Samantha Smith (tennis)
Encyclopedia
Samantha Smith was the number 1 ranked British
ladies tennis
player from 1996–1999, and now commentates on the game, predominantly for the BBC
, Sky Sports
and Eurosport
, as well as Channel Seven
in Australia
during the Australian Open
.
. She took 3 years out of tennis to attend the University of Exeter
where she attained an Upper 2nd class Honours degree in history
.
Tour from 1990–1992 and 1995–2000. Her highest achievement was in reaching the fourth round at the Wimbledon Championships in 1998 where she picked up an ankle injury that meant 2 operations, 4 months in plaster and effectively curtailed her climb up the rankings. She peaked at number 55 in the WTA
rankings before the injury ended her career.
At the Australian Open
she competed in the first round in 1992 and reached the second round in 1999.
At the French Open at Roland Garros
she competed in the first round in 1991 and 1999.
At Wimbledon she competed in the first round in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, and reached the fourth round in 1998.
At the U.S. Open
she competed in the first round in 1998 and reached the second round in 1997.
At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics she reached the second round despite illness.
Smith won a silver medal
in the mixed doubles at the 1995 Universiade
(World University Games) in Fukuoka
, Japan, partnering Paul Robinson. She also reached the quarter finals in singles.
She won the ITF
tournaments at Nottingham in 1995 (singles and doubles) and Frinton-on-Sea in 2000. She represented Great Britain
in the Fed Cup
and European Cup in 1991 and 1996–1999. She was unbeaten in the five singles matches in the 1997 Federation Cup.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ladies tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from 1996–1999, and now commentates on the game, predominantly for the BBC
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
, as well as Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
.
Early life
Smith was born in Essex, and educated at Bancroft's SchoolBancroft's School
Bancroft's School is a co-educational independent school in Woodford Green, London. The school has around 1,000 pupils aged between 7 and 18...
. She took 3 years out of tennis to attend the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
where she attained an Upper 2nd class Honours degree in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
Tennis career
Smith competed on the WTAWomen's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
Tour from 1990–1992 and 1995–2000. Her highest achievement was in reaching the fourth round at the Wimbledon Championships in 1998 where she picked up an ankle injury that meant 2 operations, 4 months in plaster and effectively curtailed her climb up the rankings. She peaked at number 55 in the WTA
Women's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
rankings before the injury ended her career.
At the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
she competed in the first round in 1992 and reached the second round in 1999.
At the French Open at Roland Garros
Stade de Roland Garros
Le Stade de Roland Garros is a tennis venue located in Paris, France. It hosts the French Open tennis tournament , a Grand Slam event played annually in May and June. The facility was constructed in 1928 to host France's first defense of the Davis Cup...
she competed in the first round in 1991 and 1999.
At Wimbledon she competed in the first round in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, and reached the fourth round in 1998.
At the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
she competed in the first round in 1998 and reached the second round in 1997.
At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics she reached the second round despite illness.
Smith won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the mixed doubles at the 1995 Universiade
Tennis at the 1995 Summer Universiade
The tennis competition during the 1995 Summer Universiade took place in Fukuoka, Japan from August 24 till August 30, 1995.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-External links:*...
(World University Games) in Fukuoka
1995 Summer Universiade
The 1995 Summer Universiade, also known as the XVIII Summer Universiade, took place in Fukuoka, Japan.-Emblem:The symbol mark is a motif of "U", expressing passion and energy in the flickering flames of a burning torch...
, Japan, partnering Paul Robinson. She also reached the quarter finals in singles.
She won the ITF
International Tennis Federation
The International Tennis Federation is the governing body of world tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations.It was established as the International Lawn Tennis Federation by 12 national associations meeting at a conference in Paris, France on 1 March 1913...
tournaments at Nottingham in 1995 (singles and doubles) and Frinton-on-Sea in 2000. She represented Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the Fed Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
and European Cup in 1991 and 1996–1999. She was unbeaten in the five singles matches in the 1997 Federation Cup.