Manuela Maleeva

Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere
Мануела Малеева
Country  Bulgaria (1967–89)
  Switzerland (1990–94)
Residence La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
Born 14 February 1967
Sofia, Bulgaria
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Turned pro 1982
Retired February 1994
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money $3,244,557
Singles
Career record 475–187
Career titles 19 WTA, 0 ITF
Highest ranking No. 3 (4 February 1985)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open QF (1985, 1992, 1994)
French Open QF (1985, 1987, 1989, 1990)
Wimbledon QF (1984)
US Open SF (1992, 1993)
Olympic Games Bronze Medal (1988)
Doubles
Career record 129–131
Career titles 4 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest ranking No. 11 (2 August 1993)
Mixed Doubles
Career titles 1
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
US Open W (1984)
Team competitions
Fed Cup  Bulgaria
SF (1985, 1987)
  Switzerland
QF (1991)
Hopman Cup   Switzerland
W (1992)
Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Bulgaria
Women's Tennis
Bronze 1988 Seoul Women's Singles

Manuela Georgieva Maleeva-Fragniere (Bulgarian: Мануела Георгиева Малеева) (born 14 February 1967) is a Bulgarian former professional tennis player. She played on the Women's Tennis Association tour between 1982 and 1994. Through her marriage Maleeva began representing Switzerland officially from January 1990 until her retirement in February 1994.

Biography

Maleeva was born in Sofia, the oldest of the three children of Yuliya Berberyan and Georgi Maleev. Her mother, who came from an Armenian family, was the best Bulgarian tennis player in the 1960s. After she retired from professional tennis in the 1970s, Berberyan started a coaching career. She coached all three of her daughters, Manuela, Katerina, and Magdalena, each of whom became WTA top ten players.

In 1982, Maleeva won the junior French Open. Later that year, she made her debut on the senior tour and ended the year ranked in the top 200.

In 1984, Maleeva won five tournaments and recorded wins over Chris Evert, Hana Mandlíková, Helena Suková, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Wendy Turnbull, Kathy Jordan, and Zina Garrison Jackson. After winning the tournament in Indianapolis, Maleeva rose to World No. 3 in the rankings. Once in the top ten, she did not leave it until 1992. Also in 1984, Maleeva won her only Grand Slam title – in mixed doubles at the US Open with American Tom Gullikson.

In 1988, Maleeva won a bronze medal in singles at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

In 1992 and 1993, Maleeva registered her all-time best achievement in Grand Slam singles competition when she reached the semifinals of the US Open both years (in 1992 after beating her sister, Magdalena, in the quarterfinals).

In 1994, Maleeva retired from professional tennis.

During her 12-year career, Maleeva won 19 WTA Tour singles titles, four doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. She teamed with Jakob Hlasek to help Switzerland win the Hopman Cup in 1992 and, while playing for Bulgaria, twice reached the semifinals of Fed Cup (1985 and 1987).

Maleeva has been married since 1987 to retired Swiss tennis player François Fragniere. They live near Lausanne and have two girls and a boy.

Major finals

Grand Slam finals

Mixed Doubles: 1 (1 title, 0 runner-ups)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
Winner 1984 US Open Hard United States Tom Gullikson Australia Elizabeth Smylie
Australia John Fitzgerald
2–6, 7–5, 6–4

Olympics

Singles: 1 medal (1 bronze medal)

Outcome Year Location Surface Opponent Score
Bronze 1988Seoul Hard Tied DNP

Maleeva lost in the semi-finals to Gabriela Sabatini 6–1, 6–2. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semi-final players received bronze medals.

