Argentine tennis player
Paola Suárez Country (sports) Argentina Residence Munro , ArgentinaBorn (1976-06-23 ) 23 June 1976 (age 48) Pergamino , ArgentinaHeight 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Turned pro 1 March 1991 Retired 2007, 2014 Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand) Prize money $5,217,775 Career record 371–239 Career titles 4 Highest ranking No. 9 (7 June 2004) Australian Open 4R (2001 ) French Open SF (2004 ) Wimbledon QF (2004 ) US Open QF (2003 ) Career record 513–192 Career titles 44 Highest ranking No. 1 (9 September 2002)Australian Open W (2004 )French Open W (2001 , 2002 , 2004 , 2005 )Wimbledon F (2002 , 2003 , 2006 ) US Open W (2002 , 2003 , 2004 )Tour Finals W (2003 )Australian Open F (2002 ) French Open F (2001 ) Wimbledon 3R (2000 , 2003 ) US Open 2R (2000 , 2003 , 2007 )
Paola Suárez (Spanish pronunciation: [paˈola ˈswaɾes] ; born 23 June 1976) is a retired tennis player from Argentina . She was one of the most prominent women's doubles players throughout the early and mid-2000s, winning eight Grand Slam titles, all of them with Virginia Ruano Pascual , and holding the No. 1 doubles ranking for 87 non-consecutive weeks. She was also a singles top ten player and semifinalist at the 2004 French Open .
Career
Suárez began playing professional tennis at the age of 15. In 1994, she joined the professional tour as a singles player.
Suárez won four WTA titles (2004 Canberra, 2003 Vienna, 1998 & 2001 Bogotá) and 12 other minor tournaments. In 2004, she reached her only Grand Slam singles semi-final by defeating the 18th seed and future Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova , but lost to Elena Dementieva . That year, she reached her highest WTA ranking of No. 9, to become the highest-ranked Argentine women's player since Gabriela Sabatini achieved the No. 3 ranking in 1989. Also in 2004, she won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Athens for the women's doubles with Patricia Tarabini .
She had success in singles but her best results came in doubles, winning more than half a dozen titles partnering fellow Argentine Laura Montalvo . However Suárez's more long-standing doubles partnership was with the Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual , with whom she won 32 of her 39 titles. Besides numerous WTA Tour titles, they won the French Open on four occasions, the US Open three times, and the Australian Open in 2004. Suárez and Ruano Pascual were the No. 1 female pair for three consecutive years after 9 September 2002 and were the WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2004. They also reached nine straight Grand Slam finals, two short of Navratilova and Shriver 's record of eleven.
In 2005, Suárez announced her forthcoming retirement for personal reasons. In June of that year, she underwent a labrum hip clinical intervention, with a recovery time of three to four months. She restarted playing in Sydney in January 2006 with Ruano Pascual, reaching the final, but suffered a calf injury short after. Later that year, she also reached the final of Wimbledon with Ruano Pascual, marking her third appearance in a final there.
Suárez returned to the circuit with a victory over Dinara Safina , ranked No. 15, in the San Diego singles tournament.
On 1 September 2007, Suárez retired after losing in the mixed doubles second round at the US Open . She partnered Kevin Ullyett and lost to Jamie Murray and Liezel Huber , 5–7, 4–6. She briefly returned to the WTA doubles tour in 2012 , partnering her fellow Argentinian Gisela Dulko . The pair played at the London Summer Olympics but lost in the first round.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
In her career, Suárez earned more than $5.2 million, with four singles titles on the WTA Tour , and eight doubles Grand Slam titles.
Significant finals
Grand Slam tournaments
Doubles: 14 (8–6)
Result
Year
Championship
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Loss
2000
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Martina Hingis Mary Pierce
2–6, 4–6
Win
2001
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Jelena Dokić Conchita Martínez
6–2, 6–1
Win
2002
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs
6–4, 6–2
Loss
2002
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Serena Williams Venus Williams
2–6, 5–7
Win
2002
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Elena Dementieva Janette Husárová
6–2, 6–1
Loss
2003
Australian Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Serena Williams Venus Williams
6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Loss
2003
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
7–6(7–5) , 2–6, 7–9
Loss
2003
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
4–6, 4–6
Win
2003
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Martina Navratilova
6–2, 6–3
Win
2004
Australian Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–4, 6–3
Win
2004
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–0, 6–3
Win
2004
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–4, 7–5
Win
2005
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Cara Black Liezel Huber
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss
2006
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Yan Zi Zheng Jie
3–6, 6–3, 2–6
Mixed doubles: 2 (0–2)
Olympic games
Doubles: 1 (1–0)
WTA career finals
Singles 8 (4–4)
Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0/0)
WTA Championships (0/0)
Tier I (0/0)
Tier II (0/0)
Tier III (2/2)
Tier IV & V (2/2)
Result
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Opponent
Score
Win
1.
