Bethanie Mattek-Sands
 Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the 2009 US Open. |
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| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
| Born | March 23, 1985 Rochester, Minnesota, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg) |
| Turned pro | 1999 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Career prize money | $2,239,248 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 248–195 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA (5 ITF) |
| Highest ranking | No. 30 (July 11, 2011) |
| Current ranking | No. 77 (February 27, 2012) |
| Grand Slam results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (2011, 2012) |
| French Open | 3R (2011) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2008) |
| US Open | 2R (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 219–131 |
| Career titles | 9 WTA (3 ITF) |
| Highest ranking | No. 11 (April 4, 2011) |
| Current ranking | No. 24 (February 27, 2012) |
| Mixed Doubles | |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2012) |
| Last updated on: January 16, 2012. | |
Bethanie Lynn Mattek-Sands (born March 23, 1985, in Rochester, Minnesota) is an American professional tennis player who competes on the WTA Tour. She lives in Miami, Florida, but trains in Phoenix, Arizona. Mattek has won five singles and three doubles titles on the ITF Circuit, and her best results on the WTA Tour to date are reaching the semifinals of the tournaments in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2005 and Birmingham, United Kingdom, in 2008 and the finals of the Bell Challenge in 2008 and 2010. In doubles, she has won nine WTA Tour titles. Mattek also plays for the New York Sportimes for World Team Tennis. As of February 27, 2012, Mattek-Sands is ranked World No. 77.
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[edit] Tennis career
In 1999, Mattek played her first WTA Tour event in Philadelphia where she received a wildcard into the qualifying. She fell in the first round of qualifying to Nana Miyagi 6–3, 6–2. It was the only tour match of the year for Mattek. Then in 2000, Mattek received a wildcard into qualifying at the Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida but fell in the first round to Anca Barna 6–1, 6–2. Later in the year, Mattek played in her first Grand Slam event at the US Open. She was given a wildcard into the qualification rounds, and fell in the first round to 28th-seeded Gisela Riera 5–7, 6–2, 6–2.
In 2001, Mattek again received a wildcard into the qualifying at the Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. She won her first match against 12th-seeded Catalina Castaño 6–4, 7–6(3) but fell in the next round to 14th-seeded Sandra Cacic 7–5, 6–4. Mattek received direct entry into the ITF event Boynton Beach due to a wildcard. She defeated top-seeded Elena Likhovtseva 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 in the first round and Jennifer Hopkins 6–2, 6–0 in the second round. She lost in the quarterfinals against Asa Carlsson 6–1, 6–1. With these successes, she rose to World No. 343 in the rankings. Mattek received direct entry to the tournament in Amelia Island, Florida thanks to a wildcard. She lost first round to lucky loser Jill Craybas 4–6, 6–1, 6–3. Mattek played another ITF event Bronx as a wildcard and lost first round to Sylvia Plischke 6–1, 6–4. Mattek played her first main draw as a wildcard at a Grand Slam tournament at the US Open and lost to Australia's Alicia Molik 4–6, 6–2, 6–4. Mattek ended the year ranked World No. 338.
Mattek reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 38 on November 3, 2008 and career-high ranking of World No. 24 in doubles. At Grand Slam tournaments, she has reached the second round of the 2008 French Open, extending World No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who had beaten her on their only meeting till that day 6–0, 6–0 on green clay, to three sets, and the second round of the 2007 US Open; her best result was at Wimbledon in 2008 where she reached the fourth round, claiming her first top 10 win over 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli. She reached the last sixteen, losing to Serena Williams 6–3, 6–3.
At the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles, Mattek defeated Abigail Spears in the first round 6–2, 6–4 and 11th-seeded Nicole Vaidišová in the second round 6–4, 6–0. In both victories over Vaidišová this year, Mattek managed to take a love set. She went on to defeat Olga Govortsova 7–5, 6–2 in the third round and Meng Yuan in the quarterfinals 6–2, 7–5 having recovered from a 2–5 deficit in the second set. In the semifinals, Mattek was defeated by tenth-seeded Flavia Pennetta 3–6, 6–2, 7–5. Mattek reached her first ever WTA tour final in November 2008 at the Bell Challenge in Canada losing to the top seed Nadia Petrova 4–6, 6–4, 6–1.
