Chanda Rubin (born February 18, 1976) is an American former top-10 professional tennis player. During her career, she reached the semifinals at the 1996 Australian Open, the quarterfinals of the French Open three times, and had wins over world No. 1s Serena Williams and Martina Hingis. In doubles, she won the 1996 Australian Open with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and alongside Sandrine Testud, were runners-up at the 1999 US Open.

Chanda Rubin
Rubin at the 2015 US Open
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceLafayette, Louisiana
Born (1976-02-18) February 18, 1976 (age 48)
Lafayette
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Turned proAugust 1991
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$4,470,180
Singles
Career record399–254
Career titles7
Highest rankingNo. 6 (April 8, 1996)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1996)
French OpenQF (1995, 2000, 2003)
Wimbledon4R (2002)
US Open4R (1992, 1995, 2002)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsRR (2003)
Olympic Games3R (2004)
Doubles
Career record227–161
Career titles10
Highest rankingNo. 9 (April 15, 1996)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1996)
French OpenSF (2003)
WimbledonSF (2002)
US OpenF (1999)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games1R (2004)

Early life and family

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Rubin was born to Edward D. Rubin, a state judge in Louisiana, and Bernadette Fontenot Rubin. She was the middle child of three siblings.[1] As a child, she was taught the sport of tennis by Nehemiah Atkinson.[2]

She married Mireyou Hollier in April 2015, and their daughter was born in October 2016.[3]

In early 2016, her younger brother, Edward Rubin Jr., died aged 38 at his home in Lafayette, Louisiana.[4]

Tennis career

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In 1992, Rubin won the girls' singles title at Wimbledon, and reached a peak ranking of world No. 2 in the ITF Junior rankings.

Rubin's breakthrough season on the professional tour was 1995. In the third round of the French Open, she made a comeback from 0–5, 0–40 down in the third set against 5th seed Jana Novotná, saving nine match points before eventually winning 8–6. She went on to reach her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal, losing to world No. 1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, the tournament's defending champion and eventual runner-up. In the second round of Wimbledon, Rubin defeated Patricia Hy-Boulais 7–6, 6–7, 17–15, the longest women's match in Wimbledon history. At the LA Tennis Championships in August, she defeated world No. 8 Gabriela Sabatini and world No. 2 Sánchez Vicario, on her way to the final, where she lost to world No. 3 Conchita Martínez in three sets.

In 1996, Rubin reached the Australian Open semifinals, defeating Sabatini in the fourth round and Sánchez Vicario 6–4, 2–6, 16–14 in the quarterfinals. The 48 games played in their quarterfinal were the most for a women's match at the Australian Open, a record which would be tied by Lauren Davis and Simona Halep in 2018. Rubin lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Monica Seles 6–7, 6–1, 7–5, despite holding a 5–2 lead in the third set. A few days later, she and Sánchez Vicario won the doubles title, defeating third-seeded Lindsay Davenport and Mary Joe Fernández in the final.

Rubin rose to a career-high singles ranking of No. 6 after reaching the final of the 1996 Miami Open where she lost to world No. 1 Steffi Graf. During the tournament, Rubin fractured a bone in her right hand. She eventually underwent surgery in August and missed the majority of the rest of the season.[5][6]

Representing the United States, Rubin won the 1997 Hopman Cup alongside Justin Gimelstob. She remained undefeated through three ties and the final in her singles matches. At the Linz Open, Rubin defeated world No. 4 Jana Novotná on the way to her first singles title.

In Indian Wells in 1999, Rubin defeated both Amanda Coetzer and world No. 1, Martina Hingis, in straight sets on her way to the semifinals. She also won her second career title at the Hobart International.

Rubin underwent arthroscopic surgery on her left knee in 2001 after the Australian Open, and then suffered a left Achilles tendon injury in April, thereby missing the majority of the season.[6]

In 2002, Rubin underwent surgery on her left knee again, missing the first half of the season. In August, she defeated Lindsay Davenport, Jelena Dokic and world No. 1 Serena Williams on her way to the title in Los Angeles. Her upset of Williams ended the top-ranked player's winning streak of 21 matches, a stretch that had carried Williams through titles at the French Open and Wimbledon.

At the 2003 Miami Open, Rubin defeated Amélie Mauresmo and Justine Henin in straight sets en route to the semifinals, after which she peaked again at No. 6 in the rankings. She reached her third and final French Open quarterfinal and also won the Eastbourne International title for a second time, defeating Jennifer Capriati in the semifinals and Conchita Martínez in the final. It would be Rubin's last career title.

