Gigi Fernandez Named USF Women's Tennis Coach

Gigi Fernandez

Gigi Fernandez, half of the number one ranked doubles team in the world from 1991 until her retirement from women's professional tennis in 1997, has been named head coach of the women's tennis team at the University of South
Florida.

TAMPA - Gigi Fernandez, half of the number one ranked doubles team in the world from 1991 until her retirement from women's professional tennis in 1997, has been named head coach of the women's tennis team at the University of South
Florida. Fernandez, who won 17 Grand Slam doubles championships and two Olympic Gold Medals replaces Sherry Bedingfield, who retired this summer after 23 seasons as head coach.

"We feel like we've won a Grand Slam event ourselves in attracting Gigi Fernandez to take over our women's tennis program," says USF director of athletics Lee Roy Selmon. "Gigi's passion for tennis and her desire to teach
the game in a college setting are tremendous assets that she brings to our program."

Fernandez adds, "I'm really excited to have this opportunity. I have been coaching the Puerto Rico Federation Cup Team, which is the same age group as college students and I really enjoy working with young adults.

"My goal is to turn the program into a national contender with a full recruiting cycle. To achieve that, I will need the involvement of the tennis community in Tampa Bay and I look forward to being very active in that partnership. I'm very excited about this new chapter in my life."

Fernandez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and began playing tennis as an eight-year-old. In 1983, she turned professional, becoming Puerto Rico's first-ever female professional athlete. She was later named Puerto Rico's Female Athlete of the Century.

Recognized primarily as a doubles specialist during her professional career, Fernandez won five U.S. Open championships, four Wimbledon titles, six French Open titles and two Australian Open championships, all in doubles competition. Fernandez won 14 of her 17 Grand Slam championships with Natasha Zvereva, ranking as the second highest total by any doubles team in
women's tennis history.

Fernandez also enjoyed success as a singles player, having reached the semifinals at Wimbledon (1994) and the quarterfinals twice at the U.S. Open. She ranked as high as 17th in the world in singles and was among the top 30
players throughout the majority of her career.

Since her retirement, Fernandez has remained every bit as active in tennis, coaching the Puerto Rican National Team since 1999 and also working as coach to Rennae Stubbs, who has ranked as high as number one in the world doubles rankings, and presently ranks second. Since beginning with Fernandez as coach, Stubbs has won five Grand Slam doubles titles.

Fernandez also continues to manage the Gigi Fernandez Charitable Foundation, which has contributed more than $500,000 to various Hispanic and Puerto Rican organizations.

Fernandez played one season at Clemson University in 1982-83, where she reached the NCAA singles final prior to turning professional. In August 2001, she enrolled at USF to pursue completion of a bachelor's degree. In her first year at USF, Fernandez took 39 credit hours and compiled a 3.8 grade point average.

"Our women's tennis program has long been noted for its outstanding achievement in academics," says Selmon. "Gigi Fernandez is committed to that
principle, as evidenced by her aggressive approach to seeking her degree. Coach Fernandez will serve as an outstanding role model for our
student-athletes both as a student and as a highly successful player."