Bethanie Mattek-Sands - Tennis Career

Tennis Career

In 1999, Mattek played her first WTA Tour event in Philadelphia where she received a wildcard into the qualifying. She fell in the first round of qualifying to Nana Miyagi 6–3, 6–2. It was the only tour match of the year for Mattek. Then in 2000, Mattek received a wildcard into qualifying at the Lipton International Players Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida but fell in the first round to Anca Barna 6–1, 6–2. Later in the year, Mattek played in her first Grand Slam event at the US Open. She was given a wildcard into the qualification rounds, and fell in the first round to 28th-seeded Gisela Riera 5–7, 6–2, 6–2.

In 2001, Mattek again received a wildcard into the qualifying at the Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida. She won her first match against 12th-seeded Catalina Castaño 6–4, 7–6(3) but fell in the next round to 14th-seeded Sandra Cacic 7–5, 6–4. Mattek received direct entry into the ITF event Boynton Beach due to a wildcard. She defeated top-seeded Elena Likhovtseva 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 in the first round and Jennifer Hopkins 6–2, 6–0 in the second round. She lost in the quarterfinals against Asa Carlsson 6–1, 6–1. With these successes, she rose to World No. 343 in the rankings. Mattek received direct entry to the tournament in Amelia Island, Florida thanks to a wildcard. She lost first round to lucky loser Jill Craybas 4–6, 6–1, 6–3. Mattek played another ITF event Bronx as a wildcard and lost first round to Sylvia Plischke 6–1, 6–4. Mattek played her first main draw as a wildcard at a Grand Slam tournament at the US Open and lost to Australia's Alicia Molik 4–6, 6–2, 6–4. Mattek ended the year ranked World No. 338.

Mattek reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 38 on November 3, 2008 and career-high ranking of World No. 24 in doubles. At Grand Slam tournaments, she has reached the second round of the 2008 French Open, extending World No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who had beaten her on their only meeting till that day 6–0, 6–0 on green clay, to three sets, and the second round of the 2007 US Open; her best result was at Wimbledon in 2008 where she reached the fourth round, claiming her first top 10 win over 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli. She reached the last sixteen, losing to Serena Williams 6–3, 6–3.

At the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles, Mattek defeated Abigail Spears in the first round 6–2, 6–4 and 11th-seeded Nicole Vaidišová in the second round 6–4, 6–0. In both victories over Vaidišová this year, Mattek managed to take a love set. She went on to defeat Olga Govortsova 7–5, 6–2 in the third round and Meng Yuan in the quarterfinals 6–2, 7–5 having recovered from a 2–5 deficit in the second set. In the semifinals, Mattek was defeated by tenth-seeded Flavia Pennetta 3–6, 6–2, 7–5. Mattek reached her first ever WTA tour final in November 2008 at the Bell Challenge in Canada losing to the top seed Nadia Petrova 4–6, 6–4, 6–1.

She pulled out of the Australian Open in January 2009 with a hip injury. She made her season debut at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA reaching the second round, defeating Tathiana Garbin in the first, before losing to Gisela Dulko. She also entered the doubles event with Mashona Washington, where she reached the third round. At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, she lost in the first round to the 18th seed from Australia, Samantha Stosur.