Gabriela Sabatini is a former tennis pro. She is the first Argentine woman to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006, and the second Argentine player to be on the Famers roster. She has a career-high singles ranking of World Number 3, which she reached in February 1989.
She was considered one of the top players in the 1980s and 1990s alongside Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
Player Profile
Gabriela Beatriz Sabatini was born on May 16, 1970 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She currently splits her time between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Boca Raton, Florida in the United States.
She stands 175 cm tall and she is right-handed with a two-handed backhand. Her professional career ran from 1985 to 1996. In that time, she earned a total of US$8,785,850 in prize money.
Early Career and Professional Career
Like most tennis greats, Gabriela Sabatini started playing tennis at a very young age: 6 years old.
She subsequently won her first trophy when she was only 8 years old. At age 13 in 1983, she won the Orange Bowl title in Miami, Florida. She was the youngest player in history to win the title.
Her junior career includes six major international junior titles, including the French Open girls’ singles. In 1984, she deservedly earned the World No. 1 spot as a junior player; she was just 14 years old then.
When she reached age 15, she reached the French Open semifinals, the youngest player to ever do so. She faced and lost to Chris Evert. Later that year, however, she won her singles title in Tokyo, Japan.
Finally, when she was 18, she faced Germany’s star athlete Steffi Graf in her first Grand Slam singles final. She lost the match, 6–3, 3–6, 6–1, and later the same year the two squared off in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, with Graf winning the gold and Sabatini trailing close behind with the silver.
The enmity between them was limited to the courts however, as they teamed up to win the Wimbledon women’s doubles title with her erstwhile opponent.
As 1988 ended Sabatini earned the championship title of the WTA Tour. In 1990, she won the US Open women’s singles title. She won the WTA Tour finals title again in 1994.
She retired in 1996 after having missed several months of play because of a pulled stomach muscle. In 2000, she was named the Sportsperson of the Decade in Argentina. Sabatini was later inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.
Career Record
Singles
- Career Record: 632–189 (77.0%)
Career Titles: 27
- Highest Singles Ranking: No.3 (February 27, 1989)
Best Grand Slam Singles Performances
- Australian Open - SF (1989, 1992, 1993, 1994)
- French Open - SF (1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992)
- Wimbledon - F (1991)
- US Open - W (1990)
Other Tournaments
- Tour Finals - W (1988, 1994)
Doubles
- Career Record: 252–96
Career Titles: 14
- Highest Doubles Ranking: No.3 (November 6, 1988)
Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances
- Australian Open - SF (1989)
- French Open - F (1986, 1987, 1989)
- Wimbledon - W (1988)
- US Open - SF (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1996)
Medal Record
- 1988 - Silver, Seoul Olympics, Women’s Singles Tennis, Representing Argentina
People Ask
What is Gabriela Sabatini’s nationality?
She is Argentinian. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and she represented Argentina during her professional tennis career.
When did Gabriela Sabatini retire?
She retired from playing tennis professionally in 1996.
How much prize money did Gabriela Sabatini earn during her career?
She earned a total of $8,785,850 during her professional tennis career.