WTA Career Finals

Singles: 37 (19–18)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Tier I (1–1)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (3–4)
Tier IV (3–2)
Tier V (4–0)
Virginia Slims (8–11)
Titles by Surface
Hard (4–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (6–6)
Carpet (9–9)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 1. 30 January 1984 United States Houston, USA Carpet (I) Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 4–6, 2–6
Winner 1. 7 May 1984 Switzerland Lugano, Switzerland Clay Czechoslovakia Iva Budařová 6–1, 6–1
Winner 2. 21 May 1984 Italy Perugia, Italy Clay United States Chris Evert 6–3, 6–3
Winner 3. 6 August 1984 United States Indianapolis, USA Clay United States Lisa Bonder 6–4, 6–3
Winner 4. 12 November 1984 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 6–1, 1–6, 6–4
Winner 5. 10 December 1984 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 2. 7 January 1985 United States Washington, USA Carpet (I) United States Martina Navratilova 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 3. 20 May 1985 Switzerland Lugano, Switzerland Clay United States Bonnie Gadusek 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 4. 21 October 1985 United Kingdom Brighton, UK Carpet (I) United States Chris Evert 5–7, 3–6
Runner-up 5. 11 November 1985 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) United States Chris Evert 5–7, 0–6
Winner 6. 9 December 1985 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) United States Bonnie Gadusek 7–6(7–2), 3–6, 7–5
Runner-up 6. 19 May 1986 Switzerland Lugano, Switzerland Clay Italy Raffaella Reggi 7–5, 3–6, 6–7(6–8)
Runner-up 7. 9 June 1986 United Kingdom Birmingham, UK Grass United States Pam Shriver 2–6, 6–7(0–7)
Runner-up 8. 8 September 1986 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) West Germany Steffi Graf 4–6, 2–6
Winner 7. 30 March 1987 United States Wild Dunes, USA Clay Italy Raffaella Reggi 5–7, 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up 9. 6 April 1987 United States Hilton Head Island, USA Clay West Germany Steffi Graf 2–6, 6–4, 3–6
Runner-up 10. 18 May 1987 Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland Clay United States Chris Evert 3–6, 6–4, 2–6
Winner 8. 24 August 1987 United States Mahwah, USA Hard West Germany Sylvia Hanika 1–6, 6–4, 6–1
Runner-up 11. 14 September 1987 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) Argentina Gabriela Sabatini 4–6, 6–7(6–8)
Winner 9. 29 February 1988 United States Wichita, USA Hard (I) West Germany Sylvia Hanika 7–6(7–5), 7–5
Winner 10. 12 September 1988 United States Phoenix, USA Hard South Africa Dinky Van Rensburg 6–3, 4–6, 6–2
Runner-up 12. 17 October 1988 Switzerland Zürich, Switzerland Carpet (I) United States Pam Shriver 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 13. 24 October 1988 United Kingdom Brighton, UK Carpet (I) West Germany Steffi Graf 2–6, 0–6
Winner 11. 12 March 1989 United States Indian Wells, USA Hard Australia Jenny Byrne 6–4, 6–1
Winner 12. 22 May 1989 Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland Clay Spain Conchita Martínez 6–4, 6–0
Runner-up 14. 12 February 1990 United States Chicago, USA Carpet (I) United States Martina Navratilova 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 15. 27 March 1990 United States San Antonio, USA Hard Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Monica Seles 4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 16. 6 August 1990 United States San Diego, USA Hard West Germany Steffi Graf 3–6, 2–6
Winner 13. 11 February 1991 Austria Linz, Austria Carpet (I) Czechoslovakia Petra Langrová 6–4, 7–6(7–1)
Runner-up 17. 22 April 1991 Spain Barcelona, Spain Clay Spain Conchita Martínez 4–6, 1–6
Winner 14. 20 May 1991 Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland Clay Canada Helen Kelesi 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Winner 15. 23 September 1991 France Bayonne, France Carpet (I) Georgia (country) Leila Meskhi 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 18. 6 July 1992 Austria Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Spain Conchita Martínez 0–6, 6–3, 2–6
Winner 16. 28 September 1992 France Bayonne, France Carpet (I) France Nathalie Tauziat 6–7(4–7), 6–2, 6–3
Winner 17. 22 February 1993 Austria Linz, Austria Carpet (I) Spain Conchita Martínez 6–2, 1–0, Ret.
Winner 18. 4 October 1993 Switzerland Zürich, Switzerland Carpet (I) United States Martina Navratilova 6–3, 7–6(7–1)
Winner 19. 8 February 1994 Japan Osaka, Japan Carpet (I) Croatia Iva Majoli 6–1, 4–6, 7–5

