Stéphanie Vongsouthi
Stéphanie Vongsouthi (born 15 September 1988) is a French tennis player.
| Country (sports) |  |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 September 1988 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $82,523 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 178–157 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 2 ITF |
| Highest ranking | 311 (9 November 2009) |
| Current ranking | 1096 (7 May 2012) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 20–40 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 1 ITF |
| Highest ranking | 323 (22 March 2010) |
| Last updated on: 7 May 2012. | |
2005
Vongsouthi played her first ever professional match on the clay at Amiens in France, at the age of 16. She lost a close match to compatriot Laurene Fayol, 5–7, 7–5, 6–4. She left Amiens with her first prize money of $98. Vongsouthi's first victory came four months later at Zwevegem in Belgium. She defeated the Belgian Davinia Lobbinger 6–4, 6–3. She went on to lost a tight match in the second round to Gabriela Velasco Andreu the world #380, 7–6 (5) 5–7, 6–2. Vongsouthi played three more tournaments that year but did not advance past the second round in any of them. She ended the year ranked 1090 with a singles record of 3–6.
2006
Vongsouthi started her year in Belfort, France, where she lost in the qualifying rounds. Next she returned to Amiens where she won her first round match against Tessy van de Ven, 6–3, 6–1. However, she lost in the next round to 4th seed Gaëlle Widmer of Switzerland. She then lost in the first round of three more tournaments, all in France, including Strasbourg where she faced her highest ever ranked opponent, Virginie Pichet, ranked 203.
In June, Vongsouthi headed to Montpellier, here she experienced a breakthrough, beating through seed including Émilie Bacquet and Eva Fernández-Brugués to reach her first ever ITF final. However here Vongsouthi was unable to overcome Olivia Sanchez ranked #469 and after an impressive first set Vongsouthi let the match run away from her, 6–7 (6) 6–0, 6–0. Her results improved from then on with a Quarter final appearance in Brussels and a semi final in Rebecq.
She entered Enschede in the Netherlands as the no. 6 seed. Ranked at 646 this was the first time Vongsouthi had been seeded in a professional tournament. She struggled through her first round match against Olivia Scarfi, 6–3, 6–7 (4) 6–0. Before flying through the next three rounds to reach the final. Her second final of the year ended in the same way as the first, losing 6–2, 6–3 to Marlot Meddens.
Vongsouthi ended the year ranked 577 with a singles record of 21–15.
2007
Vongsouthi began the year with a quarter final appearance in Sunderland. From here on however she failed to get past the second round in three consecutive tournaments. She headed to Amiens for the third time in her career. Ranked 501 in the world, she was seeded third and breezed through her first round. However the next two rounds proved considerably more difficult, each time pushing Vongsouthi to three setters, all the same she managed to pull through to reach the semi finals. Here she came against Audrey Bergot a French player ranked far below her. However Bergot played some brilliant tennis to overcome Vongsouthi in a long three set match, 7–6 (6) 4–6, 6–3. Three more tournaments passed without Vongsouthi getting past the second round.
On 29 April 2007 Vongsouthi headed to Naples. She blasted through her first three rounds without dropping a set. She struggled a little bit more in the semi final against Patricia Mayr but managed to pull through 2–6, 6–4, 7–6 (4) to make it to her third ever ITF final. However just as before nerves seemed to get to Vongsouthi as she faced seventh seed Michelle Gerards and she lost 6–2, 6–1. In Braga, Portugal, Vongsouthi once more managed to make it to the final as the no. 2 seed. She didn't drop a set on the way to the final and looked set to take her first ever title. However, she came up against the no. 1 seed and home favourite Neuza Silva, Vongsouthi fell once more 6–1, 6–4.
She then went to the French Open where she received a wildcard into the qualifying draw. This was her first ever Grand Slam match and she lost to 13th seed Su-Wei Hsieh who was ranked 300 places above her. She played six tournaments after this again not making it past the second round in any of them. She re-entered Rebecq, this time as the No. 1 seed, the first time she had ever been seeded first in a tournament. Unfortunately she seemed to struggle through her first three matches against far less experienced players and lost in the semi final to Samantha Schoeffel 6–2, 6–1. She played nine more tournaments in the year but didn't manage to make it to any quarter finals.
