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Wikipedia / Mercedes Paz

Mercedes María Paz (; 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.

Career

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

Virginia Slims (1–1)

Tier I (0–0)

Tier II (0–0)

Tier III (0–0)

Tier IV & V (2–2)

Result

W-L

Date

Tournament

Surface

Opponent

Score

Win

1–0

Mar 1985

São Paulo Open, Brazil

Clay

Laura Arraya

5–7, 6–1, 6–4

Loss

1–1

Oct 1986

Singapore Open

Hard (i)

Gigi Fernández

6–4, 2–6, 6–4

Loss

1–2

Oct 1988

Puerto Rico Open

Hard

Anne Minter

2–6, 6–4, 6–3

Win

2–2

Nov 1988

Guarujá Cup, Brazil

Hard

Rene Simpson

7–5, 6–2

Loss

2–3

Jul 1989

Belgian Open

Clay

Radka Zrubáková

7–6(8–6), 6–4

Win

3–3

May 1990

Strasbourg, France

Clay

Ann Grossman

6–2, 6–3

Doubles 40 (22 titles, 18 runner-ups)

Legend

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

Ronni Reis

Emilse Raponi-Longo Adriana Villagrán

6–4, 7–5

Win

2.

Mar 1985

São Paulo Open, Brazil

Clay

Gabriela Sabatini

Csilla Bartos Niege Dias

7–5, 6–4

Win

3.

Aug 1985

VS New York, U.S.

Hard

Gabriela Sabatini

Kateřina Böhmová Andrea Holíková

5–7, 6–4, 6–3

Win

4.

Nov 1986

Puerto Rico Open

Hard

Lori McNeil

Gigi Fernández Robin White

6–2, 3–6, 6–4

Win

5.

Dec 1986

Argentine Open

Clay

Lori McNeil

Manon Bollegraf Nicole Muns-Jagerman

6–1, 2–6, 6–1

Loss

1.

Mar 1987

South Carolina Open, U.S.

Clay

Candy Reynolds

Laura Arraya Tine Scheuer-Larsen

6–4, 6–4

Win

6.

Apr 1987

Family Circle Cup, U.S.

Clay

Eva Pfaff

Zina Garrison Lori McNeil

7–6(8–6), 7–5

Win

7.

Nov 1987

Argentine Open

Clay

Gabriela Sabatini

Jill Hetherington Christiane Jolissaint

6–2, 6–2

Loss

2.

Dec 1987

Brasil Open

Hard

Jill Hetherington

Katrina Adams Cheryl Jones

6–4, 4–6, 6–4

Win

8.

Jul 1988

Swedish Open

Clay

Sandra Cecchini

Linda Ferrando Silvia La Fratta

6–0, 6–2

Win

9.

Jul 1988

Belgian Open

Clay

Tine Scheuer-Larsen

Katerina Maleeva Raffaella Reggi

7–6(7–3), 6–1

Win

10.

Nov 1988

Guarujá Cup, Brazil

Hard

Bettina Fulco

Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder

6–3, 6–4

Win

11.

May 1989

Ilva Trophy, Italy

Clay

Sabrina Goleš

Sophie Amiach Emmanuelle Derly

6–2, 6–2

Loss

3.

May 1989

Italian Open

Clay

Manon Bollegraf

Elizabeth Smylie Janine Thompson

6–4, 6–3

Win

12.

May 1989

Internationaux de Strasbourg, France

Clay

Judith Wiesner

Lise Gregory Gretchen Magers

6–3, 6–3

Loss

4.

Jul 1989

Arcachon Cup, France

Clay

Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

Sandra Cecchini Patricia Tarabini

6–3, 7–6(7–5)

Winner

13.

Jul 1989

Belgian Open

Clay

Manon Bollegraf

Carin Bakkum Simone Schilder

6–1, 6–2

Win

14.

Jul 1989

Swedish Open

Clay

Tine Scheuer-Larsen

Sabrina Goleš Katerina Maleeva

6–2, 7–5

Win

15.

Dec 1989

Guarujá Cup, Brazil

Hard

Patricia Tarabini

Cláudia Chabalgoity Luciana Corsato

6–2, 6–2

Loss

5.

Apr 1990

Family Circle Cup, U.S.

Clay

Natasha Zvereva

Martina Navratilova Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

6–2, 6–1

Win

16.

Apr 1990

Amelia Island Championships, U.S.

Clay

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

Regina Kordová Andrea Temesvári

7–6(7–5), 6–4

Win

17.

Apr 1990

Tampa Open, U.S.

Clay

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

Laura Arraya Sandra Cecchini

6–2, 6–0

Win

18.

Apr 1990

Barcelona Open, Spain

Clay

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

Sabrina Goleš Patricia Tarabini

6–7(7–9), 6–2, 6–1

Win

19.

Jul 1990

Swedish Open

Clay

Tine Scheuer-Larsen

Carin Bakkum Nicole Muns-Jagerman

6–3, 6–7(10–12), 6–2

Loss

6.

