Jennifer Capriati, born in 1976, was a tennis prodigy who turned professional at 13, quickly rising to fame with a French Open semifinal appearance in 1990 and becoming the youngest player to rank in the top ten.
Her early career was highlighted by winning a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
However, Capriati faced personal challenges and burnout, leading to a hiatus from tennis in 1994.
She returned to the sport in 1996 and made a remarkable comeback, winning the Australian Open and French Open in 2001, and another Australian Open title in 2002.
Capriati’s career includes three Grand Slam titles and 13 WTA singles titles.
Siblings
Jennifer has one sibling, Steven Capriati, who also played tennis professionally.
Her father, Stefano, a former professional football player and stuntman, played a key role in her tennis career, acting as her main coach.
Jennifer grew up in New York and Spain before her family settled in Florida.
Career
Capriati turned professional at the young age of 13 years and 11 months, making her debut in 1990.
She quickly made a name for herself by reaching the semifinals of the French Open that same year, becoming the youngest player to reach the top ten rankings by October 1990.
Over the next few years, she won six tournaments on the WTA tour, establishing herself as a formidable competitor.
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However, Capriati faced personal challenges that led to a hiatus from tennis in 1993 after a first-round loss at the US Open.
During her 14-month absence, she dealt with burnout and legal issues, including arrests for shoplifting and marijuana possession.
She returned to tennis in 1996 and gradually regained her form, winning her first major-level singles match in five years at Wimbledon in 1998 and capturing her first title since 1993 in Strasbourg in 1999.
Capriati’s career peaked in the early 2000s when she won her first Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and French Open in 2001.
She became the lowest seed ever to win a Grand Slam title at the Australian Open by defeating Martina Hingis.
Capriati reached world No. 1 for the first time in October 2001 and successfully defended her Australian Open title in 2002.
Her career continued to be strong until injuries began to affect her performance around 2004.
In total, she won 14 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including three Grand Slam championships, before being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012.
Accolades
Capriati’s career boasts numerous accolades, including a world No. 1 ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 17 weeks. career boasts numerous accolades, including a world No. 1 ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for 17 weeks.
She secured 14 WTA Tour-level singles titles, highlighted by three Grand Slam championships at the 2001 Australian Open, 2001 French Open, and 2002 Australian Open.
In addition to her Grand Slam success, she earned an Olympic gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Recognizing her achievements, Capriati received the Laureus Award as World Sportswoman of the Year in 2002.
Her remarkable career culminated in her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012.
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