Amanda Coetzer Biography

Tennis Player

Amanda Coetzer is South Africa's best-known female tennis player. Coetzer turned pro in 1988 and began a steady if unspectacular career: her highest world ranking was #3 late in the 1997 season. By the end of 2000 she had won seven singles and seven doubles tournament titles; her best showing in Grand Slam tournaments came in reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open (1996 and '97) and the French Open (1997). She is sometimes called a "giant-killer" thanks to her height (5'2") and her habit of beating higher-ranked players, including multiple victories over Steffi Graf in the 1990s. As with Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis, Coetzer's blonde good looks have made her a favorite with Internet fans.

Extra credit: Coetzer played for South Africa in the Olympics in 1992, 1996 and 2000.