Amy Frazier
CountryUnited States
Birth dateSeptember 19, 1972 (age 54)
Birth placeSt. Louis, Missouri
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turnedpro1986
Retired2006
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney$3,460,799
Singlestitles8 WTA, 4 ITF
HighestsinglesrankingNo. 13 (February 27, 1995)
AustralianopenresultQF (1992)
Frenchopenresult3R (1995, 2001)
Wimbledonresult4R (1991, 1992, 1996, 2004)
UsopenresultQF (1995)
Doublestitles4 WTA, 5 ITF
HighestdoublesrankingNo. 24 (March 29, 1993)
Australianopendoublesresult2R (1989–90, 1993, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2006)
Frenchopendoublesresult3R (1995)
WimbledondoublesresultQF (1995)
UsopendoublesresultQF (1998)

Amy Frazier (born September 19, 1972) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won eight singles and four doubles titles on the WTA Tour. On February 27, 1995, she achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 13, while on March 29, 1993, she achieved a career-high doubles ranking of No. 24.

Biography

Junior career

As a junior, she won US national titles in every age division, and she finished with 11 top 10 rankings, during a 6-year period in the 1980s. She captured 7 US national singles titles and 5 national doubles titles, while her junior Grand Slam record was 12–6 in singles.[1]

Active career

Frazier made her first appearance in four tour qualifying events in 1986 and debuted in the main draw in 1987, including at the 1987 US Open, where she lost to Catarina Lindqvist in the first round. She was an active player until the 2006 US Open, in which she made her 20th consecutive appearance (a record among active players).[2]

She also appeared in 18 Australian Open, 18 Wimbledon, and 15 French Open tournaments for an all-time record of 71 Grand Slam appearances, until compatriot Venus Williams surpassed this record at the 2016 US Open.[3] She qualified two times for the WTA Finals, first time in 1992 and then in 2000.[4]

Her best showing is a pair of quarterfinal appearances at the 1992 Australian Open and 1995 US Open. She lost 30 times in the first round of her Grand Slam matches, 18 times in the second round, 15 times in the third round, six times in the fourth round, and both of her quarterfinal matches. Her all-time Grand Slam record is 73–71. She was also a member of the United States Fed Cup team.[5]

Frazier has 27 wins against top-10 players, spent total 265 weeks inside the top 20, 18 consecutive years in the top 100 and 17 straight seasons inside the Top 40 which is the longest ever continuous span by any male or female tennis player who hasn't reached top 10.[6][7]

Frazier has the distinction of being the last woman to play against Steffi Graf in a WTA Tour match at the 1999 TIG Tennis Classic, played at the La Costa Resort and Spa outside San Diego. During the third set, Graf retired and never played again.[8]

Frazier won eight career singles titles and was a finalist seven times. Being a flat-hitter, she excelled on hard courts and was the most successful on the summer hard-court events in California and appeared in eight finals in two different events in Japan.

Retirement

Frazier played her last professional tour match at the 2006 US Open.[9] She never officially announced her retirement.

After leaving the WTA Tour, she continued to be actively involved in tennis taking up a coaching role at the Franklin Athletic Club, Michigan (her local tennis club where she was first introduced to the sport at three years of age).

USTA National W40 Hardcourt champion (seniors' circuit)

In December 2015, Frazier won the USTA National W40 Hardcourt Championships at La Jolla, California.[10] At 43, it was her first and her last USTA National Senior tournament since leaving the pro tour.

USTA Midwest Hall of Fame induction

In February 2019, she was inducted into the USTA Midwest Hall of Fame.[11]

Personal life

Frazier is married and has a daughter.

WTA career finals

Singles: 15 (8–7)

Legend
Tier I (0/0)
Tier II (1/2)
Tier III (4/4)
Tier IV & V (2/1)
Virginia Slims (1/0)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1–0Feb 1989Kansas, WichitaHard (i)Barbara Potter4–6, 6–4, 6–0
Win2–0Feb 1990Oklahoma City, USHard (i)Manon Bollegraf6–4, 6–2
Loss2–1Sep 1990Tokyo, JapanCarpet (i)Mary Joe Fernández3–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win3–1May 1992Lucerne, SwitzerlandClayRadka Zrubáková4–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss3–2Apr 1994Tokyo, JapanHardKimiko Date7–5, 6–0
Win4–2Aug 1994Los Angeles, USHardAnn Grossman6–1, 6–3
Loss4–3Sep 1994Tokyo, JapanHard (i)Arantxa Sánchez Vicario6–1, 6–2
Win5–3Apr 1995Tokyo, JapanHardKimiko Date7–6(7–5), 7–5
Loss5–4Apr 1996Tokyo, JapanHardKimiko Date6–4, 7–5
Loss5–5Apr 1997Tokyo, JapanHardAi Sugiyama4–6, 6–4, 6–4
Win6–5Apr 1999Tokyo, JapanHardAi Sugiyama6–2, 6–2
Loss6–6Oct 2000Tokyo, JapanHardJulie Halard-Decugis5–7, 7–5, 6–4
Loss6–7Jan 2003Hobart, AustraliaHardAlicia Molik6–2, 4–6, 6–4
Win7–7Jan 2004Hobart, AustraliaHardShinobu Asagoe6–3, 6–3
Win8–7Nov 2005Quebec City, CanadaHard (i)Sofia Arvidsson6–1, 7–5