Doubles: 11 (4–7)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (1–2)
Tier III (0–1)
Tier IV (0–1)
Tier V (1–0)
Virginia Slims (2–3)
Titles by Surface
Hard (0–1)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (3–3)
Carpet (1–3)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
Runner-up 1. April 29, 1985 United States Houston, USA Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Elise Burgin
United States Martina Navratilova
1–6, 6–3, 3–6
Winner 1. July 22, 1985 United States Indianapolis, USA Clay Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva United States Penny Barg
United States Paula Smith
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 2. September 8, 1986 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva West Germany Bettina Bunge
West Germany Steffi Graf
1–6, 7–6(9–7), 2–6
Winner 2. July 6, 1987 Belgium Knokke, Belgium Clay West Germany Bettina Bunge United States Kathleen Horvath
Netherlands Marcella Mesker
4–6, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 3. September 14, 1987 Japan Tokyo, Japan Carpet (I) Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva United States Anne White
United States Robin White
1–6, 2–6
Winner 3. February 11, 1991 Austria Linz, Austria Carpet (I) Italy Raffaella Reggi Czechoslovakia Petra Langrová
Czechoslovakia Radka Zrubáková
6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Runner-up 4. May 20, 1991 Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland Clay Switzerland Cathy Caverzasio Australia Nicole Bradtke
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
1–6, 2–6
Runner-up 5. February 9, 1993 Japan Osaka, Japan Carpet (I) Bulgaria Magdalena Maleeva Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Latvia Larisa Neiland
1–6, 3–6
Winner 4. April 5, 1993 United States Amelia Island, USA Clay Georgia (country) Leila Meskhi South Africa Amanda Coetzer
Argentina Inés Gorrochategui
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 6. April 19, 1993 Spain Barcelona, Spain Clay Bulgaria Magdalena Maleeva Spain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–4, 1–6, 0–6
Runner-up 7. July 26, 1993 United States Stratton Mountain, USA Hard Argentina Mercedes Paz Australia Elizabeth Smylie
Czech Republic Helena Suková
1–6, 2–6

ITF Singles Circuit finals: 1 (1–0)

Doubles: 1 (1–0)

Legend
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$15,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score in the final
Winner 1. 23 September 1985 Bulgaria Sofia, Bulgaria Clay Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva Czechoslovakia Yvona Brzáková
Czechoslovakia Hana Fukarková
6–1, 6–2

Fed Cup

Manuela Maleeva debuted for the Bulgaria Fed Cup team in 1983. Since then she has a 21–5 singles record and a 7–10 doubles record (28–15 overall).

Singles (21–5)

Edition Round Date Against Surface Opponent W/L Result
1983 World Group I R1 17 July 1983   Switzerland Clay Switzerland Christiane Jolissaint L 4–6, 6–4, 4–6
PO 19 July 1983  Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Angela Longo W 6–1, 6–0
PO 21 July 1983  Soviet Union Soviet Union Olga Zaitseva W 6–0, 6–3
1984 World Group I R1 15 July 1984  Great Britain Clay United Kingdom Jo Durie W 6–4, 4–6, 6–4
R2 16 July 1984  Soviet Union Soviet Union Natasha Reva W 6–2, 6–0
QF 18 July 1984  Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec W 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
1985 World Group I R1 6 October 1985  Soviet Union Hard Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko W 6–7(3–7), 6–4, 6–1
R2 8 October 1985  Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš W 6–1, 6–3
QF 10 October 1985  Great Britain United Kingdom Annabel Croft W 6–2, 6–2
SF 12 October 1985  Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková L 6–3, 2–6, 1–6
1986 World Group I R1 20 July 1986  Soviet Union Clay Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko W 6–2, 6–1
R2 21 July 1986  France France Catherine Tanvier W 6–0, 6–1
QF 23 July 1986  West Germany West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch W 6–4, 6–2
1987 World Group I R1 26 July 1987  Greece Hard Greece Angelika Kanellopoulou W 6–0, 6–0
R2 27 July 1987  Indonesia Indonesia Yayuk Basuki W 6–4, 6–0
QF 29 July 1987  Australia Australia Elizabeth Smylie W 6–4, 6–4
SF 31 July 1987  United States United States Chris Evert L 2–6, 6–2, 4–6
1989 World Group I R1 1 October 1989  South Korea Hard South Korea Kim Il-soon W 6–1, 6–0
R2 3 October 1989  Argentina Argentina Mercedes Paz W 4–6, 6–1, 6–3
QF 5 October 1989  Australia Australia Anne Minter L 3–6, 6–2, 4–6
  Representing   Switzerland  
1991 World Group I R1 23 July 1991  Argentina Hard Argentina Mercedes Paz W 6–0, 7–6(7–5)
R2 24 July 1991  China China Li Fang W 6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–2
QF 25 July 1991  Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná L 4–6, 4–6
1992 World Group I R1 14 July 1992  Sweden Clay Sweden Catarina Lindqvist W 6–0, 6–2
PO 16 July 1992  Israel Israel Anna Smashnova W 6–1, 6–0
PO 17 July 1992  Paraguay Paraguay Rossana de los Ríos W 6–2, 6–2