Feb 1998
Bogotá
Clay
Sonya Jeyaseelan
6–3, 6–4
Loss
1.
May 1999
Madrid
Clay
Lindsay Davenport
6–1, 6–3
Loss
2.
Feb 2000
São Paulo
Clay
Rita Kuti-Kis
4–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss
3.
Jan 2001
Auckland
Hard
Meilen Tu
7–6(12–10) , 6–2
Win
2.
Feb 2001
Bogotá
Clay
Rita Kuti-Kis
6–2, 6–4
Loss
4.
Mar 2002
Acapulco
Clay
Katarina Srebotnik
6–7(1–7) , 6–4, 6–2
Win
3.
Jun 2003
Vienna
Clay
Karolina Šprem
7–6(7–0) , 2–6, 6–4
Win
4.
Jan 2004
Canberra
Hard
Silvia Farina Elia
3–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–5)
Doubles: 69 (44–25)
Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (8–6)
WTA Championships (1–0)
Tier I (9–9)
Tier II (5–6)
Tier III (10–2)
Tier IV & V (11–2)
Result
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Win
1.
5 May 1996
Bol
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Alexia Dechaume-Balleret Alexandra Fusai
6–7(5–7) , 6–3, 6–4
Win
2.
18 January 1998
Hobart
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Julie Halard-Decugis Janette Husárová
7–6(8–6) , 6–3
Win
3.
22 February 1998
Bogotá
Clay
Janette Husárová
Melissa Mazzotta Ekaterina Sysoeva
3–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win
4.
26 April 1998
Budapest
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Cătălina Cristea Laura Montalvo
4–6, 6–1, 6–1
Win
5.
3 May 1998
Bol
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Joannette Kruger Mirjana Lučić
w/o
Win
6.
10 May 1998
Rome
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Amanda Coetzer Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–1) , 6–4
Win
7.
12 July 1998
Maria Lankowitz
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik
6–1, 6–2
Loss
1.
21 February 1999
Bogotá
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Christína Papadáki Seda Noorlander
6–4, 7–6(7–5)
Win
8.
23 May 1999
Madrid
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
María Fernanda Landa Marlene Weingärtner
6–2, 0–6, 6–0
Win
9.
18 July 1999
Sopot
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Gala León García María Sánchez Lorenzo
6–4, 6–3
Win
10.
10 October 1999
São Paulo
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Janette Husárová Florencia Labat
6–7(1–7) , 7–5, 7–5
Win
11.
20 February 2000
Bogotá
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Rita Kuti-Kis Petra Mandula
6–4, 6–2
Win
12.
27 February 2000
São Paulo
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Janette Husárová Florencia Labat
5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Win
13.
23 April 2000
Hilton Head
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Conchita Martínez Patricia Tarabini
7–5, 6–3
Loss
2.
11 June 2000
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Martina Hingis Mary Pierce
6–2, 6–4
Win
14.
16 July 2000
Klagenfurt
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Barbara Schett Patty Schnyder
7–6(7–5) , 6–1
Win
15.
23 July 2000
Sopot
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Åsa Carlsson Rita Grande
7–5, 6–1
Loss
3.
21 August 2000
New Haven
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Julie Halard-Decugis Ai Sugiyama
6–4, 5–7, 6–2
Loss
4.
8 October 2000
Tokyo
Hard
Nana Miyagi
Julie Halard-Decugis Ai Sugiyama
6–0, 6–2
Loss
5.
19 February 2001
Bogotá
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Tathiana Garbin Janette Husárová
6–4, 2–6, 6–4
Loss
6.
4 March 2001
Acapulco
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Anabel Medina Garrigues María José Martínez Sánchez
6–4, 6–7(5–7) , 7–5
Loss
7.
11 March 2001
Indian Wells
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Nicole Arendt Ai Sugiyama
6–4, 6–4
Loss
8.
22 April 2001
Charleston
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs
5–7, 7–6(7–5) , 6–3
Loss
9.
20 May 2001
Rome
Clay
Patricia Tarabini
Cara Black Elena Likhovtseva
6–1, 6–1
Win
16.
26 May 2001
Madrid
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs
7–5, 2–6, 7–6(7–4)
Win
17.
10 June 2001
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Jelena Dokić Conchita Martínez
6–2, 6–1
Win
18.
15 July 2001
Vienna
Clay
Patricia Tarabini
Vanessa Henke Lenka Němečková
6–4, 6–2
Win
19.
