There are many women who have made a big impression in the world of tennis, and Gabriela Sabatini happens to be one of them. The former Argentine professional tennis player made great strides in her career and was one of the best players at the end of the 80s and beginning of the 90s. Thanks to her outstanding athletic skills, she was able to win several Grand Slam titles during her career. She also won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games and won two WTA championships in 1988 and 1994.
Besides tennis, Gabriela is also an entrepreneur and owner of a perfume brand, which she runs in partnership with the German perfume manufacturer Muelhens. For her remarkable contributions to women’s tennis, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July 2006. Learn more about the former tennis star below.
Gabriela Sabatini Biography
The former tennis star was born Gabriela Beatriz Sabatini on May 16, 1970, in the Argentine city of Buenos Aires. She is the daughter of Beatriz Sabatini and her husband Osvaldo, who worked as an executive at General Motors. She spent her first years in Buenos Aires, where she grew up with her older brother.
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There is not much information about her educational background including the schools she attended. However, it is known that she started playing tennis at the young age of 6 and won her first championship at 8. When she turned 13, Gabriela made history as the youngest player to win the Orange Bowl competition. This happened after she emerged in 1983 as the winner of the tournament, which was held in Miami, Florida. She then won six major international junior championships and became the No. 1 player in the World Junior Championships in 1984.
Professional Career
The tennis prodigy turned pro in 1988 and that year she played in her first Grand Slam single at a tournament in the United States. Although she reached the final of the tournament, she lost in three rounds against the German Steffi Graf. Later she teamed up with Steffi and won the Wimbledon doubles that same year.
Gabriela Sabatini also represented Argentina at the 1988 Summer Olympics, which were held in Seoul. After an impressive performance, she finished second and won the silver medal. She concluded the year by winning the WTA Tour Championship.
The talented tennis player won her first Grand Slam single after defeating Seffi Graf at the 1990 US Open in New York. The following year she reached her third Grand Slam singles final in Wimbledon but was beaten by Steffi Graf in three rounds. At that time she became a serious contender for the world number 1 next to Graf and Monica Seles. In 1992, Gabriela won five tournaments but still failed to make it to a Grand Slam final.
In the mid-90s, the tennis player experienced a drop in performance, which led to her resignation in 1996. After playing her last singles match against Jennifer Capriati at the European Indoors, Gabriela successfully retired from the game in 1996.
In her best years she reached world number 3 in 1989 and in her impressive career she won 27 singles titles and 14 doubles. Five years after her retirement, Gabriela Sabatini was honored with the Diamond Konex Award for being the most important Argentinean sportswoman of the decade.
Gabriela Sabatini Personal Life
While Gabriela Sabatini has made a name for herself in the sand of international tennis competitions, the athlete is also successful in her private life. She has had her fair share of romantic relationships, yet she has never made it to the altar.
Before that, she had a brief relationship with Guillermo Roldan in the late 80s. After their separation, she was with Donald Trump in 1989 and with Frank Unkelbach until early 1990. In 1991 she had a short-lived affair with Michael Bolton, and the following year she met with Ricky Martin. There were rumors that she was also dating other celebrities such as Howard Carpendale, Leo Montero, and Mickey Rourke, but these speculations were never confirmed.
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Recently, Gabriela has kept a low profile, and to this day there is no news about her later relationships. We only know that she is still single and has no children at the moment.
Other Interesting Facts You Need To Know
1. Gabriela Sabatini became an Italian citizen in 2003. Her paternal great-grandfather originally came from Italy but emigrated to Argentina in the 19th century.
2. She reached the highest level of her professional career in 1988 when she became the number 3 female tennis player in the world.
3. She is also a philanthropist and has supported various charities that help poor children.
4. Sabatini currently divides her time between Buenos Aires (Argentina), Boca Raton (United States), and Pfäffikon, Schwyz (Switzerland)
