Natasha Zvereva
| Country |
Soviet Union and
Belarus |
| Residence |
Minsk, Belarus |
| Date of birth |
April 16, 1971 (1971-04-16) (age 38) |
| Place of birth |
Minsk, Belarus |
| Height |
1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight |
62 kg (140 lb; 9.8 st) |
| Turned pro |
May 1988 |
| Retired |
2002 |
| Plays |
Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Career prize money |
US$7,792,503 |
| Singles |
| Career record |
434–252 |
| Career titles |
4 WTA, 3 ITF |
| Highest ranking |
No. 5 (22 May 1989) |
| Grand Slam results |
| Australian Open |
QF (1995) |
| French Open |
F (1988) |
| Wimbledon |
SF (1998) |
| US Open |
QF (1993) |
| Doubles |
| Career record |
714–170 |
| Career titles |
80 WTA, 3 ITF |
| Highest ranking |
No. 1 (7 October 1991) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results |
| Australian Open |
W (1993, 1994, 1997) |
| French Open |
W (1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997) |
| Wimbledon |
W (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) |
| US Open |
W (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996) |
| Major doubles tournaments |
| WTA Championships |
W (1993, 1994, 1998) |
| Mixed Doubles |
| Career record |
|
| Career titles |
2 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results |
| Australian Open |
W (1990, 1995) |
| Wimbledon |
F (1991) |
| US Open |
F (1990) |
| Last updated on: April 13, 2009. |
Natalya "Natasha" Zvereva (Belarusian: Наталля Зверава, Russian: Наташа Зверева; born 16 April 1971) is a retired tennis player from Belarus. Zvereva was the first major athlete in the Soviet Union to demand publicly that she'd be able to keep her tournament earnings.[1] The team of Zvereva and Gigi Fernandez won more women's doubles titles[citation needed] and Grand Slam women's doubles championships than any other team since the team of Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.[2][3] Navratilova, speaking of the abilities of the two teams, said that she and Shriver were better, but "We were power. They are finesse. It would have been close."[4]
Zvereva is currently the captain of the Belarussian Fed Cup team.[5]
Playing style
Zvereva used a baseline, counter-punching style centered around topspin and her double-handed backhand. She had great hands,[6] used a variety of spins, and was willing to rush the net and volley.[7] Though Zvereva's talent was never in doubt, she often suffered from lapses in concentration during matches and in her confidence as a singles player.[8] [9]
Career
As a junior, Zvereva won the Wimbledon girls singles title in 1986, defeating Leila Meskhi in the final 2–6, 6–2, 9–7. Zvereva also won the US Open girls singles championship in 1987, beating Sandra Birch in the final 6–0, 6–3.
After turning pro, Zvereva won four WTA Tour singles titles and 80 WTA Tour doubles titles. Eighteen of them were Grand Slam doubles titles: five at Wimbledon, four at the US Open, five at the French Open, and four at the Australian Open. She won those Grand Slam doubles titles with four different partners: Gigi Fernández, Martina Hingis, Pam Shriver, and Larisa Savchenko Neiland. She is one of only three women to have won at least four women's doubles titles at each Grand Slam tournament, the others being Martina Navratilova and Shriver.
In addition to her Grand Slam doubles titles, Zvereva teamed with Meskhi to win a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Zvereva's best achievement in singles was in 1988 when, at age of 17, she beat second ranked Navratilova in the fourth round and sixth seeded Helena Suková in the quarterfinals en route to the final of the French Open. In the semifinals, Zvereva saved two match points against Nicole Bradtke before winning 6–3, 6–7, 7–5. In the final, she lost to Steffi Graf 6–0, 6–0 in only 32 minutes (the shortest Grand Slam final ever), who went on to win all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal that year. Zvereva is one of the few players to have beaten both Graf and Monica Seles in the same Grand Slam singles tournament. At Wimbledon in 1998, Zvereva defeated the fourth seeded Graf in the third round 6–4, 7–5 and the sixth seeded Seles in a quarterfinal 7–6(4), 6–2. Starting with the French Open in 1987 and extending through Wimbledon in 2000, Zvereva played in 51 of the 54 Grand Slam singles tournaments held during that period.