She ended 2007 ranked 480 with a singles record of 39–30.
2008
She began her year at Sunderland once more, she reached the quarter finals again before losing to Elena Kulikova of Russia, 6–3, 6–7 (6) 6–1. She didn't achieve any impressive results until she headed to Bath in March. Ranked 498 and the no. 7 Seed, Vongsouthi blasted through the first four rounds without dropping a set to reach her fifth final. Facing off against Sarah Borwell of Great Britain, ranked 296 and the no. 1 Seed in Bath, Vongsouthi looked visibly nervous. Vongsouthi's final curse seemed to play out once more as she lost 6–4, 7–6 (5) . Giving her a finals record of 0–5.
She headed to Torrent, Spain, in April, where she managed to make it to the semifinals. After taking a few weeks out Vongsouthi returned to play in Bucharest as the no. 3 Seed. She reached her 6th ever final and the second of 2008, where she was set to face, Simona Halep of Romania. Vongsouthi failed once more, even though she was ranked higher and lost the match 7–6 (4) 6–3. Her finals record was now set at 0–6.
She played as a wildcard in the French Open qualifying draw and lost once again, this time to Margit Rüütel of Estonia. Vongsouthi mainly played tournaments in France for a few months, with quarterfinal appearances at Montpellier and Périgueux and a semi-final appearance in Mont-de-Marsan.
On 19 October 2008 Vongsouthi headed to Lisbon as the no. 1 Seed. Ranked at 379 Vongsouthi had a huge advantage over her opponents. She defeated Nicola Geuer in the final for her first ever title. She didn't drop a set during the whole tournament.
She ended 2008 ranked 353 with a singles record of 46–27.
2009
She began her year in Glasgow and ranked at 330 she was the no. 1 seed. She raced through her first few rounds defeating, Jade Curtis, Irini Georgatou and Stefania Boffa. She reached the final without having dropped a set. She faced third seed Emma Laine of Finland in the final. Despite taking the first set Vongsouthi couldn't close out the match, losing: 4–6, 6–2, 7–6 (2) . Vongsouthi's final record dropped to 1–7. Vongsouthi's success of Great Britain continued when she returned to Bath, a finalist the year before Vongsouthi was ranked even higher at 314 and looked prepared to win. She didn't drop a set the whole tournament, knocking out Naomi Broady in the semis and Verardi Verdiana in the final, 6–2, 6–4.
Since Vongsouthi has failed to past the second round of any of the seven tournaments she has played since then.
Stéphanie Vongsouthi received a wildcard into the 2009 French Open. She defeated fellow wildcard Aurélie Védy in the first round of qualifying, before losing to British 15th seed Elena Baltacha in the next round.
Career statistics
Singles Finals: 9 (2–7)
| $100,000 tournaments |
| $75,000 tournaments |
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1. | 19 June 2006 | Montpellier, France | Clay | |
7–6 (6) 0–6, 0–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 4 September 2006 | Enschede, Netherlands | Clay |  |
2–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 23 April 2007 | Naples, Italy | Clay | |
2–6, 1–6 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 28 May 2007 | Braga, Portugal | Clay |  |
1–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 17 March 2008 | Bath, United Kingdom | Hard |  |
4–6, 6–7 (5) |
| Runner-up | 6. | 12 May 2008 | Bucharest, Romania | Clay |  |
6–7 (4) 3–6 |
| Winner | 7. | 28 October 2008 | Lisbon, Portugal | Hard |  |
6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 8. | 12 January 2009 | Glasgow, United Kingdom | Hard |  |
6–4, 2–6, 6–7 (2) |
| Winner | 9. | 28 March 2009 | Bath, United Kingdom | Hard |  |
6–2, 6–4 |
Doubles: 3 (1–2)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 4 May 2009 | Florence, Italy | Clay | |
 |
6-0 6-1 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1 March 2010 | Lyon, France | Hard | |
 |
7–5 4–6 [6–10] |
| Runner-up | 3. | 31 July 2010 | Gardone Val Trompia, Italy | Clay |  |
|
2–6, 2–6 |
