Fernández, Mary Joe (1971-…), is a Dominican Republic-born tennis star and a tennis analyst on television. Before beginning her television career, Fernandez ranked as high as number four in the world as a singles player. She was especially successful in women’s doubles competition.
Maria José Fernández was born on Aug. 19, 1971, in the Dominican Republic to a Spanish father and a Cuban mother. The family moved to Miami when Mary Joe was an infant. She won her first national tennis title at the age of 10 and turned professional in 1986.
Fernández won two grand slam doubles titles. The grand slam tournaments are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the United States Open. Fernández won the 1991 Australian Open doubles title with Patty Fendick of the United States and the 1996 French Open doubles title with Lindsay Davenport of the United States. Fernández also won two gold medals in women’s doubles in the Summer Olympic games, in 1992 and 1996, both with Gigi Fernández (no relation) as her partner.
Mary Joe Fernández had wrist surgery in 1997 and continuing physical difficulties led to her retirement as a player in 2000. She joined the ESPN cable network as a tennis analyst the same year.
