Gabriela Sabatini Biography
At the age of six, former tennis pro Gabriela Sabitini was whacking a ball around on the tennis courts.
Two years later, the child prodigy had won her first tournament.
Her family knew to keep her going in the sport and trained her to compete in bigger competitions. The practicing paid off.
At the age of 13, Sabitini became the youngest player to win the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The following year, she went on to win six major international junior titles, including the French Open girls' singles and as a result, was named the world's number one junior player.
By 1985, Sabatini continued to keep her youthful claim to fame and became the youngest-ever player to reach the semi-finals at the French Open. She did lose eventually to Chris Evert in that competition but later that year, she won her first top-level singles title.
The Grand Slam singles finalist status came in 1988 at the US Open. Her opponent, Germany's Steffi Graff, had won three previous Grand Slam singles events that year so was naturally thought of as the favorite. Graf won that match, but Sabatini's playing skills were noticed, and she was selected to represent Argentina and carry the country's flag in the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea that same year. The moment of glory resulted in her winning a silver medal.
Graf and Sabatini were not done with each other though.
They competed again in 1990 during the US Open. Sabatini won this time around and also beat Graf in a semifinal of the WTA Tour Championships.
By 1992, a period of time when Sabatini had won five tournaments, she also was starting to burnout and as a result, couldn't win a title. It was not until two years later that she performed well again at the WTA Tour Championships followed by a tournament win in 1995 in Sydney, Australia where she defeated Lindsay Davenport.
Sabatini retired from the sport in 1996 having won 27 singles titles and 12 Doubles titles.
At the age of six, former tennis pro Gabriela Sabitini was whacking a ball around on the tennis courts.
Two years later, the child prodigy had won her first tournament.
Her family knew to keep her going in the sport and trained her to compete in bigger competitions. The practicing paid off.
At the age of 13, Sabitini became the youngest player to win the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The following year, she went on to win six major international junior titles, including the French Open girls' singles and as a result, was named the world's number one junior player.
By 1985, Sabatini continued to keep her youthful claim to fame and became the youngest-ever player to reach the semi-finals at the French Open. She did lose eventually to Chris Evert in that competition but later that year, she won her first top-level singles title.
The Grand Slam singles finalist status came in 1988 at the US Open. Her opponent, Germany's Steffi Graff, had won three previous Grand Slam singles events that year so was naturally thought of as the favorite. Graf won that match, but Sabatini's playing skills were noticed, and she was selected to represent Argentina and carry the country's flag in the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea that same year. The moment of glory resulted in her winning a silver medal.
Graf and Sabatini were not done with each other though.
They competed again in 1990 during the US Open. Sabatini won this time around and also beat Graf in a semifinal of the WTA Tour Championships.
By 1992, a period of time when Sabatini had won five tournaments, she also was starting to burnout and as a result, couldn't win a title. It was not until two years later that she performed well again at the WTA Tour Championships followed by a tournament win in 1995 in Sydney, Australia where she defeated Lindsay Davenport.
Sabatini retired from the sport in 1996 having won 27 singles titles and 12 Doubles titles.
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini
Gabriela Sabatini v's Steffi Graf 1990 US Open Final
1991 - Gabriela Sabatini