Doubles (7–10)

Edition Round Date Partner Against Surface Opponents W/L Result
1983 World Group I PO 19 July 1983 Bulgaria Marina Kondova  Zimbabwe Clay Zimbabwe Angela Longo
Zimbabwe Lindsay Standen
W 6–4, 6–2
PO 21 July 1983 Bulgaria Adriana Velcheva  Soviet Union Soviet Union Svetlana Cherneva
Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
L 4–6, 3–6
1984 World Group I R1 15 July 1984 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Great Britain Clay United Kingdom Amanda Brown
United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
W 7–6, 7–5
R2 16 July 1984 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Soviet Union Soviet Union Elena Eliseenko
Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
L 7–5, 5–7, 1–6
QF 18 July 1984 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec
L 3–6, 1–6
1985 World Group I R1 6 October 1985 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Soviet Union Hard Soviet Union Natalia Egorova
Soviet Union Svetlana Cherneva
W 6–3, 7–5
R2 8 October 1985 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sabrina Goleš
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Aila Winkler
W 6–4, 7–6(9–7)
QF 10 October 1985 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Great Britain United Kingdom Jo Durie
United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
L 4–5, Ret.
SF 12 October 1985 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
L 3–6, 6–7(4–7)
1986 World Group I R1 20 July 1986 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Soviet Union Clay Soviet Union Svetlana Cherneva
Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
L 6–1, 4–6, 1–6
QF 23 July 1986 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  West Germany West Germany Bettina Bunge
West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
L 4–6, 2–6
1989 World Group I R1 1 October 1989 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  South Korea Hard South Korea Kim Il-soon
South Korea Lee Jeong-myung
W 7–5, 6–0
R2 3 October 1989 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Argentina Argentina Florencia Labat
Argentina Mercedes Paz
W 6–1, 3–6, 6–1
QF 5 October 1989 Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva  Australia Australia Elizabeth Smylie
Australia Janine Tremelling
L 7–5, 4–6, 0–6
  Representing   Switzerland  
1991 World Group I R2 24 July 1991 Switzerland Cathy Caverzasio  China Hard China Li Fang
China Yi Jing-Qian
L 1–3, Ret.
QF 25 July 1991 Switzerland Cathy Caverzasio  Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Regina Rajchrtová
W 6–4, 2–1, Ret.
1992 World Group I R1 14 July 1992 Switzerland Michelle Strebel  Sweden Clay Sweden Maria Lindström
Sweden Maria Strandlund
L 4–6, 7–5, 4–6

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Tournament1982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994SRW–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open 2R A A QF NH 4R A A A 2R QF 4R QF 0 / 7 18–6
French Open 2R 3R 4R QF 3R QF 3R QF QF 2R 3R 3R A 0 / 12 30–12
Wimbledon 2R 2R QF 4R 4R 2R 1R A 1R A 3R 2R A 0 / 10 16–10
US Open 3R 3R 1R 4R QF 4R QF QF QF 4R SF SF A 0 / 12 39–12
Win–Loss 4–4 5–3 7–3 13–4 9–3 10–4 6–3 8–2 8–3 5–3 13–3 11–4 4–1 0 / 41 103–40
Year End Ranking 60 31 6 7 10 8 6 9 9 10 9 11 N/A

Record against other top players

Maleeva's win-loss record against certain players who have been ranked World No. 10 or higher is as follows:

Players who have been ranked World No. 1 are in boldface.

See also

References

    External links

    Awards
    Preceded by
    Switzerland Conny Kissling
    Swiss Sportswoman of the Year
    1993
    Succeeded by
    Switzerland Vreni Schneider