Mercedes Paz
Mercedes María Paz (Spanish pronunciation: [meɾˈseðes maˈɾi.a ˈpas]; born 27 June 1966) is a former professional tennis player from Argentina. She won three singles titles on the WTA Tour and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 28 in April 1991. Her best Grand Slam result was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.
![]() Paz at the 2021 Billie Jean King Cup play-offs | |
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 (50.1%) |
Career titles | 3 |
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 (61.1%) |
Career titles | 22 |
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 career finals
Singles 6 (3 titles, 3 runner-ups)
Legend |
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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 Open, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
5–7, 6–1, 6–4 |
Loss | 1. | Oct 1986 | Singapore Open | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 2. | Oct 1988 | Puerto Rico Open | Hard | ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 2. | Nov 1988 | Guarujá Cup, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
7–5, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | Jul 1989 | Belgian Open | Clay | ![]() |
7–6(8–6), 6–4 |
Win | 3. | May 1990 | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–2, 6–3 |
Doubles 40 (22 titles, 18 runner-ups)
Legend |
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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 | Japan Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 7–5 |
Win | 2. | Mar 1985 | São Paulo Open, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–4 |
Win | 3. | Aug 1985 | VS New York, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 4. | Nov 1986 | Puerto Rico Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–2, 3–6, 6–4 |
Win | 5. | Dec 1986 | Argentine Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 2–6, 6–1 |
Loss | 1. | Mar 1987 | South Carolina Open, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 6. | Apr 1987 | Family Circle Cup, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(8–6), 7–5 |
Win | 7. | Nov 1987 | Argentine Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 2. | Dec 1987 | Brasil Open | Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
Win | 8. | Jul 1988 | Swedish Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–2 |
Win | 9. | Jul 1988 | Belgian Open | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(7–3), 6–1 |
Win | 10. | Nov 1988 | Guarujá Cup, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–4 |
Win | 11. | May 1989 | Ilva Trophy, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 3. | May 1989 | Italian Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 12. | May 1989 | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–3 |
Loss | 4. | Jul 1989 | Arcachon Cup, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 7–6(7–5) |
Winner | 13. | Jul 1989 | Belgian Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 14. | Jul 1989 | Swedish Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 7–5 |
Win | 15. | Dec 1989 | Guarujá Cup, Brazil | Hard | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 5. | Apr 1990 | Family Circle Cup, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–1 |
Win | 16. | Apr 1990 | Amelia Island Championships, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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7–6(7–5), 6–4 |
Win | 17. | Apr 1990 | Tampa Open, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–0 |
Win | 18. | Apr 1990 | Barcelona Open, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
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6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1 |
Win | 19. | Jul 1990 | Swedish Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–7(10–12), 6–2 |
Loss | 6. | Aug 1990 | LA Championships, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
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6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 7. | Oct 1990 | Filderstadt Grand Prix, West Germany | Hard (i) | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–3 |
Loss | 8. | Nov 1990 | WTA Championships, New York | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
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7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
Loss | 9. | Apr 1991 | Amelia Island Championships, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
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4–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 10. | May 1991 | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–4 |
Loss | 11. | Jul 1991 | Internazionali di Palermo, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3 |
Loss | 12. | Jul 1991 | San Marino Open | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–3 |
Loss | 13. | Nov 1991 | VS Indianapolis, U.S. | Hard (i) | ![]() |
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6–4, 6–2 |
Win | 20. | Dec 1991 | São Paulo Open, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
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6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 14. | May 1992 | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | Clay | ![]() |
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6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 15. | Aug 1992 | San Diego Open, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–4 |
Loss | 16. | Apr 1993 | Ilva Trophy, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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6–0, 6–4 |
Loss | 17. | Jul 1993 | New Haven Open, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
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6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 21. | Jan 1994 | Auckland Open, New Zealand |
Hard | ![]() |
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6–4, 7–6(7–3) |
Win | 22. | Apr 1995 | Bol Open, Croatia | Clay | ![]() |
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7–5, 6–2 |
Loss | 18. | Jul 1997 | Internazionali di Palermo, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
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2–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
ITF Circuit finals
$75,000 tournaments |
$50,000 tournaments |
$25,000 tournaments |
$10,000 tournaments |
Singles (2–3)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 11 June 1984 | ITF Lyon, France | Clay | ![]() |
6–7, 6–3, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 25 February 1985 | ITF São Paulo, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 4–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 1. | 10 March 1985 | ITF Curitiba, Brazil | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 6–2 |
Winner | 2. | 1 April 1985 | ITF Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 3. | 30 September 1996 | ITF 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 | ITF 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 | Istanbul, 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 | ITF Tucumán, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
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5–7, 6–4, 7–6 |