Gabriela Sabatini

Argentina’s Gabriela Sabatini played tennis professionally from 1985 to 1996, reaching the rank of world #3 in both the singles and doubles. Sabatini won two Grand Slam titles, a silver medal at the Olympics, and earned more than $8.7 million in prize money during her career.

Sabatini won 27 WTA singles titles during her career with her first victory coming at the 1985 Japan Open when she beat Linda Gates in straight sets. Her first WTA doubles title came in the same year in São Paulo when she partnered with Mercedes Paz. Sabatini won a total of 14 WTA doubles titles during her career, forming successful partnerships with Paz, Steffi Graf, and Brenda Schultz.

In 1985 Sabatini became one of the youngest players of all-time to reach the semi-finals at the French Open, doing so just a few weeks after her 15th birthday. Unfortunately she lost in straight sets to the eventual champion Chris Evert. Three years later Sabatini won her first Grand Slam title when she partnered with Steffi Graf in the doubles at Wimbledon. At the 1990 US Open Sabatini won her one and only Grand Slam singles title, beating Graf in straight sets. Sabatini was also a finalist at the 1988 US Open and at Wimbledon in 1991, losing both times to Graf. The Sabatini-Graf partnership also finished as runners-up at the French Open in 1986, 1987, and 1989.

Sabatini competed in the singles and doubles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. At the Seoul Games she won silver in the singles, with Graf winning the gold medal. Sabatini was also the flagbearer for Argentina at the Opening Ceremony.