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One of the top doubles players in tennis to coach women's team.
By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 10, 2002
TAMPA -- Gigi Fernandez, one of the greatest women's doubles players in history, will be announced today as South Florida's new women's tennis coach.
Fernandez, 38, won 17 Grand Slam doubles titles and was ranked No.1 in doubles eight times between 1991 and 1995. She retired after the 1997 season at age 33 but still was in her prime. That season she won two Grand Slam doubles titles with Natasha Zvereva, and they lost in the final of the U.S. Open, thwarting their bid for a third straight title.
A native of Puerto Rico who represented the United States in Federation Cup competition, Fernandez captured 14 of her Grand Slams with Zvereva. They won 38 doubles titles and six consecutive Grand Slams from the 1992 French Open through Wimbledon in 1993. It is the second-longest streak behind Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver (eight).
Fernandez, who also won an Olympic gold medal with partner Mary Joe Fernandez in 1996, retired after the 1997 season, saying, "I'm going to have fun. ... I want to work with kids. I'm going to make myself available to different organizations, different clubs, to go play with juniors, talk to them about their aspirations."
Fernandez replaces Sherry Bedingfield, who retired after 23 years. Bedingfield, who played at USF, accumulated 346 wins and 10 conference championships.