Kristina Brandi

Kristina Brandi (born March 29, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former tennis player. She was the first tennis player representing Puerto Rico to win a singles match in an Olympic tennis tournament.

Some of Brandi's career highlights: She achieved her best ranking in singles of number 27 on 4 December 2000, and her highest rank for doubles of number 246 in June 1995. Brandi won one career singles title, in 1999 on grass at 's Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Career Early years Brandi was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she became interested in the sport of tennis at an early age. She made her professional debut in 1995 when she was 17 years old. Her father is Joe Brandi, who coached Pete Sampras.

USTA Circuit In 2003, Brandi won the most titles of any woman on the "USTA Circuit". She took home trophies from six events. Brandi was a member of the 2003 Puerto Rican Fed Cup team where she captured the singles championship at the $75k event in Albuquerque, New Mexico, plus the $50k event in Troy, Alabama and the $25k event in Peachtree City, Georgia.

2004 Olympics Brandi represented Puerto Rico in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She became the first tennis player representing Puerto Rico to win a singles match in an Olympic tournament when she beat Jelena Kostanić from Croatia (7–5, 6–1). She lost in the second round to Russian Anastasia Myskina.

Later years Kristina Brandi resides in Tampa, Florida and continued to be active on the WTA Tour for many years after the 2004 Olympic Games.

Brandi defended her ITF-Surbiton title, defeating Laura Granville from the U.S. Brandi's grass-court season for 2006 at the WTA Tour level included the main draw of the Birmingham tournament, as well as the qualifying tournament at Eastbourne, before heading to compete in the Wimbledon Championships main draw.

Brandi, who has since retired, is the niece of Andy Brandi who played for the Trinity Tigers men's tennis team in NCAA Division I competition.

WTA career finals Singles: 1 (1 title) ResultDateTierTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 20 June 1999 Tier III Rosmalen Championships, Netherlands Grass Silvija Talaja 6–0, 3–6, 6–1

ITF Circuit finals Singles: 25 (16 titles, 9 runner-ups) Legend$100,000 tournaments$75,000 tournaments$50,000 tournaments$25,000 tournaments$10,000 tournamentsFinals by surfaceHard (13–8)Clay (0–0)Grass (3–1)Carpet (0–0) ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponent ScoreWin 1. 4 July 1994 ITF Indianapolis, United States Hard Mashona Washington 6–1, 6–3Loss 2. 25 July 1994 ITF Roanoke, United States Hard Keiko Nagatomi 6–7, 3–6Loss 3. 9 October 1995 ITF Sedona, United States Hard Tami Whitlinger 4–6, 4–6Loss 4. 6 April 1997 ITF Phoenix, United States Hard Li Fang 1–6, 2–6Win 5. 26 January 1998 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Mashona Washington 6–1, 6–2Win 6. 5 April 1998 ITF Phoenix, United States Hard Lilia Osterloh 6–0, 6–4Win 7. 20 July 1998 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Anne Kremer 6–3, 6–3Loss 8. 2 August 1998 ITF Salt Lake City, United States Hard Mariaan de Swardt 2–6, 2–6Win 9. 1 November 1998 ITF Austin, United States Hard Meilen Tu 3–6, 6–3, 6–4Win 10. 1 August 1999 ITF Salt Lake City, United States Hard Li Fang 6–4, 6–3Loss 11. 30 April 2000 ITF Sarasota, United States Hard Meghann Shaughnessy 1–6, 3–6Loss 12. 4 June 2001 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Rika Fujiwara 3–6, 3–6Win 13. 13 May 2003 ITF Charlottesville, United States Clay Christina Wheeler 4–6, 6–4, 6–2Win 14. 8 June 2003 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Cho Yoon-jeong 6–1, 6–3Win 15. 8 July 2003 ITF College Park, United States Hard Lioudmila Skavronskaia 6–1, 6–1Win 16. 28 July 2003 ITF Louisville, United States Hard Shenay Perry 3–6, 6–4, 6–4Win 17. 14 September 2003 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Allison Bradshaw 6–0, 6–1Win 18. 22 September 2003 ITF Albuquerque, United States Hard Milagros Sequera 6–2, 6–2Win 19. 5 October 2003 ITF Troy, United States Hard Maria Elena Camerin 7–6(7), 6–3Loss 20. 19 October 2003 ITF Sedona, United States Hard Samantha Reeves 5–7, 6–1, 4–6Win 21. 4 June 2005 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Laura Granville 6–3, 6–1Loss 22. 2 October 2005 ITF Ashland, United States Hard Napaporn Tongsalee 4–6, 6–2, 4–6Win 23. 16 October 2005 ITF San Francisco, United States Hard Lilia Osterloh 5–7, 6–4, 6–4Win 24. 10 June 2006 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Laura Granville 7–5, 6–0Loss 25. 19 September 2006 ITF Albuquerque, United States Hard Ahsha Rolle 2–6, 4–6

Doubles: 6 (1 title, 5 runner-ups) $100,000 tournaments $75,000 tournaments $50,000 tournaments $25,000 tournaments $10,000 tournaments ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponents ScoreLoss 1. 20 June 1994 ITF Hilton Head, United States Clay Karin Miller Angela Lettiere Stacy Sheppard 6–4, 2–6, 6–7Win 2. 4 July 1994 ITF Indianapolis, United States Hard Karin Miller Angela Lettiere Vera Vitels 6–2, 4–6, 7–6Loss 3. 25 July 1994 ITF Roanoke, United States Hard Karin Miller Gail Biggs Claudine Toleafoa 6–4, 3–6, 5–7Loss 4. 1 February 1998 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Karin Miller Maureen Drake Renata Kolbovic 6–4, 3–6, 4–6Loss 5. 10 September 2002 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Allison Baker Jennifer Russell Christina Wheeler 2–6, 6–7(3)Loss 6. 8 July 2003 ITF College Park, United States Hard Kim Grant Jennifer Russell Lisa McShea 2–6, 6–4, 5–7