Kristina Brandi

Kristina Brandi (born March 29, 1977) is a former Puerto Rican tennis player. She was the first tennis player representing Puerto Rico to win a singles match in an Olympic tennis tournament.

Kristina Brandi
Country (sports) Puerto Rico
Born (1977-03-29) March 29, 1977
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Turned pro1995
Retired2007
PlaysRight-handed
Prize money$1,248,528
Singles
Career record441–333
Career titles1 WTA, 16 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 27 (4 December 2000)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open4R (2000)
French Open2R (2000, 2005)
Wimbledon4R (2000)
US Open2R (1996, 2000, 2004)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games2R (2004)
Doubles
Career record48–86
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 246 (June 19, 1995)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open2R (2006)
French Open1R (2005)
Wimbledon1R (2005)
US Open1R (1999, 2005)
Medal record
Pan American Games
2003 Santo DomingoDoubles
2003 Santo DomingoSingles

Some of Brandi's career highlights: She achieved her best ranking in singles of 27 on 4 December 2000, and her high rank for doubles of 246 in June 1995. Brandi won one career singles title, in 1999 on grass at 's Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Career

Early years

Brandi was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she became interested in the sport of tennis at an early age. She made her professional debut in 1995 when she was 17 years old.[1] Her father is Joe Brandi, who coached Pete Sampras.

USTA Circuit

In 2003, Brandi won the most titles of any woman on the "USTA Circuit". She took home trophies from six events. Brandi was a member of the 2003 Puerto Rican Fed Cup team where she captured the singles championship at the $75k event in Albuquerque, New Mexico plus, the $50k event in Troy, Alabama and $25k in Peachtree City, Georgia.[2]

2004 Olympics

Brandi represented Puerto Rico in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She became the first tennis player representing Puerto Rico to win a singles match in an Olympic tournament when she beat Jelena Kostanić from Croatia (7–5, 6–1). She lost in the second round to Russian Anastasia Myskina.[3]

Later years

Kristina Brandi resides in Tampa, Florida and continued to be active on the WTA Tour for many years after the 2004 Olympic Games.

Brandi defended her ITF-Surbiton title defeating Laura Granville from the U.S. Brandi's grass-court season plans for 2006 at the WTA Tour-level included the main draw of the Birmingham tournament as well as the qualifying tournament at Eastbourne before heading to compete in the Wimbledon Championships main draw.

Brandi, who has since retired, is the niece of Andy Brandi who played for the Trinity Tigers men's tennis team in NCAA Division I competition.[4]

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (1 title)
Result Date Tier Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 20 June 1999 Tier III Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, Netherlands Grass Silvija Talaja 6–0, 3–6, 6–1

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 25 (16 titles, 9 runner-ups)
Legend
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Finals by surface
Hard (13–8)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (3–1)
Carpet (0–0)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 4 July 1994 ITF Indianapolis, United States Hard Mashona Washington 6–1, 6–3
Runner-up 2. 25 July 1994 ITF Roanoke, United States Hard Keiko Nagatomi 6–7, 3–6
Runner-up 3. 9 October 1995 ITF Sedona, United States Hard Tami Whitlinger 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 4. 6 April 1997 ITF Phoenix, United States Hard Li Fang 1–6, 2–6
Winner 5. 26 January 1998 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Mashona Washington 6–1, 6–2
Winner 6. 5 April 1998 ITF Phoenix, United States Hard Lilia Osterloh 6–0, 6–4
Winner 7. 20 July 1998 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Anne Kremer 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 8. 2 August 1998 ITF Salt Lake City, United States Hard Mariaan de Swardt 2–6, 2–6
Winner 9. 1 November 1998 ITF Austin, United States Hard Meilen Tu 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 10. 1 August 1999 ITF Salt Lake City, United States Hard Li Fang 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 11. 30 April 2000 ITF Sarasota, United States Hard Meghann Shaughnessy 1–6, 3–6
Runner-up 12. 4 June 2001 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Rika Fujiwara 3–6, 3–6
Winner 13. 13 May 2003 ITF Charlottesville, United States Clay Christina Wheeler 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Winner 14. 8 June 2003 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Cho Yoon-jeong 6–1, 6–3
Winner 15. 8 July 2003 ITF College Park, United States Hard Lioudmila Skavronskaia 6–1, 6–1
Winner 16. 28 July 2003 ITF Louisville, United States Hard Shenay Perry 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
Winner 17. 14 September 2003 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Allison Bradshaw 6–0, 6–1
Winner 18. 22 September 2003 ITF Albuquerque, United States Hard Milagros Sequera 6–2, 6–2
Winner 19. 5 October 2003 ITF Troy, United States Hard Maria Elena Camerin 7–6(9–7), 6–3
Runner-up 20. 19 October 2003 ITF Sedona, United States Hard Samantha Reeves 5–7, 6–1, 4–6
Winner 21. 4 June 2005 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Laura Granville 6–3, 6–1
Runner-up 22. 2 October 2005 ITF Ashland, United States Hard Napaporn Tongsalee 4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Winner 23. 16 October 2005 ITF San Francisco, United States Hard Lilia Osterloh 5–7, 6–4, 6–4
Winner 24. 10 June 2006 ITF Surbiton, United Kingdom Grass Laura Granville 7–5, 6–0
Runner-up 25. 19 September 2006 ITF Albuquerque, United States Hard Ahsha Rolle 2–6, 4–6

Doubles: 6 (1 title, 5 runner-ups)
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 20 June 1994 ITF Hilton Head, United States Clay Karin Miller Angela Lettiere
Stacy Sheppard		 6–4, 2–6, 6–7
Winner 2. 4 July 1994 ITF Indianapolis, United States Hard Karin Miller Angela Lettiere
Vera Vitels		 6–2, 4–6, 7–6
Runner-up 3. 25 July 1994 ITF Roanoke, United States Hard Karin Miller Gail Biggs
Claudine Toleafoa		 6–4, 3–6, 5–7
Runner-up 4. 1 February 1998 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Karin Miller Maureen Drake
Renata Kolbovic		 6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 5. 10 September 2002 ITF Peachtree City, United States Hard Allison Baker Jennifer Russell
Christina Wheeler		 2–6, 6–7(3–7)
Runner-up 6. 8 July 2003 ITF College Park, United States Hard Kim Grant Jennifer Russell
Lisa McShea		 2–6, 6–4, 5–7

See also

References
  1. Tennis
  2. Sports Illustrated
  3. Olympic results
  4. Paul Jenkins, "Gators hire new women's tennis coach," The Gainesville Sun, pp. 1D & 4D (August 22, 1984). Retrieved June 16, 2011.
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