Player Involved: Lindsay Davenport
- Lindsay Davenport. The heavyweight Californian who won the 1998 US Open title
Lindsay Davenport was born in 1976 in Palos Verdes, CAalifornia. She turned professional in 1993, and in that season the American won her first title at the European Open in Switzerland, reached the fourth round at the US Open and defeated world No. 6 Gabriela Sabatini in Philadelphia (6-4, 6-2) to finish the season as world No. 20. heavy.”
In 1994, Davenport reached the top 10 and finished runner-up at the WTA Championships (now known as the WTA Finals), where she lost to Sabatini (6-3, 6-2, 6-4). However, in 1995 he struggled with some family issues and dropped out of the top 10. The following year, Davenport improved her fitness and won her biggest title up to that point at the Atlanta Olympics, where she beat Arantkha Sanchez in the final (7-6, 6-2). In 1997, she won six tournaments, including Indian Wells, and reached the semifinals at the US Open, but lost to Martina Hingis (6-2, 6-4).
1998 was his best season on tour. In late August, she won four titles, defeating world No. 1 Martina Hingis in the finals in Tokyo and Los Angeles. His performance at Grand Slams was outstanding as he reached the semi-finals in both events Australian Open (lost to Conchita Martinez 4-6, 6-3, 6-3) and Roland Garros (lost to Arantkha Sanchez: 6-3, 7-6). In New York, she took her career to the next level when she defeated Hingis (6-3, 7-5) in the final to win her first Grand Slam title. She was now very close to winning the 1st place from Miss Switzerland.
It finally happened in 1998. on Monday, October 12. In Filderstadt, defending champion Hingis lost to Dominic Monami (6-3, 6-7, 6-4) in the quarterfinals. Davenport, meanwhile, reached the final with a semi-final win over Sanchez (7-6, 6-4), and although she only lost to Sandrine Tessud (7-5, 6-3), it was enough to propel her to the top spot in the WTA rankings early next week.
“I never grew up thinking I could be the best or one of the most successful players in the world, and it was able to happen.” Davenport will reflect on 2020 In an interview with the ITF YouTube channel.
What next? Davenport wins two more Grand Slam singles titles
Davenport would hold the #1 spot in the world for 98 weeks. She would add two Grand Slam singles titles to her list of achievements, Wimbledon in 1999 (losing Steffi Graf in the final: 6-4, 7-5) and the Australian Open in 2000 (defeating Martina Hingis: 6-1, 7-5). She would then lose the next four major finals she reached, all against the Williams sisters; three times against Venus (h. Wimbledon in 2000 and 2005 and 2000 at the US Open, and once against Serena (at the 2005 Australian Open). Very consistent in major events, Davenport finished four seasons as world No. 1 (1998, 2001, 2004, 2005).
The American announced that she was pregnant with her first child in December 2006. He returned to the tour in July 2007 and won his 53rd singles title in Quebec City that same year. In January 2009, she announced her second pregnancy, bringing the curtain down on her single career.
After her tennis career ended, Davenport worked as a coach (most notably with Madison Keys) and as a television host for the Tennis Channel. He was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.