In addition to her Grand Slam women's doubles titles, Zvereva twice won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open. She partnered with Jim Pugh to win the title in 1990 and with Rick Leach in 1995.
Zvereva retired from professional tennis in 2003. Her last appearance in a Grand Slam Tournament was in Wimbledon 2002, where she lost on the first round to Marlene Weingartner 4–6, 6–3, 6–2. She played in the invitational doubles event in 2007.
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (0 titles, 1 runner-up)
Doubles: 31 (18 titles, 13 runner-ups)
| Outcome |
Year |
Championship |
Surface |
Partner |
Opponents in final |
Score in final |
| Runner-up |
1988 |
Wimbledon (1) |
Grass |
Larisa Savchenko |
Steffi Graf
Gabriela Sabatini |
6–3, 1–6, 12–10 |
| Winner |
1989 |
French Open (1) |
Clay |
Larisa Savchenko |
Steffi Graf
Gabriela Sabatini |
6–4, 6–4 |
| Runner-up |
1989 |
Wimbledon (2) |
Grass |
Larisa Savchenko |
Jana Novotná
Helena Suková |
6–1, 6–2 |
| Runner-up |
1990 |
French Open (1) |
Clay |
Larisa Savchenko |
Jana Novotná
Helena Suková |
6–4, 7–5 |
| Runner-up |
1991 |
French Open (2) |
Clay |
Larisa Savchenko |
Gigi Fernández
Jana Novotná |
6–4, 6–0 |
| Winner |
1991 |
Wimbledon (1) |
Grass |
Larisa Savchenko |
Gigi Fernández
Jana Novotná |
6–4, 3–6, 8–6 |
| Winner |
1991 |
US Open (1) |
Hard |
Pam Shriver |
Jana Novotná
Larisa Savchenko |
6–4, 4–6, 7–6(5) |
| Winner |
1992 |
French Open (2) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Conchita Martínez
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–3, 6–2 |
| Winner |
1992 |
Wimbledon (2) |
Grass |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Larisa Savchenko |
6–4, 6–1 |
| Winner |
1992 |
US Open (2) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Larisa Savchenko |
7–6(4), 6–1 |
| Winner |
1993 |
Australian Open (1) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Smylie |
6–4, 6–3 |
| Winner |
1993 |
French Open (3) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Larisa Savchenko |
6–3, 7–5 |
| Winner |
1993 |
Wimbledon (3) |
Grass |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Larisa Savchenko |
6–4, 6–7(9), 6–4 |
| Winner |
1994 |
Australian Open (2) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Patty Fendick
Meredith McGrath |
6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Winner |
1994 |
French Open (4) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Lindsay Davenport
Lisa Raymond |
6–2, 6–2 |
| Winner |
1994 |
Wimbledon (4) |
Grass |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up |
1995 |
Australian Open (1) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–3, 6–7(3), 6–4 |
| Winner |
1995 |
French Open (5) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
6–7(6), 6–4, 7–5 |
| Runner-up |
1995 |
Wimbledon (3) |
Grass |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
5–7, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Winner |
1995 |
US Open (3) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Brenda Schultz
Rennae Stubbs |
7–5, 6–3 |
| Runner-up |
1996 |
French Open (3) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Lindsay Davenport
Mary Joe Fernandez |
6–2, 6–1 |
| Winner |
1996 |
US Open (4) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Jana Novotná
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
1–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
| Winner |
1997 |
Australian Open (3) |
Hard |
Martina Hingis |
Lindsay Davenport
Lisa Raymond |
6–2, 6–2 |
| Winner |
1997 |
French Open (6) |
Clay |
Gigi Fernández |
Mary Joe Fernandez
Lisa Raymond |
6–2, 6–3 |
| Winner |
1997 |
Wimbledon (5) |
Grass |
Gigi Fernández |
Nicole Arendt
Manon Bollegraf |
7–6(4), 6–4 |
| Runner-up |
1997 |
US Open (1) |
Hard |
Gigi Fernández |
Lindsay Davenport
Jana Novotná |
6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up |
1998 |
Australian Open (2) |
Hard |
Lindsay Davenport |
Martina Hingis
Mirjana Lučić |
6–4, 2–6, 6–3 |
| Runner-up |
1998 |
French Open (4) |
Clay |
Lindsay Davenport |
Martina Hingis
Jana Novotná |
6–1, 7–6 |
| Runner-up |
1998 |
Wimbledon (4) |
Grass |
Lindsay Davenport |