24 February 2002
Bogotá
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik
6–2, 6–1
Win
20.
3 March 2002
Acapulco
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik
7–5, 6–1
Loss
10.
1 April 2002
Miami
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs
7–6(7–4) , 6–7(4–7) , 6–3
Win
21.
19 May 2002
Rome
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Conchita Martínez Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 6–4
Win
22.
9 June 2002
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lisa Raymond Rennae Stubbs
6–4, 6–2
Loss
11.
24 June 2002
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Serena Williams Venus Williams
6–2, 7–5
Win
23.
18 August 2002
Montreal
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Rika Fujiwara Ai Sugiyama
6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Win
24.
8 September 2002
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Elena Dementieva Janette Husárová
6–2, 6–1
Win
25.
14 September 2002
Bahia
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Émilie Loit Rossana de los Ríos
6–4, 6–1
Loss
12.
24 September 2002
Leipzig
Carpet
Janette Husárová
Alexandra Stevenson Serena Williams
6–3, 7–5
Loss
13.
13 October 2002
Filderstadt
Hard (i)
Meghann Shaughnessy
Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond
6–2, 6–4
Loss
14.
13 January 2003
Australian Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Serena Williams Venus Williams
4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win
26.
13 April 2003
Charleston
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Janette Husárová Conchita Martínez
6–0, 6–3
Loss
15.
20 April 2003
Amelia Island
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Lindsay Davenport Lisa Raymond
7–5, 6–2
Win
27.
11 May 2003
Berlin
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Loss
16.
8 June 2003
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
6–7(5–7) , 6–2, 9–7
Loss
17.
6 July 2003
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
6–4, 6–4
Win
28.
23 August 2003
New Haven
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Alicia Molik Magüi Serna
7–6(8–6) , 6–3
Win
29.
7 September 2003
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Martina Navratilova
6–2, 6–3
Loss
18.
19 October 2003
Zürich
Hard (i)
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
7–6(7–3) , 6–2
Win
30.
10 November 2003
Los Angeles
Hard (i)
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Kim Clijsters Ai Sugiyama
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Loss
19.
5 January 2004
Auckland
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Mervana Jugić-Salkić Jelena Kostanić Tošić
7–6(8–6) , 3–6, 6–1
Win
31.
1 February 2004
Australian Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–4, 6–3
Win
32.
21 March 2004
Indian Wells
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–1, 6–2
Win
33.
18 April 2004
Charleston
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Martina Navratilova Lisa Raymond
6–4, 6–1
Loss
20.
10 May 2004
Rome
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Nadia Petrova Meghann Shaughnessy
2–6, 6–3, 6–3
Win
34.
3 June 2004
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Elena Likhovtseva
6–0, 6–3
Loss
21.
26 July 2004
San Diego
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win
35.
11 September 2004
US Open
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Martina Navratilova
6–4, 7–5
Loss
22.
17 October 2004
Moscow
Carpet
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Anastasia Myskina Vera Zvonareva
6–3, 4–6, 6–2
Loss
23.
24 October 2004
Zürich
Hard (i)
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Cara Black Rennae Stubbs
6–4, 6–4
Win
36.
31 October 2004
Luxembourg City
Hard (i)
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Jill Craybas Marlene Weingärtner
6–1, 6–7(1–7) , 6–3
Win
37.
5 March 2005
Dubai
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Svetlana Kuznetsova Alicia Molik
6–7(7–9) , 6–2, 6–1
Win
38.
19 March 2005
Indian Wells
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Nadia Petrova Meghann Shaughnessy
7–6(7–3) , 6–1
Win
39.
4 June 2005
French Open
Clay
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Cara Black Liezel Huber
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss
24.
17 January 2006
Sydney
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Corina Morariu Rennae Stubbs
6–3, 5–7, 6–2
Loss
25.
8 July 2006
Wimbledon
Grass
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Zheng Jie Yan Zi
6–3, 3–6, 6–2
Win
40.
13 August 2006
Los Angeles
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama
6–3, 6–4
Win
41.
24 September 2006
Beijing
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Anna Chakvetadze Elena Vesnina
6–2, 6–4
Win
42.
1 October 2006
Seoul
Hard
Virginia Ruano Pascual
Chuang Chia-jung Mariana Díaz Oliva
6–2, 6–3
Win
43.
6 January 2007
Auckland
Hard
Janette Husárová
Hsieh Su-wei Shikha Uberoi
6–0, 6–2
Win
44.
25 February 2007
Bogotá
Clay
Lourdes Domínguez Lino
Flavia Pennetta Roberta Vinci
1–6, 6–3, [11–9]
ITF Circuit finals
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Singles (12–4)
Outcome
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Opponent
Score
Winner
1.
