Alexandra Fusai (born 22 November 1973) is a former professional tennis player from France.

Alexandra Fusai
Country (sports) France
ResidenceNantes, France
Born (1973-11-22) 22 November 1973 (age 51)
Saint-Cloud, France
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned proSeptember 1989
RetiredApril 2003
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,608,170
Singles
Career record284–269
Career titles6 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 37 (26 October 1998)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1996)
French Open3R (1994, 1998)
Wimbledon2R (1996, 1998)
US Open3R (1997)
Doubles
Career record300–225
Career titles12 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 6 (14 September 1998)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenQF (2001)
French OpenSF (1997, 1999, 2000)
Wimbledon3R (1997)
US OpenQF (1997)
Team competitions
Fed CupW (1997)

Fusai was born in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine. Starting from September 1989 when she turned professional, Fusai played four tournaments (all of them part of the ITF Women's Circuit) on the international tennis circuit in 1989. She played right-handed and lived in Nantes during her career. She retired from the professional tennis circuit in April 2003 when she discovered that she was pregnant with her first child. Fusai's highest WTA rankings were No. 37 and No. 6 respectively, both attained in 1998. Her career prize money earnings reached the one million USD-mark in 1999.[1]

Fusai won six singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She reached her only career WTA Tour singles final in Warsaw in 1995, losing to Barbara Paulus of Austria in three sets. She was a losing singles quarterfinalist on six occasions and a losing singles semifinalist on three occasions in WTA tournaments. Fusai never advanced beyond the singles third round of the main draw of any Grand Slam tournament. She earned her career-best singles victory at the Italian Open in Rome in 1998 by beating world No. 3 Jana Novotná.

Fusai excelled as a doubles player. She achieved her best results in doubles competition in partnership with fellow Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat from 1997 to 2000. She was a losing quarterfinalist on four occasions and a losing semifinalist on three occasions in seven Grand Slam women's doubles tournaments; in five of those tournaments, her doubles partner was Tauziat. Fusai's doubles performances qualified her to play in the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000. and 2001; her doubles partner was Tauziat in the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 editions of the WTA Tour Championships. She and Tauziat were the runners-up there in 1997 and 1998. All in all, Fusai won a total of 12 WTA Tour doubles titles, eight of them with Tauziat. She was the doubles runner-up in WTA Tour tournaments on 21 occasions, eleven of them with Tauziat. Fusai was a losing doubles semifinalist in WTA tournaments on 27 occasions, excluding Grand Slam tournaments: 1992(1), 1993(1), 1994(1), 1995(2), 1996(1), 1997(3), 1998(4), 1999(4), 2000(3), 2001(6), 2003(1). Fusai had a career women's doubles win–loss record of 300–225 (260–192 for only main draw matches in WTA Tour tournaments).[2]

Fusai achieved her best mixed-doubles result at the 2001 French Open; she was paired with Jérôme Golmard and they lost in the quarterfinals.[2] Fusai was a member of the France Fed Cup team that won the title in 1997, winning all the three World Group doubles matches that she played from the opening round (quarterfinals) against Japan to the final against the Netherlands. She also played for her country in the Fed Cup in 1994 and 1998. She had a Fed Cup career record of 1–1 in singles and 5–1 in doubles. However, Fusai did not play for her country in the Olympic Games.[3]

Fusai married David Crochu on 13 July 2002. Their son Oscar was born on 7 December 2003.

WTA career finals

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Singles (0–1)

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Finals by surface
Grand Slam (0)
Tier I (1)
Tier II (3)
Tier III (3)
Tier IV & V (5)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Sep 1995 Warsaw, Poland Clay   Barbara Paulus 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 1–6

Doubles (12–21)

