Samantha Stosur Biography
A Christmas present was all it took to start eight-year-old Sam Stosur on her tennis journey.
As a child Sam spent hours hitting at the local courts in Adelaide with older brother Daniel. He soon realised she had above-average ability and convinced their parents, Dianne and Tony, to give Sam coaching lessons.
At the age of 13, Sam took off for her first overseas trip – to the World Youth Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia – it would be her first taste of life as a tennis pro.
Video: Sam’s tennis story
At 14 she joined the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) under Geoff Masters and in 2001, when she was 16, Sam joined the Australian Institute of Sport’s tennis program.
She formed a successful coaching partnership with Craig Morris, travelling together on the WTA Tour. Craig has played a huge role in Sam’s tennis, both on the court and off, and remains a close personal friend.
Sam’s first big break came at Australian Open 2006 when she reached the fourth round – her best singles result at a Grand Slam tournament up until that point. Solid results took her to a then career-high No.27 in January 2007.
While Sam was busily working her way up the singles rankings, she was nearing the top in doubles. She became world No.1 in February 2006 after claiming a series of titles with doubles partner Lisa Raymond. The Australian–American duo won the US Open in 2005, were runners up at Australian Open 2006 and won the French Open in 2006.
In 2007, this consistently successful pair won five titles and made it to the semis at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. Sam won her maiden Grand Slam mixed doubles crown at the Australian Open in 2005 with fellow Queenslander Scott Draper and her second at Wimbledon 2008 with Bob Bryan.
It was during Wimbledon 2007 that Stosur’s health started to go downhill, just as her career was on the up. Stosur battled through the pain, but after falling in the first round of the US Open, she put an end to her season. In October doctors were finally able to give her a reason for the pain and lethargy she had been feeling since Wimbledon – she had Lyme disease. Stosur also contracted viral meningyties, further shelving her plans to push for a place among the world’s elite.
Read more about my battle with Lyme disease
Through illness Stosur missed the end of 2007 and the first few months of the 2008 season. Stosur’s return to competition came in April 2008 at an ITF event in Dothan, where she made the semifinals. In September Stosur’s comeback was complete when she made it to the final of the WTA event in Seoul.
But it was in 2009 when Sam truly came into her own in the singles arena. The year began with a third-round appearance at the Australian Open, was highlighted by a semifinals berth at the French Open and culminated with her maiden singles title in Osaka.
In 2009 Sam became renowned for her serve, which is now considered one of the best on the women’s tour, while her year-end ranking of No.13 was another career high for the Queenslander.
On the doubles court, Sam paired with Fed Cup teammate Rennae Stubbs to make the final at Wimbledon, Eastbourne and Toronto, the semis at the US Open, Dubai, Madrid and the Tour Championships in Qatar, and the quarters at Miami.
The Stosur show continued in 2010 as the Australian narrowed her focus to concentrate on singles, with the change bringing almost immediate success. A fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open was just the beginning as Stosur lifted the intensity.
Stosur made it to the semis at Indian Wells and the quarters in Miami before triumphing in Charleston to add a second WTA singles title to her collection. Stosur was a finalist at her next event in Stuttgart – falling to Justine Henin – and a quarterfinalist in Madrid as she prepared for Roland Garros.
It was on the clay that Stosur again announced her presence, clipping the wings of three world No.1s on her way to the French Open final where she was beaten by Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Not long after, Stosur rose to No.5 (July 2010) to post her latest career-high ranking.
Stosur’s best season on the Tour continued with semifinal appearances in Eastbourne, Stanford, and quarterfinal showings in San Diego, New Haven, Osaka and at the US Open.
Stosur finished her year at the WTA Tour Championships in Qatar, where she was a semifinalist. She was also awarded with the WTA’s Diamond ACES Award for 2010, recognising Stosur’s tireless efforts in promoting tennis to fans, media, and local communities. Her year was capped off by having a court named in her honour at Southport’s Queens Park Tennis Centre, Queensland.
She has been a member of the Optus Australian Fed Cup team since 2003 and is coached by the team’s captain, David Taylor.
In her downtime, Sam likes going to the beach, hanging out with friends, surfing and listening to music.
The facts
Born: 30 March 1984
Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia
Lives: Tampa, Florida
Star sign: Aries
Weight: 65 kg
Height: 175 cm
Plays: Right-handed
Coach: David Taylor
Family: Mother, Dianne, father Tony, brothers Dominic and Daniel
Nickname: Sammy
A few of Sam’s favourite things
Country:
Japan
Food:
Paris on pumpernickel (sandwich from Wrights in Tampa)
City:
Sydney
Restaurant:
Inakaya, Tokyo
Drink:
Lemon, lime and bitters
TV show:
Brothers and Sisters, Seinfeld, Grey’s Anatomy
Football teams:
AFL – Saints, NRL – Titans
Top 3 movies:
Notting Hill, Anchor Man and Love Actually
Things you can’t live without:
Lip balm, passport and tennis racquets
Dislikes:
- Take-off and landing on flights, especially little planes
- Reading maps
What would you spend your last $10 on?
