Mercedes Paz

Mercedes María Paz (Spanish pronunciation: [meɾˈseðez maˈɾi.a ˈpas]; born 27 June 1966) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina, who won three singles titles during her career on the WTA Tour. She reached her highest career ranking of 28 on April 29, 1991. Her best Grand Slam finish was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.

Mercedes Paz

Country (sports)	Argentina
Residence	Tucumán, Argentina
Born	(1966-06-27) 27 June 1966 Tucumán
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	1984
Retired	1998
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	$1,154,319
Singles
Career record	280–279
Career titles	3 WTA
Highest ranking	No. 28 (29 April 1991)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	1R (1991, 1992, 1995)
French Open	4R (1986, 1990)
Wimbledon	2R (1994, 1996)
US Open	2R (1985, 1987, 1988)
Doubles
Career record	385–245
Career titles	22 WTA
Highest ranking	No. 12 (24 September 1990)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open	3R (1991, 1992)
French Open	SF (1991)
Wimbledon	QF (1990)
US Open	SF (1991)

Paz unexpectedly defeated defending champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the second round of the 1990 French Open. Later that year, at the Virginia Slims of Worcester, Paz also defeated Sánchez Vicario in the round of 16. Five years before, in the semifinals of the 1985 Brazil Open, she beat top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini en route to beating Peruvian Laura Arraya for the title. In so doing, Paz became the first Argentinian woman to capture a major WTA event. In addition to wins over Sánchez Vicario and Sabatini, she also defeated top-seeded Jana Novotná in three sets to reach the semifinals of the Belgian Ladies Open in Brussels in 1989. The previous year, at the 1988 Hilton Head tournament, Paz had defeated Novotná in the round of 32 for the first time.

WTA Tour finals

Singles 6 (3–3)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0/0)
WTA Championships (0/0)
Virginia Slims (1/1)
Tier I (0/0)
Tier II (0/0)
Tier III (0/0)
Tier IV & V (2/2)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1.	18 March 1985	São Paulo, Brazil	Clay	Laura Arraya	5–7, 6–1, 6–4
Runner-up	1.	20 October 1986	Singapore	Hard (i)	Gigi Fernández	6–4, 2–6, 6–4
Runner-up	2.	10 October 1988	San Juan, Puerto Rico	Hard	Anne Minter	2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner	2.	7 November 1988	Guarujá, Brazil	Hard	Rene Simpson	7–5, 6–2
Runner-up	3.	17 July 1989	Brussels, Belgium	Clay	Radka Zrubáková	7–6^(8–6), 6–4
Winner	3.	21 May 1990	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Ann Grossman	6–2, 6–3

