Mercedes Paz

Mercedes María Paz (; born 27 June 1966) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. She won three singles titles on the WTA Tour and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 28 in April 1991. Her best Grand Slam result was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.

Career Paz unexpectedly defeated defending champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the second round of the 1990 French Open. Later that year, at the Virginia Slims of Worcester, Paz also defeated Sánchez Vicario in the round of 16. Five years before, in the semifinals of the 1985 Brazil Open, she beat top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini en route to beating Peruvian Laura Arraya for the title. In so doing, Paz became the first Argentinian woman to capture a major WTA event. In addition to wins over Sánchez Vicario and Sabatini, she also defeated top-seeded Jana Novotná in three sets to reach the semifinals of the Belgian Ladies Open in Brussels in 1989. The previous year, at the 1988 Hilton Head tournament, Paz had defeated Novotná in the round of 32 for the first time.

WTA career finals Singles 6 (3 titles, 3 runner-ups) Legend Virginia Slims (1–1) Tier I (0–0) Tier II (0–0) Tier III (0–0) Tier IV & V (2–2)

Doubles 40 (22 titles, 18 runner-ups) Legend WTA Championships (0–1)Virginia Slims (7–2) Tier I (0–1) Tier II (1–5) Tier III (2–1) Tier IV & V (12–8)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1. Oct 1984 Japan Open Hard Ronni Reis Emilse Raponi-Longo Adriana Villagrán 6–4, 7–5Win 2. Mar 1985 São Paulo Open, Brazil Clay Gabriela Sabatini Csilla Bartos Niege Dias 7–5, 6–4Win 3. Aug 1985 VS New York, U.S. Hard Gabriela Sabatini Kateřina Böhmová Andrea Holíková 5–7, 6–4, 6–3Win 4. Nov 1986 Puerto Rico Open Hard Lori McNeil Gigi Fernández Robin White 6–2, 3–6, 6–4Win 5. Dec 1986 Argentine Open Clay Lori McNeil Manon Bollegraf Nicole Muns-Jagerman 6–1, 2–6, 6–1Loss 1. Mar 1987 South Carolina Open, U.S. Clay Candy Reynolds Laura Arraya Tine Scheuer-Larsen 6–4, 6–4Win 6. Apr 1987 Family Circle Cup, U.S. Clay Eva Pfaff Zina Garrison Lori McNeil 7–6(8–6), 7–5Win 7. Nov 1987 Argentine Open Clay Gabriela Sabatini Jill Hetherington Christiane Jolissaint 6–2, 6–2Loss 2. Dec 1987 Brasil Open Hard Jill Hetherington Katrina Adams Cheryl Jones 6–4, 4–6, 6–4Win 8. Jul 1988 Swedish Open Clay Sandra Cecchini Linda Ferrando Silvia La Fratta 6–0, 6–2Win 9. Jul 1988 Belgian Open Clay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Katerina Maleeva Raffaella Reggi 7–6(7–3), 6–1Win 10. Nov 1988 Guarujá Cup, Brazil Hard Bettina Fulco Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder 6–3, 6–4Win 11. May 1989 Ilva Trophy, Italy Clay Sabrina Goleš Sophie Amiach Emmanuelle Derly 6–2, 6–2Loss 3. May 1989 Italian Open Clay Manon Bollegraf Elizabeth Smylie Janine Thompson 6–4, 6–3Win 12. May 1989 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Judith Wiesner Lise Gregory Gretchen Magers 6–3, 6–3Loss 4. Jul 1989 Arcachon Cup, France Clay Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Sandra Cecchini Patricia Tarabini 6–3, 7–6(7–5)Winner 13. Jul 1989 Belgian Open Clay Manon Bollegraf Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder 6–1, 6–2Win 14. Jul 1989 Swedish Open Clay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Sabrina Goleš Katerina Maleeva 6–2, 7–5Win 15. Dec 1989 Guarujá Cup, Brazil Hard Patricia Tarabini Cláudia Chabalgoity Luciana Corsato 6–2, 6–2Loss 5. Apr 1990 Family Circle Cup, U.S. Clay Natasha Zvereva Martina Navratilova Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–2, 6–1Win 16. Apr 1990 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Regina Kordová Andrea Temesvári 7–6(7–5), 6–4Win 17. Apr 1990 Tampa Open, U.S. Clay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Laura Arraya Sandra Cecchini 6–2, 6–0Win 18. Apr 1990 Barcelona Open, Spain Clay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Sabrina Goleš Patricia Tarabini 6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1Win 19. Jul 1990 Swedish Open Clay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Carin Bakkum Nicole Muns-Jagerman 6–3, 6–7(10–12), 6–2Loss 6. Aug 1990 LA Championships, U.S. Hard Gabriela Sabatini Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná 6–3, 4–6, 6–4Loss 7. Oct 1990 Filderstadt Grand Prix, West Germany Hard (i) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Mary Joe Fernández Zina Garrison 7–5, 6–3Loss 8. Nov 1990 WTA Championships, New York Carpet (i) Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie 7–6(7–4), 6–4Loss 9. Apr 1991 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Natasha Zvereva Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Helena Suková 4–6, 6–2, 6–2Loss 10. May 1991 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Manon Bollegraf Lori McNeil Stephanie Rehe 6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–4Loss 11. Jul 1991 Internazionali di Palermo, Italy Clay Laura Garrone Petra Langrová Mary Pierce 6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3Loss 12. Jul 1991 San Marino Open Clay Laura Garrone Kerry-Anne Guse Akemi Nishiya 6–0, 6–3Loss 13. Nov 1991 VS Indianapolis, U.S. Hard (i) Katrina Adams Patty Fendick Gigi Fernández 6–4, 6–2Win 20. Dec 1991 São Paulo Open, Brazil Clay Inés Gorrochategui Renata Baranski Laura Glitz 6–2, 6–2Loss 14. May 1992 Internationaux de Strasbourg, France Clay Lori McNeil Patty Fendick Andrea Strnadová 6–3, 6–4Loss 15. Aug 1992 San Diego Open, U.S. Hard Conchita Martínez Jana Novotná Larisa Neiland 6–1, 6–4Loss 16. Apr 1993 Ilva Trophy, Italy Clay Petra Langrová Debbie Graham Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 6–0, 6–4Loss 17. Jul 1993 New Haven Open, U.S. Hard Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere Elizabeth Smylie Helena Suková 6–1, 6–2Win 21. Jan 1994 Auckland Open, New Zealand Hard Patricia Hy Jenny Byrne Julie Richardson 6–4, 7–6(7–3)Win 22. Apr 1995 Bol Open, Croatia Clay Rene Simpson Laura Golarsa Irina Spîrlea 7–5, 6–2Loss 18. Jul 1997 Internazionali di Palermo, Italy Clay Florencia Labat Silvia Farina Elia Barbara Schett 2–6, 6–1, 6–4

