Amanda Coetzer

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameAmanda•Coetzer
Used nameAmanda•Coetzer
Nick/petnamesThe Little Assassin
Born22 October 1971 in Hoopstad, Free State (RSA)
Measurements157 cm / 53 kg
NOC South Africa

Biography

Amanda Coetzer was one of the best professional tennis players from South Africa. Due to her small height of 5-2 (158 cm), and beating multiple players ranked higher than her, Coetzer earned the nickname “The Little Assassin”. Coetzer was ranked number three in the world and finished in the WTA top 20 for 10 consecutive seasons from 1992 to 2001. She earned $6 million in prize money during her career.

Coetzer turned professional in 1988, winning her first WTA doubles title in April 1992, and her first WTA singles title in January 1993. She would go on to win nine singles and nine doubles titles during her career. In 1992, when Coetzer was ranked 61st in the world, she beat the world number three Gabriela Sabatini in the quarter-finals of the Virginia Slims of Florida tournament. Coetzer would have multiple wins over top-10 ranked players, including three wins over former world number one Steffi Graf. Other notable wins came against Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Venus Williams, and Martina Hingis.

As a singles player Coetzer reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open (1996–97) and the French Open (1997). In doubles she was a two-time semi-finalist at the French Open (1993–94), and reached the final of the 1993 US Open. In the mixed doubles Coetzer reached the quarter-finals at the French Open (1994) and Wimbledon (2000).

Coetzer represented South Africa at three consecutive Olympic Games; 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, and 2000 Sydney. Her best performance was in the singles in Sydney where she reached the quarter-finals, losing to Jelena Dokic.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1992 Summer Olympics Tennis RSA Amanda Coetzer
Singles, Women (Olympic) =9
1996 Summer Olympics Tennis RSA Amanda Coetzer
Singles, Women (Olympic) =17
Doubles, Women (Olympic) Mariaan de Swardt =9
2000 Summer Olympics Tennis RSA Amanda Coetzer
Singles, Women (Olympic) =5
Doubles, Women (Olympic) Liezel Horn =17