Mary Joe Fernández

Mary Joe Fernandez Godsick (born María José Fernández; August 19, 1971) is an American former professional tennis player, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in both singles and doubles. In singles, Fernandez was the runner-up at the 1990 and 1992 Australian Open, and the 1993 French Open. She also won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. In doubles, she won the 1991 Australian Open with Patty Fendick and the 1996 French Open with Lindsay Davenport, plus two Olympic gold medals.

Career Fernandez first came to the tennis world's attention as an outstanding junior player who won four straight Orange Bowl junior titles. In 1985, aged 14 years and eight days, she became the youngest player to win a main draw match at the US Open when she defeated Sara Gomer in the first round.

Turning professional in 1986, she won her first tour doubles title in 1989 at Dallas, partnering Betsy Nagelsen. She was also semifinalist at the 1989 French Open, losing to Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 2–6, 2–6.

She reached her first Grand Slam singles final in 1990 at the Australian Open, where she was defeated by Steffi Graf 3–6, 4–6 (having held a 4–1 lead herself in the second set). She won her first WTA Tour singles title the same year at the Tokyo Indoor championships, and finished the year ranked a career-high world No. 4 in singles.

In 1991, Fernandez reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, where she was match point up against Monica Seles, before eventually losing 3–6, 6–0, 7–9. She teamed with Patty Fendick to win the women's Australian Open doubles title. At Wimbledon, she reached the semifinals, losing to Steffi Graf in straight sets.

She reached the Australian Open singles final again in 1992, beating world No. 3, Gabriela Sabatini, in the semifinals before losing to Seles, 2–6, 3–6. She also reached the semifinals of the US Open, beating Sabatini in the quarterfinals and losing once again to Seles. At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Fernandez was selected to represent the United States and won both a gold medal in women's doubles (with Gigi Fernández; no relation) and a bronze medal in singles.

In 1993, she won the title in Indian Wells, defeating Amanda Coetzer in the final. At the French Open, she defeated world No. 5 Sabatini in the quarterfinals and world No. 3 Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals. In the final against Steffi Graf, Fernandez held several points to lead 3–0 in the final set, but eventually lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Fernandez won her second Grand Slam doubles title in 1996 at the French Open, partnering with Lindsay Davenport. The pair went on to capture the year-end WTA Tour Championships doubles title later that year.

She was a late replacement for Chanda Rubin on the United States team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She won a second straight women's doubles gold medal, again in partnership with Gigi Fernández. She was also entered in the singles competition (owing to a withdrawal), and reached the semifinals, defeating world No. 2, Conchita Martínez, in the quarterfinals. She was defeated for the bronze medal by Jana Novotná. Later that year, Fernandez was a member of the U.S. team that won the Fed Cup.

Fernandez reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 1997, losing to Martina Hingis 1–6, 3–6. In May, she won her first and only Tier I tournament in Berlin, beating Jana Novotná in the semifinals and Mary Pierce in the final. At the end-of-year WTA Finals, she defeated world No. 2, Lindsay Davenport.

In 1999, she defeated Serena Williams in the third round of the French Open and in her last Grand Slam appearance she lost to Venus Williams in the fourth round of the US Open the same year.

She retired from the tour in 2000, having won a total of 24 titles: seven WTA singles titles and 17 doubles titles.

Post-retirement Fernandez coached the US Fed Cup team from 2008 to 2016 and served as the woman's coach for the 2012 U.S. Olympic tennis team in London.

She currently works as an analyst and commentator for ESPN.

Personal life Fernandez was born in the Dominican Republic; her parents were immigrants to the country. Her father José is from Asturias, Spain, and her mother Silvia Pino is from Cuba. She completed her high school education at the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida.

In April 2000, Fernandez married Anthony (Tony) Godsick, a sports agent with International Management Group. Monica Seles was a bridesmaid at the wedding. They have two children. Her husband is the current agent of Roger Federer. One of their children, Nicholas Godsick, is also a tennis player.

She has homes in Cleveland, Ohio, and Key Biscayne, Florida.

Significant finals Grand Slam tournaments Singles: 3 (3 runner-ups)

Doubles: 7 (2 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Olympics Singles: 1 (bronze medal) Result Year Location SurfaceOpponentScore Bronze 1992 Barcelona Clay Tied DNP Mary Joe Fernandez lost in the semifinals to Steffi Graf, 4–6, 2–6. In 1992, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal players received bronze medals.

Doubles: 2 (2 gold medals) Result Year Location SurfacePartnerOpponentsScore Gold 1992 Barcelona Clay Gigi Fernández Conchita Martínez Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7–5, 2–6, 6–2 Gold 1996 Atlanta Hard Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná Helena Suková 7–6(9–7), 6–4

Year-end championships Doubles: 1 title ResultYearLocationSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1996 New York Carpet (i) Lindsay Davenport Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–3, 6–2

WTA career finals Singles: 16 (7–9) Finals by surface Hard (2–4) Grass (0–1) Clay (2–2) Carpet (3–2)