Martina Hingis
Jana Novotná |
6–3, 3–6, 8–6 |
| Runner-up |
1998 |
US Open (2) |
Hard |
Lindsay Davenport |
Martina Hingis
Jana Novotná |
6–3, 6–3 |
| Runner-up |
1999 |
Australian Open (3) |
Hard |
Lindsay Davenport |
Martina Hingis
Anna Kournikova |
7–5, 6–3 |
Mixed doubles: 4 (4 titles, 4 runner-ups)
Titles (84)
Singles (4)
| Legend |
| Tier II (2) |
| Tier III (1) |
| Tier IV (1) |
| No. |
Date |
Tournament |
Surface |
Opponent in Final |
Score in Final |
| 1. |
7 January 1990 |
Brisbane, Australia |
Hard |
Rachel McQuillan |
6–4, 6–0 |
| 2. |
14 January 1990 |
Sydney, Australia |
Hard |
Barbara Paulus |
4–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 3. |
13 February 1994 |
Chicago, USA |
Carpet (i) |
Chanda Rubin |
6–3, 7–5 |
| 4. |
20 June 1999 |
Eastbourne, UK |
Grass |
Nathalie Tauziat |
0–6, 7–5, 6–3 |
Doubles (80)
Grand slam events in boldface.
- 1988: Birmingham (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1988: Indianapolis VS of Indianapolis (Larisa Savchenko)
- 1989: Amelia Island (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1989: French Open (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1989: Birmingham (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1989: Moscow (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1989: Chicago (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1990: Birmingham (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1990: Eastbourne (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1990: Orlando (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Boca Raton (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Hilton Head Island (with Claudia Kohde-Kilsch)
- 1991: Berlin (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Eastbourne (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Wimbledon (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Toronto (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: Manhattan Beach (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1991: US Open (with Pam Shriver)
- 1991: Brighton (with Pam Shriver)
- 1992: Boca Raton (with Larisa Savchenko)
- 1992: Hilton Head Island (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
- 1992: Amelia Island (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
- 1992: French Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1992: Wimbledon (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1992: US Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1992: Zürich (with Helena Suková)
- 1992: Oakland (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1992: Philadelphia (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Australian Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Delray Beach (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Wesley Chapel (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Hilton Head Island (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Berlin (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: French Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Eastbourne (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Wimbledon (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Leipzig (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Filderstadt (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1993: Virginia Slims Championships (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Australian Open (with Gigi Fernández)
|
- 1994: Chicago (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Key Biscayne (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Rome (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Berlin (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: French Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Eastbourne (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Wimbledon (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Filderstadt (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Philadelphia (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1994: Virginia Slims Championships (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: Tokyo Pan Pacific (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: Rome (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: French Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: San Diego (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: Manhattan Beach (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: US Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1995: Filderstadt (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1996: Tokyo Pan Pacific (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1996: Manhattan Beach (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1996: US Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1997: Australian Open (with Martina Hingis)
- 1997: Tokyo Pan Pacific (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1997: Indian Wells (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1997: Key Biscayne (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
- 1997: Strasbourg (with Helena Suková)
- 1997: French Open (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1997: Wimbledon (with Gigi Fernández)
- 1997: Moscow (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
- 1998: Indian Wells (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1998: Berlin (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1998: Stanford (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1998: San Diego (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1998: Los Angeles (with Martina Hingis)
- 1998: Filderstadt (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1998: Moscow (with Mary Pierce)
- 1998: Chase Championships (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 1999: Tokyo Pan Pacific (with Lindsay Davenport)
- 2000: Hanover (with Åsa Svensson)
- 2000: Hamburg (with Anna Kournikova)
- 2002: Madrid (with Martina Navratilova)
|
Singles runner-ups (15)
| Legend |
| Grand Slam (1) |
| Tier I (3) |
| Tier II (5) |
| Tier III (1) |
| Tier IV (1) |
| Tier V (1) |
| VS (3) |
| No. |
Date |
Tournament |
Surface |
Opponent in Final |
Score in Final |
| 1. |
9 November 1986 |
Little Rock, USA |
Carpet (i) |
Kathy Rinaldi |
6–4, 6–7(7), 6–0 |
| 2. |
8 November 1987 |
Little Rock, USA |
Carpet (i) |
Sandra Cecchini |
0–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 3. |
15 November 1987 |
Chicago, USA |
Carpet (i) |
Martina Navratilova |
6–1, 6–2 |
| 4. |
5 June 1988 |
French Open, Paris |
Clay |
Steffi Graf |
6–0, 6–0 |
| 5. |
19 June 1988 |
Eastbourne, UK |
Grass |
Martina Navratilova |
6–2, 6–2 |
| 6. |
21 August 1988 |
Montreal, Canada |
Hard |
Gabriela Sabatini |
6–1, 6–2 |
| 7. |
6 November 1988 |
Worchester, US |
Carpet (i) |
Martina Navratilova |
6–7(4), 6–4, 6–3 |
| 8. |
9 April 1989 |
Hilton Head Island, USA |
Clay |
Steffi Graf |
6–1, 6–1 |
| 9. |
15 October 1989 |
Moscow, USSR |
Carpet (i) |
Gretchen Magers |
6–3, 6–4 |
| 10. |
16 June 1991 |
Birmingham, UK |
Grass |
Martina Navratilova |
6–4, 7–6(6) |
| 11. |
17 October 1993 |
Filderstadt, Germany |
Carpet (i) |
Mary Pierce |
6–3, 6–3 |
| 12. |
20 March 1994 |
Key Biscayne, USA |
Hard |
Steffi Graf |
4–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 13. |
3 April 1994 |
Hilton Head Island, USA |
Clay |
Conchita Martínez |
6–4, 6–0 |
| 14. |
9 October 1994 |
Zürich, Switzerland |
Carpet (i) |
Magdalena Maleeva |
7–5, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 15. |
5 March 1995 |
Indian Wells, USA |
Hard |
Mary Joe Fernandez |
6–4, 6–3 |
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
| Tournament |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
Career SR |
| Australian Open |
A |
A |
A |
2R |
4R |
2R |
3R |
1R |
QF |
1R |
3R |
3R |
3R |
2R |
A |
A |
0 / 11 |
| French Open |
3R |
F |
1R |
4R |
2R |
QF |
4R |
4R |
1R |
3R |
4R |
2R |
2R |
4R |
A |
A |
0 / 14 |
| Wimbledon |
4R |
4R |
3R |
QF |
2R |
QF |
QF |
1R |
3R |
2R |
1R |
SF |
2R |
2R |
A |
1R |
0 / 15 |
| US Open |
3R |
1R |
4R |
2R |
4R |
3R |
QF |
A |
4R |
3R |
3R |
2R |
2R |
A |
A |
A |
0 / 12 |
| SR |
0 / 3 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 0 |
0 / 1 |
0 / 52 |
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.
References
External links