Rubin missed the majority of the 2004–2006 seasons due to the persistent knee injury. Her last professional match was in October 2006 in Quebec City.[6]

Rubin was inducted into the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.[7]

Post-retirement

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In 2013, Rubin completed a four-year Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies with a concentration in Economics at Harvard Extension School, graduating cum laude.[8]

In recent years, she has developed a career in broadcasting, working for Tennis Channel as a presenter and commentator.[9]

Awards

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Grand Slam tournament finals

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Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

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Outcome Year Championship Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1996 Australian Open   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario   Lindsay Davenport
  Mary Joe Fernández
7–5, 2–6, 6–4
Loss 1999 US Open   Sandrine Testud   Serena Williams
  Venus Williams
6–4, 1–6, 4–6

WTA Tour finals

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Singles: 19 (7 titles, 12 runner-ups)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. Nov 1991 Scottsdale Championships, U.S. Hard   Sabine Appelmans 5–7, 1–6
Loss 2. Feb 1994 Chicago Cup, U.S. Hard (i)   Natasha Zvereva 3–6, 5–7
Loss 3. Jun 1995 Eastbourne International, UK Grass   Nathalie Tauziat 6–3, 0–6, 5–7
Loss 4. Aug 1995 LA Championships, U.S. Hard   Conchita Martínez 6–4, 1–6, 3–6
Loss 5. Mar 1996 Key Biscayne, U.S. Hard   Steffi Graf 1–6, 3–6
Win 1. Feb 1997 Linz Open, Austria Hard (i)   Karina Habšudová 6–4, 6–2
Loss 6. Nov 1998 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i)   Tara Snyder 6–4, 4–6, 6–7(6–8)
Win 2. Jan 1999 Hobart International, Australia Hard   Rita Grande 6–2, 6–3
Loss 7. Nov 1999 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i)   Jennifer Capriati 6–4, 1–6, 2–6
Loss 8. Jan 2000 Hobart International, Australia Hard   Kim Clijsters 6–2, 2–6, 2–6
Win 3. Nov 2000 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i)   Jennifer Capriati 6–4, 6–2
Loss 9. May 2002 Madrid Open, Spain Clay   Monica Seles 4–6, 2–6
Win 4. Jun 2002 Eastbourne International, UK Grass   Anastasia Myskina 6–1, 6–3
Win 5. Aug 2002 LA Championships, U.S. Hard   Lindsay Davenport 5–7, 7–6(7–5), 6–3
Win 6. May 2003 Madrid Open, Spain Clay   María Sánchez Lorenzo 6–4, 5–7, 6–4
Win 7. Jun 2003 Eastbourne International, UK Grass   Conchita Martínez 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Loss 10. Sep 2003 Bali International, Indonesia Hard   Elena Dementieva 2–6, 1–6
Loss 11. Sep 2003 China Open, Shanghai Hard   Elena Dementieva 3–6, 6–7(6–8)
Loss 12. Oct 2003 Luxembourg Open Hard (i)   Kim Clijsters 2–6, 5–7

Doubles: 17 (10 titles, 7 runner-ups)

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Legend
Grand Slam (1–1)
Tier I (1–1)
Tier II (5–3)
Tier III (1–2)
Tier IV (2–0)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. Sep 1993 Tokyo Championships, Japan Hard   Lisa Raymond   Amanda Coetzer
  Linda Wild
6–4, 6–1
Win 2. Jan 1994 Hobart International, Australia Hard   Linda Wild   Jenny Byrne
  Rachel McQuillan
7–5, 4–6, 7–6
Loss 1. Nov 1994 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i)   Linda Wild   Elna Reinach
  Nathalie Tauziat
4–6, 3–6
Win 3. May 1995 Prague Open, Czech Republic Clay   Linda Wild   Maria Lindström
  Maria Strandlund
6–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 2. Oct 1995 Zürich Open, Switzerland Hard (i)   Caroline Vis   Nicole Arendt
  Manon Bollegraf
4–6, 6–7(4–7), 4–6
Win 4. Jan 1996 Australian Open, Melbourne Hard   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario   Lindsay Davenport
  Mary Joe Fernández
7–5, 2–6, 6–4
Win 5. Feb 1996 Oklahoma South Cup, U.S. Hard (i)   Brenda Schultz-McCarthy   Katrina Adams
  Debbie Graham
6–4, 6–3
Win 6. Mar 1996 Indian Wells Open, U.S. Hard   Brenda Schultz-McCarthy   Julie Halard-Decugis
  Nathalie Tauziat
6–1, 6–4
Win 7. Apr 1996 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario   Meredith McGrath
  Larisa Neiland
6–1, 6–1
Loss 3. Sep 1997 Tokyo Championships, Japan Hard   Julie Halard-Decugis   Monica Seles
  Ai Sugiyama
1–6, 0–6
Loss 4. Oct 1998 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i)   Sandrine Testud   Lori McNeil
  Kimberly Po
7–6(7–3), 5–7, 4–6
Loss 5. Sep 1999 US Open, New York Hard   Sandrine Testud   Serena Williams
  Venus Williams
6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Win 8. Oct 1999 Porsche Grand Prix, Germany Hard (i)   Sandrine Testud   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
  Larisa Neiland
6–3, 6–4
Loss 6. Nov 1999 Philadelphia Championships, U.S. Carpet (i)   Sandrine Testud   Lisa Raymond
  Rennae Stubbs
1–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win 9. Jul 2000 Stanford Classic, U.S. Hard   Sandrine Testud   Cara Black
  Amy Frazier
6–4, 6–4
Win 10. Oct 2000 Linz Open, Austria Carpet (i)   Amélie Mauresmo   Ai Sugiyama
  Nathalie Tauziat
6–4, 6–4
Loss 7. Oct 2001 Linz Open, Austria Hard (i)   Els Callens   Jelena Dokic
  Nadia Petrova
1–6, 4–6

