Mercedes Paz
Mercedes María Paz (Spanish pronunciation: [meɾˈseðez maˈɾi.a ˈpas]; born 27 June 1966) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina, who won three singles titles during her career on the WTA Tour. She reached her highest career ranking of 28 on April 29, 1991. Her best Grand Slam finish was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.
Country (sports) | ![]() |
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Residence | Tucumán, Argentina |
Born | Tucumán | 27 June 1966
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Turned pro | 1984 |
Retired | 1998 |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $1,154,319 |
Singles | |
Career record | 280–279 |
Career titles | 3 WTA |
Highest ranking | No. 28 (29 April 1991) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (1991, 1992, 1995) |
French Open | 4R (1986, 1990) |
Wimbledon | 2R (1994, 1996) |
US Open | 2R (1985, 1987, 1988) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 385–245 |
Career titles | 22 WTA |
Highest ranking | No. 12 (24 September 1990) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | 3R (1991, 1992) |
French Open | SF (1991) |
Wimbledon | QF (1990) |
US Open | SF (1991) |
Paz unexpectedly defeated defending champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the second round of the 1990 French Open. Later that year, at the Virginia Slims of Worcester, Paz also defeated Sánchez Vicario in the round of 16. Five years before, in the semifinals of the 1985 Brazil Open, she beat top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini en route to beating Peruvian Laura Arraya for the title. In so doing, Paz became the first Argentinian woman to capture a major WTA event. In addition to wins over Sánchez Vicario and Sabatini, she also defeated top-seeded Jana Novotná in three sets to reach the semifinals of the Belgian Ladies Open in Brussels in 1989. The previous year, at the 1988 Hilton Head tournament, Paz had defeated Novotná in the round of 32 for the first time.
WTA Tour finals
Singles 6 (3–3)
Legend |
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Grand Slam tournaments (0/0) |
WTA Championships (0/0) |
Virginia Slims (1/1) |
Tier I (0/0) |
Tier II (0/0) |
Tier III (0/0) |
Tier IV & V (2/2) |
Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | Mar 1985 | São Paulo, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 6–1, 6–4 |
Loss | 1. | Oct 1986 | Singapore | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 2. | Oct 1988 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Hard | ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 2. | Nov 1988 | Guarujá, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | Jul 1989 | Brussels, Belgium | Clay | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 6–4 |
Win | 3. | May 1990 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–3 |
Doubles 40 (22–18)
Legend |
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Grand Slam tournaments (0/0) |
WTA Championships (0/1) |
Virginia Slims (7/2) |
Tier I (0/1) |
Tier II (1/5) |
Tier III (2/1) |
Tier IV & V (12/8) |
Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | Oct 1984 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 7–5 |
Win | 2. | Mar 1985 | São Paulo, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–4 |
Win | 3. | Aug 1985 | Monticello, USA | Hard | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 4. | Nov 1986 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Hard | ![]() |
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6–2, 3–6, 6–4 |
Win | 5. | Dec 1986 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 2–6, 6–1 |
Loss | 1. | Mar 1987 | Wild Dunes, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 6. | Apr 1987 | Hilton Head, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(8–6), 7–5 |
Win | 7. | Nov 1987 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 2. | Dec 1987 | Guarujá, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
Win | 8. | Jul 1988 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–2 |
Win | 9. | Jul 1988 | Brussels, Belgium | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(7–3), 6–1 |
Win | 10. | Nov 1988 | Guarujá, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 11. | May 1989 | Taranto, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | May 1989 | Rome, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 12. | May 1989 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–3 |
Loss | 4. | Jul 1989 | Arcachon, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 7–6(7–5) |
Winner | 13. | Jul 1989 | Brussels, Belgium | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 14. | Jul 1989 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 7–5 |
Win | 15. | Dec 1989 | Guarujá, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 5. | Apr 1990 | Hilton Head, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–1 |
Win | 16. | Apr 1990 | Amelia Island, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(7–5), 6–4 |
Win | 17. | Apr 1990 | Tampa, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–0 |
Win | 18. | Apr 1990 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
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6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1 |
Win | 19. | Jul 1990 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–7(10–12), 6–2 |
Loss | 6. | Aug 1990 | Manhattan Beach, USA | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 7. | Oct 1990 | Filderstadt, West Germany | Hard (i) | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–3 |
Loss | 8. | Nov 1990 | New York, USA | Carpet | ![]() |
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7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
Loss | 9. | Apr 1991 | Amelia Island, USA | Clay | ![]() |
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4–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 10. | May 1991 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–4 |
Loss | 11. | Jul 1991 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3 |
Loss | 12. | Jul 1991 | San Marino | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–3 |
Loss | 13. | Nov 1991 | Indianapolis, USA | Hard (i) | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–2 |
Win | 20. | Dec 1991 | São Paulo, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 14. | May 1992 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 15. | Aug 1992 | San Diego, USA | Hard | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–4 |
Loss | 16. | Apr 1993 | Taranto, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–4 |
Loss | 17. | Jul 1993 | Stratton Mountain, USA | Hard | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 21. | Jan 1994 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 7–6(7–3) |
Win | 22. | Apr 1995 | Zagreb, Croatia | Clay | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–2 |
Loss | 18. | Jul 1997 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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2–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
ITF Finals
Singles (2–3)
$75,000 tournaments |
$50,000 tournaments |
$25,000 tournaments |
$10,000 tournaments |
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 11 June 1984 | Lyon, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–7, 6–3, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 25 February 1985 | São Paulo, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 4–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 1. | 10 March 1985 | Curitiba, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–2 |
Winner | 2. | 1 April 1985 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 3. | 30 September 1996 | Newport Beach, United States | Hard | ![]() |
2–6, 4–6 |
Doubles (9–3)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 29 January 1984 | Miami, United States | Hard | ![]() |
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4–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 1. | 11 June 1984 | Lyon, France | Clay | ![]() |
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1–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Winner | 2. | 15 November 1993 | La Plata, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–4 |
Winner | 3. | 14 November 1994 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–3 |
Winner | 4. | 25 February 1996 | Bogotá, Colombia | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6, 6–2 |
Winner | 5. | 30 September 1996 | Newport Beach, United States | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 2. | 20 October 1996 | Hayward, United States | Hard | ![]() |
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5–7, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 23 February 1997 | Bogotá, Colombia | Clay | ![]() |
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6–7, 6–4, 5–7 |
Winner | 6. | 27 July 1997 | İstanbul, Turkey | Hard | ![]() |
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3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Winner | 7. | 5 October 1997 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
Winner | 8. | 2 November 1997 | Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–0 |
Winner | 9. | 27 September 1998 | Tucuman, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–4, 7–6 |
Notes
External links
- Mercedes Paz at the Women's Tennis Association
- Mercedes Paz at the International Tennis Federation
- Mercedes Paz at the Billie Jean King Cup
Awards | ||
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Preceded by![]() |
Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award 1990 |
Succeeded by![]() |