She pulled out of the Australian Open in January 2009 with a hip injury. She made her season debut at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA reaching the second round, defeating Tathiana Garbin in the first, before losing to Gisela Dulko. She also entered the doubles event with Mashona Washington, where she reached the third round. At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, she lost in the first round to the 18th seed from Australia, Samantha Stosur.
[edit] 2011
In January 2011, Mattek-Sands got the biggest win of her career off of World No. 7 Francesca Schiavone. Mattek-Sands teamed with John Isner for the USA, and they reached the Hopman Cup Teams Event Final – Belgium V USA, which they won 6–1, 6–3 (Belgium: Justine Henin and Ruben Bemelmans).
Bethanie's good form continued into the 2011 Moorilla Hobart International where she reached the semi-finals without dropping a set defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ayumi Morita, Angelique Kerber. In the semifinals Bethanie lost the opening set Peng Shuai but made a strong recovery winning 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 to reach her third career WTA singles final. She lost to Jarmila Groth in the final in straight sets.
At the Australian Open, Mattek-Sands lost to qualifier Arantxa Rus in the first round. She reached the quarterfinals of the women's doubles with partner Meghann Shaughnessy and made the semifinals of mixed doubles. Her next scheduled event was a Fed Cup tie vs. Belgium in Antwerp, Belgium. She faced Yanina Wickmayer in the opening match, losing 1–6, 6–7(6). Next, she lost to Kim Clijsters in three sets, 7–6(10), 2–6, 1–6.
At the indoor tournament in Paris started off with a strong start defeating Carla Suarez Navarro 6–0, 6–3. In her second round match, she took on Stephanie Cohen-Aloro who was playing in her final WTA tournament. Bethanie won in 2 competitive sets, 7–5, 6–3. In her quarterfinal match, the American would take on Andrea Petkovic who had defeated her in a tough 3 set loss in the second round of the US Open in the fall. Bethanie played a dazzling show of gutsy points and the German gave her all but eventually was outplayed and suffered a 7–6(4), 2–6, 6–3 loss. Mattek-Sands would advance to her second semifinal in her third WTA event of the season. In the semifinal, she lost to eventual champion, Petra Kvitová. Bethanie and partner, Shaughnessy made the finals of the doubles event without dropping a set and defeated the team of Dushevina/Makarova 6–4, 6–2 to win their first doubles title as a team. It would be Bethanie's 9th career WTA doubles title.
After her success in Paris, Bethanie rushed off to Dubai where she suffered an opening round loss to Peng Shuai in 3 sets. From Dubai, it was off to the 2011 Indian Wells Masters for Beth. In her opening round match, she defeated Vera Dushevina in straight sets, 6–4, 6–4. In her second round match, she lost in a three set thriller to 10th seeded, Shahar Peer after winning the opening set. Pairing with Meghann Shaughnessy, the American duo made it to the doubles finals of the 2011 Indian Wells Masters, by defeating Alisa Kleybanova and Yan Zi (round 1), Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears (round 2), Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova (quarterfinals), and Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko (semifinals), but lost to Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina in the finals. In Miami, Bethanie defeated Sofia Arvidsson 6–1, 6–4 in her opening singles match. She then lost to world number one, Caroline Wozniacki in the second round in straight sets.
After Miami, Beth was off to Charleston where she made an impressive transition to the green clay by defeating fellow American and former Wimbledon semifinalist, Alexandra Stevenson 6–2, 6–1 in the opening round. She then lost to Russia's Elena Vesnina in the second round in 6–4, 7–6(6) after squandering leads in both sets. Mattek-Sands/Shaughnessy made the finals of Charleston in doubles but were once again defeated by the team of Vesnina/Mirza. Bethanie entered a small clay event in Estoril where she was the 5th-seeded player in singles, she suffered a stringing 3 set first round upset to Monica Niculescu. It was at that point, Bethanie sat down a formed a strong strategy for her game so she could come back even stronger in her next event.