ITF Circuit finals $75,000 tournaments $50,000 tournaments $25,000 tournaments $10,000 tournaments

Singles (2–3) OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreRunner-up 1. 11 June 1984 ITF Lyon, France Clay Katerina Maleeva 6–7, 6–3, 2–6Runner-up 2. 25 February 1985 ITF São Paulo, Brazil Clay Helena Dahlström 7–5, 4–6, 4–6Winner 1. 10 March 1985 ITF Curitiba, Brazil Clay Renee Blount 6–1, 6–2Winner 2. 1 April 1985 ITF Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Mariana Pérez Roldán 6–3, 6–2Runner-up 3. 30 September 1996 ITF Newport Beach, United States Hard Elena Brioukhovets 2–6, 4–6

Doubles (9–3) Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents ScoreRunner-up 1. 29 January 1984 ITF Miami, United States Hard Ronni Reis Heather Crowe Rene Mentz 4–6, 3–6Winner 1. 11 June 1984 Lyon, France Clay Ronni Reis Isabelle Demongeot Nathalie Tauziat 1–6, 6–3, 6–3Winner 2. 15 November 1993 La Plata, Argentina Clay Laura Montalvo Cláudia Chabalgoity Larissa Schaerer 6–1, 6–4Winner 3. 14 November 1994 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Laura Montalvo Patrícia Marková Yuka Tanaka 6–4, 6–3Winner 4. 25 February 1996 Bogotá, Colombia Clay Christína Papadáki Virág Csurgó Kateřina Kroupová-Šišková 7–6, 6–2Winner 5. 30 September 1996 Newport Beach, United States Hard Rene Simpson Erika deLone Nicole Pratt 6–3, 6–1Runner-up 2. 20 October 1996 Hayward, United States Hard Annabel Ellwood Jill Hetherington Kathy Rinaldi 5–7, 2–6 Runner-up 3. 23 February 1997 Bogotá, Colombia Clay Laura Montalvo Seda Noorlander Christína Papadáki 6–7, 6–4, 5–7Winner 6. 27 July 1997 Istanbul, Turkey Hard Laura Golarsa Sylvia Plischke Marlene Weingärtner 3–6, 6–3, 6–3Winner 7. 5 October 1997 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Laura Montalvo Celeste Contín Romina Ottoboni 4–6, 6–2, 6–4Winner 8. 2 November 1997 Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil Clay Laura Montalvo Miriam D'Agostini Vanessa Menga 6–2, 6–0Winner 9. 27 September 1998 ITF Tucumán, Argentina Clay Patricia Tarabini Luciana Masante Laura Montalvo 5–7, 6–4, 7–6