Doubles 40 (22–18)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0/0)
WTA Championships (0/1)
Virginia Slims (7/2)
Tier I (0/1)
Tier II (1/5)
Tier III (2/1)
Tier IV & V (12/8)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1.	1 October 1984	Tokyo, Japan	Hard	Ronni Reis	Emilse Raponi-Longo Adriana Villagrán	6–4, 7–5
Winner	2.	18 March 1985	São Paulo, Brazil	Clay	Gabriela Sabatini	Csilla Bartos Neige Dias	7–5, 6–4
Winner	3.	19 August 1985	Monticello, USA	Hard	Gabriela Sabatini	Kateřina Böhmová Andrea Holíková	5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Winner	4.	10 November 1986	San Juan, Puerto Rico	Hard	Lori McNeil	Gigi Fernández Robin White	6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Winner	5.	1 December 1986	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Clay	Lori McNeil	Manon Bollegraf Nicole Muns-Jagerman	6–1, 2–6, 6–1
Runner-up	1.	30 March 1987	Wild Dunes, USA	Clay	Candy Reynolds	Laura Arraya Tine Scheuer-Larsen	6–4, 6–4
Winner	6.	6 April 1987	Hilton Head, USA	Clay	Eva Pfaff	Zina Garrison Lori McNeil	7–6^(8–6), 7–5
Winner	7.	30 November 1987	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Clay	Gabriela Sabatini	Jill Hetherington Christiane Jolissaint	6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	2.	7 December 1987	Guarujá, Brazil	Hard	Jill Hetherington	Katrina Adams Cheryl Jones	6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Winner	8.	4 July 1988	Båstad, Sweden	Clay	Sandra Cecchini	Linda Ferrando Silvia La Fratta	6–0, 6–2
Winner	9.	11 July 1988	Brussels, Belgium	Clay	Tine Scheuer-Larsen	Katerina Maleeva Raffaella Reggi	7–6^(7–3), 6–1
Winner	10.	7 November 1988	Guarujá, Brazil	Hard	Bettina Fulco	Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder	6–3, 6–4
Winner	11.	1 May 1989	Taranto, Italy	Clay	Sabrina Goleš	Sophie Amiach Emmanuelle Derly	6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	3.	8 May 1989	Rome, Italy	Clay	Manon Bollegraf	Elizabeth Smylie Janine Thompson	6–4, 6–3
Winner	12.	22 May 1989	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Judith Wiesner	Lise Gregory Gretchen Magers	6–3, 6–3
Runner-up	4.	10 July 1989	Arcachon, France	Clay	Brenda Schultz-McCarthy	Sandra Cecchini Patricia Tarabini	6–3, 7–6^(7–5)
Winner	13.	17 July 1989	Brussels, Belgium	Clay	Manon Bollegraf	Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder	6–1, 6–2
Winner	14.	24 July 1989	Båstad, Sweden	Clay	Tine Scheuer-Larsen	Sabrina Goleš Katerina Maleeva	6–2, 7–5
Winner	15.	11 December 1989	Guarujá, Brazil	Hard	Patricia Tarabini	Cláudia Chabalgoity Luciana Corsato	6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	5.	2 April 1990	Hilton Head, USA	Clay	Natasha Zvereva	Martina Navratilova Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	6–2, 6–1
Winner	16.	9 April 1990	Amelia Island, USA	Clay	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	Regina Kordová Andrea Temesvári	7–6^(7–5), 6–4
Winner	17.	16 April 1990	Tampa, USA	Clay	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	Laura Arraya Sandra Cecchini	6–2, 6–0
Winner	18.	23 April 1990	Barcelona, Spain	Clay	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	Sabrina Goleš Patricia Tarabini	6–7^(7–9), 6–2, 6–1
Winner	19.	9 July 1990	Båstad, Sweden	Clay	Tine Scheuer-Larsen	Carin Bakkum Nicole Muns-Jagerman	6–3, 6–7^(10–12), 6–2
Runner-up	6.	13 August 1990	Manhattan Beach, USA	Hard	Gabriela Sabatini	Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Runner-up	7.	15 October 1990	Filderstadt, West Germany	Hard (i)	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	Mary Joe Fernández Zina Garrison	7–5, 6–3
Runner-up	8.	12 November 1990	New York, USA	Carpet	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie	7–6^(7–4), 6–4
Runner-up	9.	8 April 1991	Amelia Island, USA	Clay	Natasha Zvereva	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Helena Suková	4–6, 6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	10.	20 May 1991	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Manon Bollegraf	Lori McNeil Stephanie Rehe	6–7^(2–7), 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up	11.	8 July 1991	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Laura Garrone	Petra Langrová Mary Pierce	6–3, 6–7^(5–7), 6–3
Runner-up	12.	15 July 1991	San Marino	Clay	Laura Garrone	Kerry-Anne Guse Akemi Nishiya	6–0, 6–3
Runner-up	13.	11 November 1991	Indianapolis, USA	Hard (i)	Katrina Adams	Patty Fendick Gigi Fernández	6–4, 6–2
Winner	20.	2 December 1991	São Paulo, Brazil	Clay	Inés Gorrochategui	Renata Baranski Laura Glitz	6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	14.	18 May 1992	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Lori McNeil	Patty Fendick Andrea Strnadová	6–3, 6–4
Runner-up	15.	24 August 1992	San Diego, USA	Hard	Conchita Martínez	Jana Novotná Larisa Neiland	6–1, 6–4
Runner-up	16.	26 April 1993	Taranto, Italy	Clay	Petra Langrová	Debbie Graham Brenda Schultz-McCarthy	6–0, 6–4
Runner-up	17.	26 July 1993	Stratton Mountain, USA	Hard	Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere	Elizabeth Smylie Helena Suková	6–1, 6–2
Winner	21.	31 January 1994	Auckland, New Zealand	Hard	Patricia Hy	Jenny Byrne Julie Richardson	6–4, 7–6^(7–3)
Winner	22.	24 April 1995	Zagreb, Croatia	Clay	Rene Simpson	Laura Golarsa Irina Spîrlea	7–5, 6–2
Runner-up	18.	14 July 1997	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Florencia Labat	Silvia Farina Elia Barbara Schett	2–6, 6–1, 6–4

Notes

External links

• Mercedes Paz at the Women's Tennis Association
• Mercedes Paz at the International Tennis Federation
• Mercedes Paz at the Fed Cup

Awards
Preceded by Gretchen Rush	Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award 1990	Succeeded by Judith Wiesner