Aug 1990

LA Championships, U.S.

Hard

Gabriela Sabatini

Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná

6–3, 4–6, 6–4

Loss

7.

Oct 1990

Filderstadt Grand Prix, West Germany

Hard (i)

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

Mary Joe Fernández Zina Garrison

7–5, 6–3

Loss

8.

Nov 1990

WTA Championships, New York

Carpet (i)

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie

7–6(7–4), 6–4

Loss

9.

Apr 1991

Amelia Island Championships, U.S.

Clay

Natasha Zvereva

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Helena Suková

4–6, 6–2, 6–2

Loss

10.

May 1991

Internationaux de Strasbourg, France

Clay

Manon Bollegraf

Lori McNeil Stephanie Rehe

6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–4

Loss

11.

Jul 1991

Internazionali di Palermo, Italy

Clay

Laura Garrone

Petra Langrová Mary Pierce

6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–3

Loss

12.

Jul 1991

San Marino Open

Clay

Laura Garrone

Kerry-Anne Guse Akemi Nishiya

6–0, 6–3

Loss

13.

Nov 1991

VS Indianapolis, U.S.

Hard (i)

Katrina Adams

Patty Fendick Gigi Fernández

6–4, 6–2

Win

20.

Dec 1991

São Paulo Open, Brazil

Clay

Inés Gorrochategui

Renata Baranski Laura Glitz

6–2, 6–2

Loss

14.

May 1992

Internationaux de Strasbourg, France

Clay

Lori McNeil

Patty Fendick Andrea Strnadová

6–3, 6–4

Loss

15.

Aug 1992

San Diego Open, U.S.

Hard

Conchita Martínez

Jana Novotná Larisa Neiland

6–1, 6–4

Loss

16.

Apr 1993

Ilva Trophy, Italy

Clay

Petra Langrová

Debbie Graham Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

6–0, 6–4

Loss

17.

Jul 1993

New Haven Open, U.S.

Hard

Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere

Elizabeth Smylie Helena Suková

6–1, 6–2

Win

21.

Jan 1994

Auckland Open, New Zealand

Hard

Patricia Hy

Jenny Byrne Julie Richardson

6–4, 7–6(7–3)

Win

22.

Apr 1995

Bol Open, Croatia

Clay

Rene Simpson

Laura Golarsa Irina Spîrlea

7–5, 6–2

Loss

18.

Jul 1997

Internazionali di Palermo, Italy

Clay

Florencia Labat

Silvia Farina Elia Barbara Schett

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

Katerina Maleeva

6–7, 6–3, 2–6

Runner-up

2.

25 February 1985

ITF São Paulo, Brazil

Clay

Helena Dahlström

7–5, 4–6, 4–6

Winner

1.

10 March 1985

ITF Curitiba, Brazil

Clay

Renee Blount

6–1, 6–2

Winner

2.

1 April 1985

ITF Buenos Aires, Argentina

Clay

Mariana Pérez Roldán

6–3, 6–2

Runner-up

3.

30 September 1996

ITF Newport Beach, United States

Hard

Elena Brioukhovets

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

Ronni Reis

Heather Crowe Rene Mentz

4–6, 3–6

Winner

1.

11 June 1984

Lyon, France

Clay

Ronni Reis

Isabelle Demongeot Nathalie Tauziat

1–6, 6–3, 6–3

Winner

2.

15 November 1993

La Plata, Argentina

Clay

Laura Montalvo

Cláudia Chabalgoity Larissa Schaerer

6–1, 6–4

Winner

3.

14 November 1994

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Clay

Laura Montalvo

Patrícia Marková Yuka Tanaka

6–4, 6–3

Winner

4.

25 February 1996

Bogotá, Colombia

Clay

Christína Papadáki

Virág Csurgó Kateřina Kroupová-Šišková

7–6, 6–2

Winner

5.

30 September 1996

Newport Beach, United States

Hard

Rene Simpson

Erika deLone Nicole Pratt

6–3, 6–1

Runner-up

2.

20 October 1996

Hayward, United States

Hard

Annabel Ellwood

Jill Hetherington Kathy Rinaldi

5–7, 2–6

Runner-up

3.

23 February 1997

Bogotá, Colombia

Clay

Laura Montalvo

Seda Noorlander Christína Papadáki

6–7, 6–4, 5–7

Winner

6.

27 July 1997

Istanbul, Turkey

Hard

Laura Golarsa

Sylvia Plischke Marlene Weingärtner

3–6, 6–3, 6–3

Winner

7.

5 October 1997

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Clay

Laura Montalvo

Celeste Contín Romina Ottoboni

4–6, 6–2, 6–4

Winner

8.

2 November 1997

Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

Clay

Laura Montalvo

Miriam D'Agostini Vanessa Menga

6–2, 6–0

Winner

9.

27 September 1998

ITF Tucumán, Argentina

Clay

Patricia Tarabini

Luciana Masante Laura Montalvo

5–7, 6–4, 7–6