American tennis player (born 1963)
This article is about the American tennis player and coach. For the American physicist, see
Laurie McNeil .
Lori McNeil Country (sports) United States Residence Houston , Texas, U.S.Born (1963-12-18 ) December 18, 1963 (age 61) Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Turned pro 1983 Retired 2002 Plays Right-handed (one handed-backhand) Prize money $3,441,604 Singles Career record 436–309 Career titles 10 Highest ranking No. 9 (July 4, 1988) Grand Slam singles results Australian Open QF (1987 ) French Open 3R (1988 ,1992 ,1994 ) Wimbledon SF (1994 ) US Open SF (1987 ) Doubles Career record 605–335 Career titles 33 Highest ranking No. 4 (November 9, 1987) Grand Slam doubles results Australian Open F (1987 ) French Open QF (1987 , 1992, 1993) Wimbledon SF (1987) US Open SF (1995, 1996) Mixed doubles Career titles 1 Grand Slam mixed doubles results Australian Open SF (1997 ) French Open W (1988 )Wimbledon F (1994 ) US Open QF (1992 )
Lori McNeil (born December 18, 1963) is an Americantennis coach and former top 10 player. McNeil was a singles semifinalist at theUS Open in 1987 andWimbledon in 1994, a women's doubles finalist at theAustralian Open in 1987 withZina Garrison andFrench Open mixed-doubles winner in 1988 withJorge Lozano .
McNeil was born the youngest of four siblings to mother Dorothy and fatherCharlie McNeil , who played professionalfootball with theSan Diego Chargers during the 1960s. Moving from San Diego to Houston, McNeil developed her tennis skills atMacGregor Park playground , a public facility in theThird Ward district. It was there she became close childhood friends with fellow future professional tennis player,Zina Garrison .[ 1]
Lori McNeil attendedOklahoma State University for two years and played tennis for the Cowgirls, reaching the 1983 NCAA quarterfinals (losing to eventual championBeth Herr fromUSC ).
McNeil played on theWTA Tour for 19 years from 1983–2002. She won a total of ten singles titles and 33 doubles titles during her career. Her career-high world rankings were No. 9 in singles (in 1988) and No. 4 in doubles (in 1987).
In 1987, McNeil was awarded theWTA Most Improved Player of the Year .
McNeil is perhaps best remembered for her results againstSteffi Graf . In 1992, she defeated Graf 7–6, 6–4 in the first round of theWTA Tour Championships , marking the first time since 1985 that Graf had lost in the opening round of a tournament. Then, in 1994, McNeil beat Graf 7–5, 7–6 in the first round atWimbledon , the first time in Grand Slam history that a defending champion had suffered a first-round loss in women's singles.
That year, McNeil went on to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon before losing to eventual-championConchita Martínez 3-6, 6-2, 10-8. This equalled McNeil's best-ever Grand Slam singles performance – she also reached the semifinals at theUS Open in 1987 (after defeating six-time championChris Evert in the quarterfinals) where she lost to Graf 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Despite never winning a women's doubles Grand Slam title, she reached the quarterfinal stage or better on 22 occasions at major level, and won multipleWTA Tour doubles titles with many of the leading doubles players of the era, includingMartina Navratilova ,Gigi Fernández ,Rennae Stubbs ,Katrina Adams , Zina Garrison andHelena Suková .
From 2001-2004, McNeil coached former top-5 playerAmanda Coetzer . Partnering together, coach and student reached the doubles quarterfinals of the2002 Australian Open . In 2004 and 2008, McNeil was also Assistant Coach to the US Olympic tennis teams.[ 2]
In 2006, McNeil was inducted into theITA Hall of Fame.