Doubles: 13 (4–9)

Legend
Tier I (0/0)
Tier II (0/5)
Tier III (1/3)
Tier IV & V (3/1)
Virginia Slims (0/0)
ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Oct 1990Puerto Rico OpenHardJulie RichardsonElena Brioukhovets
Natalia Medvedeva
6–4, 6–2
Win1.Apr 1991Japan Open ChampionshipsHardMaya KidowakiYone Kamio
Akiko Kijimuta
6–2, 6–4
Win2.Apr 1992Japan Open ChampionshipsHardRika HirakiKimiko Date
Stephanie Rehe
5–7, 7–6(7–5), 6–0
Win3.May 1992Swiss OpenClayElna ReinachKarina Habšudová
Marianne Werdel
7–5, 6–2
Loss2.Feb 1993Chicago Cup, United StatesCarpet (i)Kimberly PoKatrina Adams
Zina Garrison-Jackson
7–6(9–7), 6–3
Loss3.Sep 1994International Championships, TokyoHard (i)Rika HirakiArantxa Sánchez Vicario
Julie Halard-Decugis
6–1, 0–6, 6–1
Loss4.Apr 1996Japan Open ChampionshipsHardKimberly PoKimiko Date
Ai Sugiyama
7–6(8–6), 6–7(6–8), 6–3
Loss5.Aug 1996Los Angeles Classic,
United States
HardKimberly PoLindsay Davenport
Natasha Zvereva
6–1, 6–4
Loss6.Oct 1996Tournoi de Québec, CanadaCarpet (i)Kimberly PoDebbie Graham
Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
6–1, 6–4
Loss7.Aug 1997San Diego Open, United StatesHardKimberly PoMartina Hingis
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–3, 7–5
Loss8.Apr 1998Japan Open ChampionshipsHardKimberly PoNana Miyagi
Naoko Kijimuta
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Win4.Nov 1999Tournoi de Québec, CanadaCarpet (i)Katie SchlukebirDebbie Graham
Cara Black
6–2, 6–3
Loss9.Jul 2000Stanford Classic, United StatesHardCara BlackChanda Rubin
Sandrine Testud
6–4, 6–4

Grand Slam performance timeline

Singles

Tournament19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open1R4RQF1R3R3R1R1RA2R1R2R2R2R3R3R1R19–16
French OpenAA2RA1R3R1R2RA2R1R3R2R1R1R2R1R9–13
Wimbledon3R4R4RA1R2R4R2R1R1R3R3R1R2R4R1R3R23–16
US Open1R2R1R2R2RQF2R1R1R3R1R1R4R3R3R2R1R18–17
Win–loss2–37–38–41–23–49–44–42–40–24–42–45–45–44–47–44–42–469–62

Records against top ranked players

Frazier has had some success against top-ranked opponents. Her records against some of the top rated women are as follows:

References

  1. ^ "USTA Midwest Hall of Fame | Amy Frazier". YouTube. 14 February 2019.
  2. ^ https://vault.si.com/vault/2006/08/14/grand-dame-of-the-slams
  3. ^ https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1450018/peachy-kellmeyer-amy-frazier-among-americans-honored
  4. ^ https://www.wtatennis.com/players/60034/amy-frazier/matches?tournament=808
  5. ^ "Amy Frazier | Player Stats & More – WTA Official"
  6. ^ "Former WTA Top 20 Amy Frazier on How Tennis Tactics and Technology Have Changed over the Years [Podcast]". 14 April 2020.[dead link]
  7. ^ "Fantastic Tennis: Getting to Know….Amy Frazier on Apple Podcasts"
  8. ^ https://www.wtatennis.com/players/70044/steffi-graf/matches
  9. ^ "Amy Frazier | Player Stats & More – WTA Official"
  10. ^ "Amy Frazier Wins 40 Hard Court Singles; Debbie Spence Nasim/Tracie Currie Take Doubles Crown". 5 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Peachy Kellmeyer, Amy Frazier among Americans honored"