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Finals by surface
Grand Slam (0)
Tier I (0)
Tier II (0)
Tier III (0)
Tier IV & V (0)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Jul 1994 Maria Lankowitz, Austria Clay   Karina Habšudová   Sandra Cecchini
  Patricia Tarabini
5–7, 5–7
Loss 2. Nov 1994 Taipei, Taiwan Hard   Nancy Feber   Michelle Jaggard-Lai
  Rene Simpson
0–6, 6–7(10–12)
Loss 3. Jul 1995 Maria Lankowitz, Austria Clay   Wiltrud Probst   Silvia Farina
  Andrea Temesvári
2–6, 2–6
Loss 4. May 1996 Bol, Croatia Clay   Alexia Dechaume   Laura Montalvo
  Paola Suárez
7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Loss 5. Sep 1996 Warsaw, Poland Clay   Laura Garrone   Olga Lugina
  Elena Pampoulova
6–1, 4–6, 5–7
Win 6. Oct 1996 Surabaya, Indonesia Hard   Kerry-Anne Guse   Tina Križan
  Noëlle van Lottum
6–4, 6–4
Win 7. Feb 1997 Paris, France Carpet (i)   Rita Grande   Jana Novotná
  Martina Hingis
3–6, 0–6
Loss 8. Feb 1997 Linz, Austria Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Eva Melicharová
  Helena Vildová
4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Win 9. Apr 1997 Budapest, Hungary Clay   Amanda Coetzer   Eva Martincová
  Elena Wagner
6–3, 6–1
Loss 10. Aug 1997 Atlanta, US Hard   Nathalie Tauziat   Nicole Arendt
  Manon Bollegraf
7–6(7–5), 3–6, 2–6
Loss 11. Oct 1997 Québec City, Canada Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Lisa Raymond
  Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–5, 5–7
Win 12. Nov 1997 Chicago, US Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Monica Seles
6–3, 6–2
Loss 13. Nov 1997 New York, US Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Jana Novotná
7–6(7–5), 3–6, 2–6
Win 14. Feb 1998 Linz, Austria Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Anna Kournikova
  Larisa Neiland
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Loss 15. Mar 1998 Indian Wells, US Hard   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Loss 16. May 1998 Berlin, Germany Clay   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Natasha Zvereva
3–6, 0–6
Win 17. May 1998 Strasbourg, France Clay   Nathalie Tauziat   Yayuk Basuki
  Caroline Vis
6–4, 6–3
Loss 18. Aug 1998 San Diego, US Hard   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Natasha Zvereva
2–6, 1–6
Win 19. Aug 1998 New Haven, US Hard   Nathalie Tauziat   Jana Novotná
  Mariaan de Swardt
6–1, 6–0
Loss 20. Nov 1998 New York, US Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Lindsay Davenport
  Natasha Zvereva
7–6(8–6), 5–7, 3–6
Win 21. Feb 1999 Prostějov, Czech Republic Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Květa Peschke
  Helena Vildová
3–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss 22. Feb 1999 Hanover, Germany Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Serena Williams
  Venus Williams
7–5, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 23. May 1999 Rome, Italy Clay   Nathalie Tauziat   Martina Hingis
  Anna Kournikova
2–6, 2–6
Win 24. May 1999 Berlin, Germany Clay   Nathalie Tauziat   Jana Novotná
  Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 7–5
Loss 25. May 1999 Strasbourg, France Clay   Nathalie Tauziat   Elena Likhovtseva
  Ai Sugiyama
6–2, 6–7(6–8), 1–6
Loss 26. Jun 1999 Birmingham, England Grass   Inés Gorrochategui   Corina Morariu
  Larisa Neiland
4–6, 4–6
Win 27. Jan 2000 Auckland, New Zealand Hard   Cara Black   Barbara Schwartz
  Patricia Wartusch
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 28. Feb 2000 Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Martina Hingis
  Mary Pierce
4–6, 1–6
Win 29. Sep 2000 Luxembourg Carpet (i)   Nathalie Tauziat   Lubomira Bacheva
  Cristina Torrens Valero
6–3, 7–6(7–0)
Win 30. Jan 2001 Auckland, New Zealand Hard   Rita Grande   Emmanuelle Gagliardi
  Barbara Schett
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss 31. Apr 2001 Porto, Portugal Clay   Rita Grande   María José Martínez Sánchez
  Anabel Medina Garrigues
1–6, 7–6(7–5), 5–7
Loss 32. Feb 2002 Doha, Qatar Hard   Caroline Vis   Janette Husárová
  Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
3–6, 3–6
Loss 33. Apr 2002 Charleston, US Clay   Caroline Vis   Lisa Raymond
  Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 6–3, 6–7(4–7)

ITF finals

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Singles (6–2)

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Legend
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 19 March 1990 Granada, Spain Hard   Birgit Arming 1–6, 6–7
Winner 2. 2 July 1990 Cherbourg, France Clay   María José Llorca 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Winner 3. 16 July 1990 Sezze, Italy Clay   Sophie Woorons 6–4, 6–3
Winner 4. 8 April 1991 Limoges, France Carpet   Eugenia Maniokova 7–5, 5–7, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 14 June 1992 Modena, Italy Clay   Joannette Kruger 4–6, 3–6
Winner 6. 26 October 1992 Mount Gambier, Australia Hard   Sandra Cacic 6–4, 6–2
Winner 7. 23 November 1992 Nuriootpa, Australia Hard   Michelle Jaggard-Lai 7–6, 3–6, 6–3
Winner 8. 8 May 1995 Szczecin, Poland Clay   Magdalena Grzybowska 7–5, 7–6

Doubles (2–7)

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Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 2 July 1990 Cherbourg, France Clay   Olivia Gravereaux   Cora Linneman
  Louise Pleming
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 2. 24 June 1991 Caltagiron, Italy Hard   Olivia Gravereaux   Silvia Farina Elia
  Misumi Miyauchi
7–6, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 14 June 1992 Modena, Italy Clay   Natalie Tschan   Ruxandra Dragomir
  Elena Pampoulova
3–6, 6–7
Runner-up 4. 22 June 1992 Reggio Emilia, Italy Clay   Barbara Collet   Ruxandra Dragomir
  Natalie Tschan
6–3, 2–6, 1–6
Runner-up 5. 24 April 1995 Budapest, Hungary Clay   Kristin Godridge   Eva Melicharová
  Helena Vildová
3–6, 4–6
Winner 6. 8 August 1999 Lexington, United States Hard   Florencia Labat   Kim Eun-ha
  Julie Pullin
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up 7. 17 October 1999 Poitiers, France Hard (i)   Rita Grande   Émilie Loit
  Åsa Carlsson
2–6, 6–7(5–7)
Winner 8. 20 February 2000 Redbridge, England Hard (i)   Tina Križan   Julie Pullin
  Lorna Woodroffe
7–6(7–4), 3–6, 7–6(7–1)
Runner-up 9. 20 August 2000 Bronx, United States Hard   Émilie Loit   Surina De Beer
  Nana Miyagi
7–5, 4–6, 4–6

References

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  1. ^ "Alexandra Fusai WTA Tour website". WTA Tour official website.
  2. ^ a b "ITF profile of Alexandra Fusai". ITF.
  3. ^ "Players: Alexandra Fusai (France)". Fed Cup official website.
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