At the 2011 Mutua Madrid Open, Mattek-Sands caused an upset in the first round when she defeated former French Open champion Ana Ivanović after coming back from a set at love, 0–6, 6–4, 6–4. Bethanie posted an impressive second round win over fellow American Vania King winning 6–0, 6–2. In the third round, she defeated another French Open champion, Francesca Schiavone, to make the quarterfinals and it was also Bethanie's second career top 10 victory. She was defeated by Li Na in the quarterfinals, 3–6, 6–3, 4–6 after squandering a 4–2 lead in the third set.
Bethanie faced Italy's own Flavia Pennetta in her opening round match in Rome. In the final match of the day, the fighting fashionista took to the courts against Pennetta in a match before a group of loud and boisterous fans cheering on for their countrywoman. In a hard fought, dramatic match filled with momentum shifts, emotional outbursts from players and fans, the American stunned the home crowd hero a three-set thriller; 6–4, 4–6, 6–3. Mattek-Sands lost to Jarmila Gajdosova in the second round 2–6, 4–6.
Mattek-Sands played in the French Open and faced Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja in the opening round where she scored a 3 set victory; 2–6, 7–6(5), 6–3. Bethanie kept her outfit simple wearing a slanted cut black skirt, with matching black knee socks and black wrist bands. She also dawned a fashionable yet casual pink top, all clothes by Under Armour. She also dawned her now, infamous warrior paint which consists of one thick black line under each eye with her signature B in the middle. In her second round match she took on fellow American, Varvara Lepchenko who she defeated once again in 3 sets; 6–3, 2–6, 6–3. She reached the third round and faced fellow fashionista and good friend, Jelena Janković, whom she promptly lost to, 2–6, 2–6. Mattek-Sands dazzled the crowd in an all black ensemble, black socks, shoes, wrist bands and her signature slant cut skirt but also wore a one strapped, jeweled top which resembled a warrior Queen. However, due to cold conditions, Mattek-Sands put on a long sleeve, white top with a gray design on it.
In Wimbledon 2011, Mattek-Sands (then ranked 30th)[1] faced her first round match against then ranked 133rd[2] Misaki Doi from Japan, and lost 6–4 5–7 7–5. One notable moment in the match occurred at the end, when Mattek-Sands ranted at a line call made against her, and then refused to shake the umpire's hand.[3]
Bethanie had to withdraw completely from her heavily scheduled USO Series events due to a shoulder injury. She made one last heroic effort to make a return at the US Open where she lost to Polona Hercog in the open round 1–6, 3–6. The most notable part of the match was Bethanie keeping true to her fashionista persona and wore a lovely one long sleeved top, a navy blue skirt and American flag socks. In the Women's Doubles competition, she partnered up with a new partner due to the retirement of Meghann Shaughnessy. She played with Australia's Jarmila Gajdošová and they reached the third round before they lost to the team of Huber/Raymond. After the U.S Open, Mattek-Sands ended her season and is committed to continuing her rehabilitation on her shoulder and getting in shape to return at the 2012 Hopman Cup where she will attempt to defend her title with Mardy Fish.
[edit] 2012
Bethanie started her year representing the USA in the 2012 Hopman Cup with Mardy Fish. Mattek-Sands came up short in her singles matches vs Wimbledon Champ, Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Denmark's World #1 Caroline Wozniacki but managed to get a 6–4, 6–4 win over Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in the third tie. After an early exit from Hopman Cup, Beth looked forward to playing in singles at the Moorilla Hobart International where she is the defending finalist and playing doubles with parter, Jarmila Gajdošová. Once again, Bethanie did not disappoint the Perth crowds with fabulous and fierce outfits and multi-colored hair. Solidifying her status as the WTA's very own, Lady Gaga.