Singles performance timeline

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Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Australian Open A A 1R 1R 4R 2R SF 4R 1R 4R 2R 1R A 4R 4R A A A
French Open A Q2 1R A 1R QF A 2R 4R 2R QF A 4R QF A Q1 A A
Wimbledon A Q1 1R 2R 1R 3R A 1R 3R 1R 1R 1R 4R 3R 1R A A A
US Open 1R 2R 4R 3R 1R 4R A 1R 2R 1R 3R 3R 4R 1R 3R A 1R A
Grand Slam SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 1 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 0
WTA Tour Championships A A A A A 1R A A A A 1R A 1R RR A A A A
Year-end ranking 521 83 83 69 23 15 17 30 34 22 13 54 13 9 53 546 481 NR

Wins over top 10 players

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Season 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total
Wins 5 4 2 0 2 1 0 4 4 22
# Player Rank Event Surface Rd Score Rubin
Rank
1995
1.   Jana Novotná 5 French Open Clay 3R 7–6, 4–6, 8–6 53
2.   Kimiko Date 6 Eastbourne, UK Grass QF 6–3, 6–0 29
3.   Gabriela Sabatini 8 Manhattan Beach, U.S. Hard QF 6–7, 7–6, 6–0 22
4.   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 2 Manhattan Beach, U.S. Hard SF 6–3, 6–1 22
5.   Lindsay Davenport 9 Filderstadt, Germany Carpet (i) 3R 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 15
1996
6.   Gabriela Sabatini 7 Australian Open Hard 4R 6–2, 6–4 14
7.   Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 3 Australian Open Hard QF 6–4, 2–6, 16-14 14
8.   Gabriela Sabatini 6 Miami, U.S. Hard QF 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 9
9.   Iva Majoli 8 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet (i) R3 5–7, 6–2, 6–1 14
1997
10.   Jana Novotná 4 Linz, Austria Carpet (i) SF 7–5, 5–7, 6–3 22
11.   Karina Habšudová 10 Linz, Austria Carpet (i) F 6–4, 6–2 22
1999
12.   Amanda Coetzer 9 Indian Wells, U.S. Hard 4R 6–4, 6–4 26
13.   Martina Hingis 1 Indian Wells, U.S. Hard QF 6–3, 7–6 26
2000
14.   Nathalie Tauziat 6 French Open Clay 3R 6–4, 7–6 25
2002
15.   Serena Williams 1 Manhattan Beach, U.S. Hard QF 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 21
16.   Jelena Dokic 5 Manhattan Beach, U.S. Hard SF 6–0, 6–2 21
17.   Lindsay Davenport 9 Manhattan Beach, U.S. Hard F 5–7, 7–6, 6–3 21
18.   Jelena Dokic 8 Linz, Austria Hard (i) QF 7–5, 6–2 14
2003
19.   Amélie Mauresmo 4 Miami, U.S. Hard 4R 6–3, 6–2 10
20.   Justine Henin 7 Miami, U.S. Hard QF 6–0, 6–2 10
21.   Jennifer Capriati 8 Eastbourne, UK Grass SF 2–6, 7–6, 6–2 7
22.   Amélie Mauresmo 6 WTA Finals, L.A. Hard (i) SF 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 10

References

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  1. ^ "Judge Edward D. Rubin, Division D". 15th Judicial District of Louisiana. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  2. ^ Lyman, Tim. "Jumping the Net". nola.com. Georges Media Group. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Henley, Blair (December 9, 2016). "DRIVEN TO SUCCEED: CHANDA RUBIN IS ON A MISSION TO KEEP GROWING TENNIS". Tennis Magazine (Online). Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  4. ^ "Edward Rubin Jr., son of Lafayette judge, dies". Daily Advertiser. March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  5. ^ Robbins, Liz (August 28, 2002). "TENNIS; Resilient Rubin Is Still Showing A Lot of Fight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "WTA Profile Page: Chanda Rubin". WTA Website. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Cioffi, Ron (December 10, 2015). "USTA Southern Director, Communications". Southern Tennis Foundation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. ^ "Life after Professional Tennis". Harvard Extension School. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  9. ^ "FORMER WTA STAR CHANDA RUBIN HAS DIFFERENT ROLE AS TENNIS CHANNEL COMMENTATOR". WTA Volvo Car Cup. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  10. ^ "Chanda Rubin: Director at Large". USTA Website. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
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Preceded by WTA Most Improved Player of the Year
1995
Succeeded by