[ edit ] [ edit ] [ edit ] Legend Tier I (0–1) Tier II (1–0) Tier III (2–2) Tier IV (2–1) Tier V (3–2) Virginia Slims (2–5)
Finals by surface Hard (4–3) Grass (4–2) Clay (0–1) Carpet (2–5)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score Loss 0–1 Feb 1986 Oklahoma City , USCarpet (i) Marcella Mesker 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 Loss 0–2 Jul 1986 Newport , USGrass Pam Shriver 4–6, 2–6 Win 1–2 Sep 1986 Tampa , USHard Zina Garrison 2–6, 7–5, 6–2 Win 2–2 Sep 1986 Tulsa , USHard Beth Herr 6–0, 6–1 Loss 2–3 Feb 1987 Oklahoma City, US Hard Elizabeth Smylie 6–4, 3–6, 5–7 Loss 2–4 Mar 1987 Piscataway , USCarpet (i) Helena Suková 0–6, 3–6 Loss 2–5 Sep 1987 New Orleans , USCarpet (i) Chris Evert 3–6, 5–7 Win 3–5 Feb 1988 Oklahoma City, US Carpet (i) Brenda Schultz 6–3, 6–2 Loss 3–6 May 1988 Geneva , SwitzerlandClay Barbara Paulus 4–6, 7–5, 1–6 Win 4–6 Jul 1988 Newport, US Grass Barbara Potter 6–4, 4–6, 6–3 Loss 4–7 Jan 1989 Tokyo , JapanCarpet (i) Martina Navratilova 7–6(7–3) , 3–6, 6–7(5–7) Win 5–7 Aug 1989 Albuquerque , USHard Elna Reinach 6–1, 6–3 Win 6–7 Feb 1991 Denver , USCarpet (i) Manon Bollegraf 6–3, 6–4 Win 7–7 Apr 1991 Tokyo , JapanHard Sabine Appelmans 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 Loss 7–8 Jul 1991 Westchester , USHard Isabelle Demongeot 4–6, 4–6 Loss 7–9 Feb 1992 Oklahoma City, US Hard (i) 5–7, 6–3, 5–7(10) Win 8–9 Jun 1992 Eastbourne , UKGrass Linda Wild 6–4, 6–4 Win 9–9 Jun 1993 Birmingham , UKGrass 6–4, 2–6, 6–3 Win 10–9 Jun 1994 Birmingham, UK Grass 6–2, 6–2 Loss 10–10 Jun 1995 Birmingham, UK Grass 3–6, 3–6 Loss 10–11 Nov 1995 Philadelphia , USCarpet (i) Steffi Graf 1–6, 6–4, 3–6
[ edit ] Legend Grand Slam (0–1) Tier I (3–2) Tier II (4–8) Tier III (8–5) Tier IV (4–2) Tier V (4–3) Virginia Slims (10–10)
Finals by surface Hard (13–9) Grass (4–3) Clay (6–7) Carpet (10–12)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score Win 1. Sep 1983 Bakersfield Hard Kyle Copeland Ann Henricksson Patricia Medrado 6–4, 6–3 Loss 1. Apr 1985 Seabrook Island Clay Elise Burgin Svetlana Parkhomenko Larisa Savchenko 1–6, 3–6 Win 2. Oct 1985 Brighton Carpet (i) Catherine Suire Barbara Potter Helena Suková 4–6, 7–6(3) , 6–4 Loss 2. Feb 1986 Memphis Carpet (i) Marcella Mesker Pascale Paradis 6–2, 6–7(1) , 1–6 Loss 3. Oct 1986 Zürich Carpet (i) Alycia Moulton Steffi Graf Gabriela Sabatini 6–1, 4–6, 4–6 Win 3. Oct 1986 Indianapolis Hard (i) Zina Garrison Candy Reynolds Anne Smith 4–5 ret. Win 4. Nov 1986 San Juan Hard Mercedes Paz Gigi Fernández Robin White 6–2, 3–6, 6–4 Win 5. Dec 1986 Buenos Aires Clay Manon Bollegraf Nicole Jagerman 6–1, 2–6, 6–1 Loss 4. Jan 1987 Australian Open Grass Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 1–6, 0–6 Loss 5. Feb 1987 Memphis Hard Kim Sands 4–6, 4–6 Loss 6. Mar 1987 Washington D.C. Carpet (i) 1–6, 6–3, 4–6 Win 6. Mar 1987 Piscataway Carpet (i) Betsy Nagelsen Elizabeth Smylie 6–1, 6–4 Loss 7. Apr 1987 Hilton Head Clay Eva Pfaff 6–7(6) , 5–7 Loss 8. Apr 1987 Houston Clay Kathy Jordan 2–6, 4–6 Win 7. Jul 1987 Newport Grass Anne Hobbs 7–6(5) , 7–5 Loss 9. Aug 1987 Los Angeles Hard 3–6, 4–6 Win 8. Aug 1987 Toronto Hard Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 6–1, 6–2 Win 9. Aug 1987 Mahwah Hard 6–3, 6–2 Win 10. Sep 1987 New Orleans Carpet (i) Peanut Louie Harper Heather Ludloff 6–3, 6–4 Loss 10. Oct 1987 Filderstadt Carpet (i) 1–6, 2–6 Loss 11. Nov 1987 Chicago Carpet (i) 4–6, 3–6 