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Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario turned professional in 1986 and immediately made
her mark on the tennis world by reaching the semifinal of the Spanish
Open and playing in the Federation Cup. The following year, playing in
her first Grand Slam tournament, she reached the quarterfinal of the
French Open. In 1988 she won her first senior tournament beating Reggi
6-0, 7-5 in the final at Brussels and was runner-up at Tampa (Chris
Evert beat her 7-6, 6-4). She also reached the quarterfinals at the
French Open, beating Chris Evert on the way, and the last 16 at the U.S.
Open. Sanchez-Vicario won her first Grand Slam tournament in 1989 when
she beat Steffi Graf 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 at the French Open, the youngest
woman to win the title.
In the same year she was runner-up at at the
Italian Open (beaten by Gabriela Sabatini 6-2, 5-7, 6-4) and the
Canadian (Martina Navratilova won 6-2, 6-2). She also reached the
quarterfinal stage at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and as a consequence
she was voted the WTA Most Improved Player of the year and was placed
No. 5 in the world. She produced some disappointing performances in
1990, losing to Betsy Nagelsen in the first round at Wimbledon and to
Paz in the second round at the French Open. However she won two titles -
at Barcelona beating Cueto 6-4, 6-2 and at Newport when she beat Jo
Durie 7-6, 4-6, 7-5. Her best Grand Slam performance was at the U.S.
Open when she reached the semifinal and finished the year at No. 7 in
the rankings. (KVH)
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