In her opening round match in Hobart, Bethanie defeated Aussie Wildcard, Ashleigh Barty 6–2, 6–2. However, in the second round she had a three-set loss to Sorana Cirstea 6–2, 3–6, 5–7. Bethanie/Jarmila reached the semi-finals of women's doubles before she had to retire 1–3 due to a neck injury.
At the 2012 Australian Open Bethanie had a tough draw of a top 8 seed in the form of Agnieszka Radwańska. After a spectacular display of tennis from both players, Mattek-Sands came up lost in 3 sets, unable to emulate her first set form, 7–6, 4–6, 2–6. In the doubles competition, she reached the third round with Jarmila Gajdošová before losing to the Indian/Russian pairing of Sania Mirza & Elena Vesnina. In the mixed doubles competition, Bethanie and Romanian partner, Horia Tecau, finally had their breakthrough moment defeating title favorites, Bhuphati/Mirza in the semi-finals, 6–3, 6–3 to reach their first mixed doubles grand slam final together. They then went on to win the title by defeating the team of Elena Vesnina and Leander Paes in the finals 6–3, 5–7, [10–3]. She is next scheduled to play qualies for the indoors tournament in Paris.
Mattek-Sands is the second seed in the qualifying draw at the Pairs Indoors Open GDF Suez tournament. In her opening round match she drew Veronika Kapshay of the Ukraine. Bethanie defeated Kapshay in straight sets; 6–3, 7–6. She won her second round qualifying match vs Naomi Broady of Great Britain in 3 sets; 6–3, 3–6, 6–1. Bethanie displayed her immense fighting skills once again when she earned a tough three set win over fellow American, Jill Craybas in the final qualifying round 6–1, 6–7, 6–4 to earn herself a spot in the main draw. She faced another qualifier, Kristina Barrois in her first round match which she won 7–6, 6–3. In her second round match, Bethanie faced seventh seeded, Roberta Vinci of Italy. Mattek-Sands was able to come back from being a set down but suffered an on court injury in the third set and even though she fought tried to fight through the pain, the injury caused lack of mobility which is one of her strong points and cost her the match; 3–6, 6–1, 3–6.
Bethanie has withdrawn from the Qatar Ladies Open and will plan to make her return at the 2012 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, Tennessee.
[edit] Fashion
Mattek has achieved extensive publicity as a result of her eccentric fashion sense on the court, and has led to her being dubbed in the press as the 'Lady Gaga of the tennis world'.[4] Notable outfits include leopard print outfits at the 2004 US Open and 2007 US Open, a striped cowboy hat that garnered her a fine at the 2005 US Open, a "soccer theme" at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships that included £10 football socks, chandelier earrings, a tube top worn over a strappy vest top, tiny running shorts and a headband,[5] pink knee-high socks at the 2006 JPMorgan Chase Open,[6] and a loosely draped beige top, with a crocheted waist and split sleeves that resembled a toga and beige knee-high socks at the 2006 US Open.[7][8] During the 2011 Pre-Wimbledon party in London, Mattek-Sands wore a fluorescent green dress, by designer Alex Noble, that featured tennis balls as components and a Mohican-style hat.[9]
[edit] Personal life
On November 29, 2008 she married insurance executive Justin Sands in Naples, Florida; since then she has used the name Bethanie Mattek-Sands professionally.[10] She currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and her 140 pound boerboel mastiff named Ruger.
[edit] Major finals
[edit] Grand Slam finals
[edit] Mixed Doubles: 1 (1–0)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2012 | Australian Open | Hard |  Horia Tecău |
 Elena Vesnina Leander Paes |
6–3, 5–7, [10–3] |
[edit] WTA Tour Finals
[edit] Singles 3 (0–3)
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| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 2 November 2008 |  Quebec City, Canada |
Carpet (i) | Nadia Petrova |
4–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 19 September 2010 | Quebec City, Canada |
Carpet (i) |  Tamira Paszek |
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 15 January 2011 |  Hobart, Australia |
Hard | Jarmila Gajdošová |
6–4, 6–3 |
[edit] Doubles 18 (9–9)
[edit] Singles performance timeline
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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