Lip balm
Most used Apps:
- Bejeweled Blitz
- Bloomberg
5 people you would like to have dinner with:
- Steffi Graf
- Nelson Mandela
- Homer Simpson
- Sheryl Crow
- Jerry Seinfeld
Language you would like to learn:
Spanish
What music do you like?
- Kate Miller-Heidke
- MGMT
- Sheryl Crow
Red or white wine?
Red
Chocolate or ice-cream?
Both
iPhone or Blackberry?
Use Blackberry but think iPhone is cooler
Coca-Cola or Pepsi?
Coca-Cola
Memorable moments from your first few years on the tour?
Sleeping in a train station in Japan with other players and strapping all our bags together so they wouldn’t get stolen. Using blankets from hotel rooms and pillows from airlines. The things you do to make it on the tour.
A place in the world you would like to visit?
Machu Picchu, Peru
Best sporting moment other than yours?
Cathy Freeman winning the 400 m gold at the Sydney Olympics.
If you were an animal what would it be?
Happy Dog
Favourite car?
Porsche 911
Things your most afraid off?
Flying and deer ticks carrying Lyme disease.
Favourite beach?
Coogee, Sydney
Things you like doing away from tennis?
Mountain bike riding, snorkelling and eating.
Favourite tournament?
Charleston, SC, USA
Career Highlights
Singles
Winner (1 Grand Slam tournament, 2 WTA, 4 ITF)
2011 US Open
2010 Charleston
2009 Osaka
2001
ITF/Ibaraki, Japan
ITF/Osaka, Japan
ITF/Kyoto, Japan
ITF/Cairns, Australia
Finalist ( WTA)
2011 Rome, Toronto
2010 Stuttgart, Roland Garros
2009 Los Angeles
2008 Seoul
2006 Prague
2005 Gold Coast, Sydney
Doubles
Winner (23)
2011 Stuttgart (w/Sabine Lisicki)
2007 Tokyo, Indian Wells, Miami, Berlin, Eastbourne (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Tokyo, Memphis, Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Roland Garros, Stuttgart, Linz, Hasselt, Tour Championships (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 Sydney, Amelia Island (both w/Bryanne Stewart), New Haven, US Open, Luxembourg, Moscow, Tour Championships (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2002 ITF/Bendigo-AUS, ITF/Warrnambool-AUS, ITF/Bath-GBR, ITF/Dalby-AUS (all w/Sarah Stone), ITF/Lenzerheide-SUI (w/Nicole Sewell)
2001 ITF/Benalla-AUS (w/Monique Adamczak), ITF/Ibaraki-JPN, ITF/Osaka-JPN, ITF/Kyoto-JPN (all w/Melissa Dowse), ITF/Nuriootpa-AUS, ITF/Mount Gambier-AUS (both w/Evie Dominikovic)
Finalist (12)
2010 Indian Wells, Miami (both w/Nadia Petrova)
2009 Wimbledon, Eastbourne, Toronto (all w/Rennae Stubbs)
2008 Wimbledon, US Open, Tokyo (Pan Pacific) (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Australian Open, New Haven (both w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 Philadelphia (w/Lisa Raymond)
2004 Québec City (w/Els Callens).
Mixed Doubles
Winner (2)
2008 Wimbledon (w/Bob Bryan)
2005 Australian Open (w/Scott Draper)
Representation
Australian Fed Cup Team 2003-05, 2007, 2009-11
Australian Olympic Team 2004, 2008
Awards
2005 Stars for Stars Doubles Team of the Year (w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 ITF World Women’s Doubles Champions (w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Stars for Stars Doubles Team of the Year (w/Lisa Raymond)
2010 WTA’s Diamond ACES Award
Grand Slam history
Win-Loss 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
Australian Open 11-8 3r 4r 3r - 2r 4r 1r 2r 3r 1r
French Open 11-7 3r F SF 2r 3r 1r 2r 1r - -
Wimbledon 5-8 1r 1r 3r 2r 2r 2r 1r 1r 1r -
US Open 13-7 W QF 2r - 1r 1r 1r 2r - -
Year-end singles ranking history
2011 6
2010 6
2009 13
2008 52
2007 46
2006 29
2005 46
2004 65
2003 153
2002 265
2001 276
2000
A Christmas present was all it took to start eight-year-old Sam Stosur on her tennis journey.