Win 11. Feb 1988 Dallas Carpet (i) 2–6, 6–4, 7–5 Win 12. Feb 1988 San Antonio Hard Rosalyn Fairbank Gretchen Magers 6–3, 6–7(5) , 6–2 Win 13. Apr 1988 Hilton Head Clay 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 Loss 12. Apr 1988 Houston Clay Katrina Adams 7–6(4) , 2–6, 4–6 Loss 13. Jul 1988 Newport Grass 4–6, 3–6 Loss 14. Oct 1988 New Orleans Hard Beth Herr 4–6, 4–6 Win 14. Oct 1988 Brighton Carpet (i) Isabelle Demongeot Nathalie Tauziat 7–6(5) , 2–6, 7–6(4) Win 15. Nov 1988 Chicago Carpet (i) Natasha Zvereva 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 Loss 15. Nov 1988 Adelaide Hard Sylvia Hanika 5–7, 7–6(4) , 4–6 Win 16. Feb 1989 Memphis Hard (i) w/o Loss 16. Mar 1989 Key Biscayne Hard 6–7(5) , 4–6 Loss 17. Apr 1989 Houston Clay 3–6, 4–6 Win 17. May 1989 Geneva Clay 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 Win 18. Jul 1989 Newport Grass Wendy Turnbull 6–3, 6–7(5) , 7–5 Win 19. Oct 1989 Brighton Carpet (i) Hana Mandlíková 4–6, 7–6(7) , 6–4 Win 20. Oct 1989 Indianapolis Hard (i) Claudia Porwik 6–4, 6–4 Loss 18. Feb 1991 Denver Carpet (i) Lise Gregory Gretchen Rush 4–6, 4–6 Win 21. May 1991 Strasbourg Clay Stephanie Rehe 6–7(2) , 6–4, 6–4 Loss 19. Jul 1991 Westchester Hard Lise Gregory 5–7, 4–6 Win 22. Sep 1991 Milan Carpet (i) Sandy Collins Sabine Appelmans Raffaella Reggi 7–6(0) , 6–3 Loss 20. Oct 1991 Zürich Carpet (i) Andrea Strnadová 4–6, 3–6 Loss 21. Oct 1991 Brighton Carpet (i) 1–6, 2–6 Win 23. Feb 1992 Memphis Hard (i) Nicole Provis 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(6) Loss 22. May 1992 Strasbourg Clay 3–6, 4–6 Win 24. Jun 1992 Birmingham Grass Rennae Stubbs Elna Reinach 5–7, 6–3, 8–6 Win 25. Aug 1992 Montreal Hard 3–6, 7–5, 7–5 Loss 23. Jan 1993 Sydney Hard 6–7(4) , 2–6 Loss 24. Feb 1993 Tokyo Carpet (i) 4–6, 3–6 Win 26. Jun 1993 Birmingham Grass 6–3, 6–4 Win 27. Mar 1994 Hilton Head Clay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–4, 4–1 ret. Win 28. May 1994 Strasbourg Clay Patricia Tarabini Caroline Vis 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 Loss 25. Mar 1995 Delray Beach Hard Larisa Neiland Mary Joe Fernández 4–6, 0–6 Loss 26. Oct 1995 Brighton Carpet (i) Meredith McGrath 5–7, 1–6 Win 29. Oct 1995 Oakland Carpet (i) 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 Win 30. Nov 1995 Philadelphia Carpet (i) 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 Loss 27. Jan 1996 Sydney Hard Lindsay Davenport 3–6, 3–6 Loss 28. Feb 1996 Essen Carpet (i) 6–3, 3–6, 2–6 Loss 29. Jun 1996 Birmingham Grass Linda Wild 3–6, 6–3, 1–6 Loss 30. Nov 1996 Philadelphia Carpet (i) Nicole Arendt Lisa Raymond 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 Win 31. Oct 1998 Quebec City Hard (i) Kimberly Po Chanda Rubin Sandrine Testud 6–7(3) , 7–5, 6–4 Win 32. Feb 2001 Memphis Hard (i) Amanda Coetzer Janet Lee Wynne Prakusya 6–3, 2–6, 6–0 Loss 31. May 2001 Strasbourg Clay Silvia Farina Elia Iroda Tulyaganova 1–6, 6–7(0) Win 33. Sep 2001 Bahia Hard 6–7(8) , 6–2, 6–4
Grand Slam performance timelines [ edit ] (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.
United States
Zina Garrison
Emilio Sánchez
Jorge Lozano
Brenda Schultz
Mark Woodforde
Helena Suková
Barbara Paulus
Elna Reinach
Sabine Appelmans
Isabelle Demongeot
Steffi Graf
Patricia Medrado
Svetlana Parkhomenko
Gabriela Sabatini
Anne Hobbs
Raffaella Reggi
Natasha Zvereva
Larisa Neiland
Amanda Coetzer
Janet Lee
Wynne Prakusya
Iroda Tulyaganova