002	Filderstadt	Hard (i)	Paola Suárez	Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond	2–6, 4–6
Winner	4.	5 October 2003	Moscow, Russia	Carpet (i)	Nadia Petrova	Anastasia Myskina Vera Zvonareva	6–3, 6–4
Runner-up	8.	17 January 2004	Sydney	Hard	Dinara Safina	Cara Black Rennae Stubbs	5–7, 6–3, 4–6
Winner	5.	4 April 2004	Key Biscayne, United States	Hard	Nadia Petrova	Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva	6–2, 6–3
Winner	6.	11 April 2004	Amelia Island, United States	Clay	Nadia Petrova	Myriam Casanova Alicia Molik	3–6, 6–2, 7–5
Winner	7.	9 May 2004	Berlin	Clay	Nadia Petrova	Janette Husárová Conchita Martínez	6–2, 2–6, 6–1
Winner	8.	16 May 2004	Rome, Italy	Clay	Nadia Petrova	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	2–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner	9.	25 July 2004	Los Angeles, United States	Hard	Nadia Petrova	Conchita Martínez Virginia Ruano Pascual	6–7^(2–7), 6–4, 6–3
Winner	10.	28 August 2004	New Haven, United States	Hard	Nadia Petrova	Martina Navratilova Lisa Raymond	6–1, 1–6, 7–6^(7–4)
Winner	11.	15 November 2004	Los Angeles	Hard	Nadia Petrova	Cara Black Rennae Stubbs	7–5, 6–2
Runner-up	9.	19 March 2005	Indian Wells, United States	Hard	Nadia Petrova	Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez	6–7^(3–7), 1–6
Winner	12.	18 September 2005	Bali, Indonesia	Hard	Anna-Lena Grönefeld	Yan Zi Zheng Jie	6–3, 6–3
Winner	13.	7 January 2006	Gold Coast	Hard	Dinara Safina	Cara Black Rennae Stubbs	6–2, 6–3
Winner	14.	5 March 2006	Acapulco, Mexico	Clay	Anna-Lena Grönefeld	Shinobu Asagoe Émilie Loit	6–1, 6–3
Runner-up	10.	18 March 2006	Indian Wells, United States	Hard	Virginia Ruano Pascual	Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur	2–6, 5–7
Runner-up	11.	16 April 2006	Charleston, United States	Hard	Virginia Ruano Pascual	Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur	6–3, 1–6, 1–6
Runner-up	12.	6 August 2006	San Diego, United States	Hard	Anna-Lena Grönefeld	Cara Black Rennae Stubbs	2–6, 2–6
Winner	15.	12 January 2007	Sydney	Hard	Anna-Lena Grönefeld	Marion Bartoli Meilen Tu	6–3, 3–6, 7–6^(7–2)
Runner-up	13.	20 February 2010	Memphis, United States	Hard (i)	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Vania King Michaëlla Krajicek	5–7, 2–6
Winner	16.	23 May 2010	Warsaw, Poland	Clay	Virginia Ruano Pascual	Cara Black Yan Zi	6–3, 6–4
Runner-up	14.	28 August 2010	New Haven	Hard	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Květa Peschke Katarina Srebotnik	5–7, 0–6
Winner	17.	13 February 2011	Paris, France	Hard (i)	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Vera Dushevina Ekaterina Makarova	6–4, 6–2
Runner-up	15.	19 March 2011	Indian Wells	Hard	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Sania Mirza Elena Vesnina	0–6, 5–7
Runner-up	16.	10 April 2011	Charleston	Clay	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Sania Mirza Elena Vesnina	4–6, 4–6

References

1. Wilstein, Steve (2000-09-02). "Williams survives scare in U.S. Open". Ellensburg Daily Record. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
2. "Meghann Shaughnessy". WTA Tour. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
3. Tokarz, Wally (2001-03-04). "Shaughnessy Upsets Seles". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
4. "Tennis: Roundup; Venus Williams Falls to Shaughnessy". The New York Times. 2001-07-28. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
5. "Shaughnessy upsets Dokic in Leipzig". CNN Sports Illustrated. 2002-09-25. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
6. Dillman, Lisa (2002-01-14). "Two Cruel Twists of Fate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
7. Curtis, Jake (2005-07-27). "No. 1,008 loses, but improves". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
8. Ulman, Howard (2005-08-23). "Shaughnessy ends winless streak against Dechy". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
9. Bricker, Charles (2003-03-26). "Shaughnessy Frank About Capriati, More". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2009-09-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
11. Mike Fish, "Drama follows retired baseball all-star", "ESPN Outside the Lines", August 10, 2011

External links

• Meghann Shaughnessy at the Women's Tennis Association
• Meghann Shaughnessy at the International Tennis Federation