As a child Sam spent hours hitting at the local courts in Adelaide with older brother Daniel. He soon realised she had above-average ability and convinced their parents, Dianne and Tony, to give Sam coaching lessons.
At the age of 13, Sam took off for her first overseas trip – to the World Youth Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia – it would be her first taste of life as a tennis pro.
Video: Sam’s tennis story
At 14 she joined the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) under Geoff Masters and in 2001, when she was 16, Sam joined the Australian Institute of Sport’s tennis program.
She formed a successful coaching partnership with Craig Morris, travelling together on the WTA Tour. Craig has played a huge role in Sam’s tennis, both on the court and off, and remains a close personal friend.
Sam’s first big break came at Australian Open 2006 when she reached the fourth round – her best singles result at a Grand Slam tournament up until that point. Solid results took her to a then career-high No.27 in January 2007.
While Sam was busily working her way up the singles rankings, she was nearing the top in doubles. She became world No.1 in February 2006 after claiming a series of titles with doubles partner Lisa Raymond. The Australian–American duo won the US Open in 2005, were runners up at Australian Open 2006 and won the French Open in 2006.
In 2007, this consistently successful pair won five titles and made it to the semis at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. Sam won her maiden Grand Slam mixed doubles crown at the Australian Open in 2005 with fellow Queenslander Scott Draper and her second at Wimbledon 2008 with Bob Bryan.
It was during Wimbledon 2007 that Stosur’s health started to go downhill, just as her career was on the up. Stosur battled through the pain, but after falling in the first round of the US Open, she put an end to her season. In October doctors were finally able to give her a reason for the pain and lethargy she had been feeling since Wimbledon – she had Lyme disease. Stosur also contracted viral meningyties, further shelving her plans to push for a place among the world’s elite.
Read more about my battle with Lyme disease
Through illness Stosur missed the end of 2007 and the first few months of the 2008 season. Stosur’s return to competition came in April 2008 at an ITF event in Dothan, where she made the semifinals. In September Stosur’s comeback was complete when she made it to the final of the WTA event in Seoul.
But it was in 2009 when Sam truly came into her own in the singles arena. The year began with a third-round appearance at the Australian Open, was highlighted by a semifinals berth at the French Open and culminated with her maiden singles title in Osaka.
In 2009 Sam became renowned for her serve, which is now considered one of the best on the women’s tour, while her year-end ranking of No.13 was another career high for the Queenslander.
On the doubles court, Sam paired with Fed Cup teammate Rennae Stubbs to make the final at Wimbledon, Eastbourne and Toronto, the semis at the US Open, Dubai, Madrid and the Tour Championships in Qatar, and the quarters at Miami.
The Stosur show continued in 2010 as the Australian narrowed her focus to concentrate on singles, with the change bringing almost immediate success. A fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open was just the beginning as Stosur lifted the intensity.
Stosur made it to the semis at Indian Wells and the quarters in Miami before triumphing in Charleston to add a second WTA singles title to her collection. Stosur was a finalist at her next event in Stuttgart – falling to Justine Henin – and a quarterfinalist in Madrid as she prepared for Roland Garros.
It was on the clay that Stosur again announced her presence, clipping the wings of three world No.1s on her way to the French Open final where she was beaten by Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Not long after, Stosur rose to No.5 (July 2010) to post her latest career-high ranking.
Stosur’s best season on the Tour continued with semifinal appearances in Eastbourne, Stanford, and quarterfinal showings in San Diego, New Haven, Osaka and at the US Open.
Stosur finished her year at the WTA Tour Championships in Qatar, where she was a semifinalist. She was also awarded with the WTA’s Diamond ACES Award for 2010, recognising Stosur’s tireless efforts in promoting tennis to fans, media, and local communities. Her year was capped off by having a court named in her honour at Southport’s Queens Park Tennis Centre, Queensland.
She has been a member of the Optus Australian Fed Cup team since 2003 and is coached by the team’s captain, David Taylor.
In her downtime, Sam likes going to the beach, hanging out with friends, surfing and listening to music.
The facts
Born: 30 March 1984
Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia
Lives: Tampa, Florida
Star sign: Aries
Weight: 65 kg
Height: 175 cm
Plays: Right-handed
Coach: David Taylor
Family: Mother, Dianne, father Tony, brothers Dominic and Daniel
Nickname: Sammy
A few of Sam’s favourite things
Country:
Japan
Food:
Paris on pumpernickel (sandwich from Wrights in Tampa)
City:
Sydney
Restaurant:
Inakaya, Tokyo
Drink:
Lemon, lime and bitters
TV show:
Brothers and Sisters, Seinfeld, Grey’s Anatomy
Football teams:
AFL – Saints, NRL – Titans
Top 3 movies:
Notting Hill, Anchor Man and Love Actually
Things you can’t live without:
Lip balm, passport and tennis racquets
Dislikes:
- Take-off and landing on flights, especially little planes
- Reading maps
What would you spend your last $10 on?
