| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Williamston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Born | (1968-12-13)December 13, 1968 (age 57) Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11.5 in (1.816 m) |
| Turned pro | 1989 |
| Retired | 1996 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| College | University of Florida |
| Prize money | $786,504 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 192–152 |
| Career titles | 1 WTA |
| Highest ranking | No. 48 (January 22, 1990) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (1991) |
| French Open | 4R (1994) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1989, 1993, 1995) |
| US Open | 3R (1989, 1990, 1994) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 119–138 |
| Career titles | 1 WTA |
| Highest ranking | No. 33 (May 16, 1994) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1994) |
| French Open | 3R (1993) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1991) |
| US Open | 2R (1991, 1993) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 1R (1990, 1992, 1995) |
| French Open | 2R (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (1990) |
| US Open | 2R (1994) |
| Last updated on: March 13, 2012. | |
Shaun Stafford Beckish (born December 13, 1968), néeShaun Stafford, is an American former college and professionaltennis player who played on theWomen's Tennis Association (WTA) tour from 1989 to 1996. As a collegiate tennis player, Stafford won the 1988 NCAA national singles championship while playing for theUniversity of Florida. She won two WTA tournaments in her professional career, one in singles and the other in doubles.
Stafford was born inOcala, Florida, but moved toGainesville, Florida with her family when she was 11 years old.[1] She graduated fromBuchholz High School in Gainesville, where she played for the Buchholz Bobcats high school tennis team. As a junior in 1985, she was the high school state singles champion.[2] As a senior in 1986, Stafford won the Florida Class 4A state singles championship again, and she and partner Kim Dunn reached the finals of the state doubles championship, too.[3] Her older sister, Nicole, played college tennis for theClemson Tigers women's tennis team.[2]
Stafford accepted an athletic scholarship to attend theUniversity of Florida in Gainesville, where she played for coachAndy Brandi'sFlorida Gators women's tennis team inNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition in 1987 and 1988.[4] As a s freshman, she was an individual singles finalist in the 1987 NCAA tournament, losing toPatty Fendick of theStanford Cardinal women's tennis team.[4] As a sophomore, Stafford was the No. 1 singles player for the Lady Gators' NCAA national runner-up team in 1988.[5] She won the individual NCAA singles championship by defeating her Gator teammate Halle Cioffi, 7–6, 6–4, by relying on her strong serve and forehand in the tournament final in 1988.[6] She previously defeated top-seededRonni Reis of theMiami Hurricanes women's team, 6–1, 7–6, in the 1988 NCAA semifinal.[7] She was a two-time All-American and a two-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection, and was also the recipient of the 1987–88 Broderick Award (now theHonda Sports Award) as the outstanding college women's tennis player in the country.[4][8]
She was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1999.[9][10]
Stafford turned professional in 1989. She won two WTA tournaments: the 1992Taiwan Open singles title, and the 1993Internationaux de Strasbourg doubles title with partnerAndrea Temesvári. She and partnerCammy MacGregor were also the runners-up in the 1993 Melbourne Open doubles tournament, losing in the final toJill Hetherington andKathy Rinaldi.
Her highest world singles ranking was No. 48 on January 22, 1990; her highest world doubles ranking was No. 33 on May 16, 1994.[11] Her bestGrand Slam singles tournament was the fourth round (round of sixteen) of the1994 French Open; her best Grand Slam doubles performance was reaching the quarterfinals (round of eight) of the1994 Australian Open.[11] Her career earnings totaled $786,504.[11]
Stafford and partnerJack Waite participated in the mixed doubles competition at the1995 Pan American Games inMar del Plata, Argentina, and won the gold medal.[12]
She is remembered for being an emotional and verbally expressive player on the WTA tour.
After retiring from WTA Tour, she was an assistant coach for theDuke Blue Devils women's tennis team from 1997 to 1998. Duke reached the finals of the 1998 NCAA national championship tournament.
Stafford married physician Michael Beckish in July 1996. They live inWilliamston, South Carolina, a suburb ofGreenville.
In the movieKing Richard, about Venus and Serena Williams's father, her character was played byKaitlyn Christian.