Doubles: 41 (17–24) Legend Grand Slam tournaments (2–5) WTA Championships (1–0) Tier I (2–5) Tier II (8–11) Tier III (4–3) Tier IV (0–0) Tier V (0–0) Finals by surface Hard (7–14) Grass (0–1) Clay (5–4) Carpet (5–5) ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1. Jan 1989 Pan Pacific Open, Japan Carpet (i) Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Katrina Adams Zina Garrison 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(5–7)Loss 2. Mar 1989 VS Boca Raton, U.S. Hard Jo Durie Jana Novotná Helena Suková 4–6, 2–6Loss 3. Aug 1989 LA Championships, U.S. Hard Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Martina Navratilova Wendy Turnbull 2–5 ret.Loss 4. Aug 1989 US Open Hard Pam Shriver Hana Mandlíková Martina Navratilova 7–5, 4–6, 4–6Win 1. Sep 1989 VS Dallas, U.S. Carpet (i) Betsy Nagelsen Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank 7–6(7–5), 6–3Loss 5. Jan 1990 Australian Open Hard Patty Fendick Jana Novotná Helena Suková 6–7(5–7), 6–7(3–7)Win 2. Sep 1990 Tokyo Championships, Japan Carpet (i) Robin White Gigi Fernández Martina Navratilova 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4)Win 3. Oct 1990 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Germany Carpet (i) Zina Garrison Mercedes Paz Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7–5, 6–3Loss 6. Nov 1990 VS Worcester, U.S. Carpet (i) Jana Novotná Gigi Fernández Helena Suková 6–3, 3–6, 3–6Win 4. Jan, 1991 Australian Open Hard Patty Fendick Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná 7–6(7–4), 6–1Loss 7. Jan 1991 Pan Pacific Open, Japan Carpet (i) Robin White Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie 6–4, 0–6, 3–6Win 5. Mar 1991 Miami Masters, U.S. Hard Zina Garrison Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná 7–5, 6–2Loss 8. Apr 1991 VS Houston, U.S. Clay Patty Fendick Jill Hetherington Kathy Rinaldi 1–6, 6–2, 1–6Win 6. Sep 1991 Tokyo Championships, Japan Hard Pam Shriver Carrie Cunningham Laura Gildemeister 6–3, 6–3Loss 9. Nov 1991 Championships of Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet (i) Zina Garrison Larisa Neiland Jana Novotná 2–6, 4–6Loss 10. Jan 1992 Sydney International, Australia Hard Zina Garrison Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Helena Suková 6–7(4–7), 7–6(4–7), 2–6Loss 11. Jan 1992 Australian Open Hard Zina Garrison Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Helena Suková 4–6, 6–7(3–7)Loss 12. Jun 1992 Eastbourne International, UK Grass Zina Garrison Larisa Neiland Jana Novotná 0–6, 3–6Win 7. Sep 1992 Tokyo Championships, Japan Hard Robin White Yayuk Basuki Nana Miyagi 6–4, 6–4Loss 13. Mar 1993 Italian Open Clay Zina Garrison Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 4–6, 2–6Win 8. May 1993 European Open, Switzerland Clay Helena Suková Lindsay Davenport Marianne Werdel 6–2, 6–4Loss 14. Oct 1994 Brighton International, UK Carpet (i) Jana Novotná Manon Bollegraf Larisa Neiland 6–4, 2–6, 3–6Loss 15. Jan 1995 Sydney International, Australia Hard Patty Fendick Lindsay Davenport Jana Novotná 5–7, 6–2, 4–6Win 9. Mar 1995 VS Delray Beach, U.S. Hard Jana Novotná Lori McNeil Larisa Neiland 6–2, 6–4Win 10. May 1995 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Lindsay Davenport Sabine Appelmans Miriam Oremans 6–2, 6–3Win 11. Sep 1995 Tokyo Championships, Japan Hard Lindsay Davenport Amanda Coetzer Linda Wild 6–3, 6–2Win 12. Jan 1996 Sydney International, Australia Hard Lindsay Davenport Lori McNeil Helena Suková 6–3, 6–3Loss 16. Jan 1996 Australian Open Hard Lindsay Davenport Chanda Rubin Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 5–7, 6–2, 4–6Loss 17. Apr 1996 Hilton Head Cup, U.S. Clay Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 2–6, 3–6Win 13. May 1996 French Open Clay Lindsay Davenport Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva 6–2, 6–1Loss 18. Aug 1996 Canadian Open Hard Helena Suková Larisa Neiland Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–7(1–7), 1–6Win 14. Nov 1996 Oakland Classic, U.S. Carpet (i) Lindsay Davenport Irina Spîrlea Nathalie Tauziat 6–1, 6–3Win 15. Nov 1996 WTA Tour Championships, New York Carpet (i) Lindsay Davenport Jana Novotná Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–3, 6–2Win 16. Mar 1997 Hilton Head Cup, U.S. Clay Martina Hingis Lindsay Davenport Jana Novotná 7–5, 4–6, 6–1Win 17. May 1997 Madrid Open, Spain Clay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Inés Gorrochategui Irina Spîrlea 6–3, 6–2Loss 19. May 1997 French Open Clay Lisa Raymond Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva 2–6, 3–6Loss 20. Aug 1998 Boston Cup, U.S. Hard Mariaan de Swardt Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs 4–6, 4–6Loss 21. Sep 1998 Tokyo Cup, Japan Hard Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Anna Kournikova Monica Seles 4–6, 4–6Loss 22. Jan 1999 Sydney International, Australia Hard Anke Huber Elena Likhovtseva Ai Sugiyama 3–6, 6–2, 0–6Loss 23. Mar 1999 Indian Wells Masters, U.S. Hard Jana Novotná Martina Hingis Anna Kournikova 2–6, 2–6Loss 24. Mar 1999 Miami Masters, U.S. Hard Monica Seles Martina Hingis Jana Novotná 6–0, 4–6, 6–7(1–7)

Grand Slam performance timelines

Singles

Doubles