Lip balm
Most used Apps:
- Bejeweled Blitz
- Bloomberg
5 people you would like to have dinner with:
- Steffi Graf
- Nelson Mandela
- Homer Simpson
- Sheryl Crow
- Jerry Seinfeld
Language you would like to learn:
Spanish
What music do you like?
- Kate Miller-Heidke
- MGMT
- Sheryl Crow
Red or white wine?
Red
Chocolate or ice-cream?
Both
iPhone or Blackberry?
Use Blackberry but think iPhone is cooler
Coca-Cola or Pepsi?
Coca-Cola
Memorable moments from your first few years on the tour?
Sleeping in a train station in Japan with other players and strapping all our bags together so they wouldn’t get stolen. Using blankets from hotel rooms and pillows from airlines. The things you do to make it on the tour.
A place in the world you would like to visit?
Machu Picchu, Peru
Best sporting moment other than yours?
Cathy Freeman winning the 400 m gold at the Sydney Olympics.
If you were an animal what would it be?
Happy Dog
Favourite car?
Porsche 911
Things your most afraid off?
Flying and deer ticks carrying Lyme disease.
Favourite beach?
Coogee, Sydney
Things you like doing away from tennis?
Mountain bike riding, snorkelling and eating.
Favourite tournament?
Charleston, SC, USA
Career Highlights
Singles
Winner (1 Grand Slam tournament, 2 WTA, 4 ITF)
2011 US Open
2010 Charleston
2009 Osaka
2001
ITF/Ibaraki, Japan
ITF/Osaka, Japan
ITF/Kyoto, Japan
ITF/Cairns, Australia
Finalist ( WTA)
2011 Rome, Toronto
2010 Stuttgart, Roland Garros
2009 Los Angeles
2008 Seoul
2006 Prague
2005 Gold Coast, Sydney
Doubles
Winner (23)
2011 Stuttgart (w/Sabine Lisicki)
2007 Tokyo, Indian Wells, Miami, Berlin, Eastbourne (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Tokyo, Memphis, Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Roland Garros, Stuttgart, Linz, Hasselt, Tour Championships (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 Sydney, Amelia Island (both w/Bryanne Stewart), New Haven, US Open, Luxembourg, Moscow, Tour Championships (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2002 ITF/Bendigo-AUS, ITF/Warrnambool-AUS, ITF/Bath-GBR, ITF/Dalby-AUS (all w/Sarah Stone), ITF/Lenzerheide-SUI (w/Nicole Sewell)
2001 ITF/Benalla-AUS (w/Monique Adamczak), ITF/Ibaraki-JPN, ITF/Osaka-JPN, ITF/Kyoto-JPN (all w/Melissa Dowse), ITF/Nuriootpa-AUS, ITF/Mount Gambier-AUS (both w/Evie Dominikovic)
Finalist (12)
2010 Indian Wells, Miami (both w/Nadia Petrova)
2009 Wimbledon, Eastbourne, Toronto (all w/Rennae Stubbs)
2008 Wimbledon, US Open, Tokyo (Pan Pacific) (all w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Australian Open, New Haven (both w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 Philadelphia (w/Lisa Raymond)
2004 Québec City (w/Els Callens).
Mixed Doubles
Winner (2)
2008 Wimbledon (w/Bob Bryan)
2005 Australian Open (w/Scott Draper)
Representation
Australian Fed Cup Team 2003-05, 2007, 2009-11
Australian Olympic Team 2004, 2008
Awards
2005 Stars for Stars Doubles Team of the Year (w/Lisa Raymond)
2005 ITF World Women’s Doubles Champions (w/Lisa Raymond)
2006 Stars for Stars Doubles Team of the Year (w/Lisa Raymond)
2010 WTA’s Diamond ACES Award
Grand Slam history
Win-Loss 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
Australian Open 11-8 3r 4r 3r - 2r 4r 1r 2r 3r 1r
French Open 11-7 3r F SF 2r 3r 1r 2r 1r - -
Wimbledon 5-8 1r 1r 3r 2r 2r 2r 1r 1r 1r -
US Open 13-7 W QF 2r - 1r 1r 1r 2r - -
Year-end singles ranking history
2011 6
2010 6
2009 13
2008 52
2007 46
2006 29
2005 46
2004 65
2003 153
2002 265
2001 276
2000
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Samantha Stosur
Australian Open 2010 - Hit for Haiti Charity Fundraiser
Maria Sharapova vs. Samantha Stosur - Rome 2011 Final Highlights (HD)
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