14 October 1991
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
María Luciana Reynares
2–6, 7–6, 6–1
Winner
2.
4 November 1991
Florianópolis , Brazil
Clay
Cintia Tortorella
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up
1.
24 November 1991
Novo Hamburgo , Brazil
Clay
Svetlana Komleva
2–6, 5–7
Winner
3.
27 April 1992
Lerida , Spain
Clay
Sarah Pitkowski-Malcor
4–6, 6–4, 6–1
Winner
4.
4 May 1992
Balaguer , Spain
Clay
Svetlana Krivencheva
3–6, 6–3, 6–0
Winner
5.
17 May 1992
Barcelona , Spain
Clay
Catherine Barclay
6–4, 6–1
Winner
6.
18 May 1992
Tortosa , Spain
Clay
Irina Sukhova
3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Winner
7.
21 November 1992
La Plata, Argentina
Clay
Vanessa Matthys
7–6, 6–3
Runner-up
2.
23 October 1995
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Mariana Díaz Oliva
6–2, 4–6, 3–6
Winner
8.
19 November 1995
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Miriam D'Agostini
6–2, 6–1
Runner-up
3.
17 December 1995
Tacuman, Argentina
Clay
Florencia Labat
2–6, 1–6
Winner
9.
11 October 1998
Santiago , Chile
Clay
Conchita Martínez Granados
3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Winner
10.
25 October 1998
Montevideo , Uruguay
Clay
Antonella Serra Zanetti
7–5, 6–4
Runner-up
4.
8 November 1998
Mogi das Cruzes , Brazil
Clay
Janette Husárová
2–6, 6–2, 1–6
Winner
11.
22 November 1998
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Andreea Ehritt-Vanc
4–6, 6–1, 6–4
Winner
12.
19 September 1999
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Florencia Labat
6–0, 7–5
Doubles (7–6)
Outcome
No
Date
Tournament
Surface
Partner
Opponents in the final
Score
Runner-up
1.
27 October 1991
Asuncion , Paraguay
Clay
Pamela Zingman
Karolina Bulat Katarzyna Malec
5–7, 4–6
Runner-up
2.
24 November 1991
Novo Hamburgo , Brazil
Clay
Pamela Zingman
Maria Marfina Svetlana Komleva
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up
3.
4 May 1992
Balaguer , Spain
Clay
Pamela Zingman
Svetlana Krivencheva Irina Sukhova
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Winner
1.
11 May 1992
Barcelona , Spain
Hard
Pamela Zingman
Rosa Bielsa Gala León García
6–4, 6–2
Winner
2.
11 October 1993
Santiago , Chile
Clay
Pamela Zingman
Bárbara Castro María Dolores Campana
6–1, 3–6, 6–0
Winner
3.
23 October 1995
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Cintia Tortorella
Mariana Lopez Palacios Mariana Díaz Oliva
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up
4.
13 November 1995
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Florencia Cianfagna
Katalin Marosi Miriam D'Agostini
7–6(4) , 0–6, 3–6
Winner
4.
17 December 1995
Tucumán , Argentina
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Larissa Schaerer Veronica Stele
6–2, 7–6(4)
Winner
5.
11 February 1996
Mar del Plata , Argentina
Hard
Laura Montalvo
Marion Maruska Noëlle van Lottum
6–3, 6–1
Runner-up
5.
12 October 1997
Sedona , United States
Hard
Liezel Huber
Cătălina Cristea Corina Morariu
5–7, 2–6
Winner
6.
5 October 1998
Santiago , Chile
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Miriam D'Agostini Katalin Marosi
6–1, 6–2
Winner
7.
19 October 1998
Montevideo , Uruguay
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Eva Bes María Fernanda Landa
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up
6.
13 September 1999
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Clay
Laura Montalvo
Paula Racedo Aliénor Tricerri
w/o
Key
W
F
SF
QF
#R
RR
Q#
P#
DNQ
A
Z#
PO
G
S
B
NMS
NTI
P
NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (P#) preliminary round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (Z#) Davis/Fed Cup Zonal Group (with number indication) or (PO) play-off; (G) gold, (S) silver or (B) bronze Olympic/Paralympic medal; (NMS) not a Masters tournament; (NTI) not a Tier I tournament; (P) postponed; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Singles
Doubles
Record against top-10 players
Suárez's match record against players who have been ranked in the top 10, with those who have been ranked No. 1 in boldface
References
External links
Paola Suárez Achievements
WTA rankings incepted on September 4, 1984
(year first held/year last held – number of weeks (w))
current No. 1 in bold, as of week of July 15, 2024[update]