Mara Santangelo was born on 28 June 1981 and is a retired tennis player from Italy and Grand Slam champion in double.
18 Facts About Mara Santangelo
2.
Mara Santangelo won her first WTA title in 2006, defeating Jelena Kostanic in the final, her first victory on the WTA-level.
3.
Mara Santangelo defeated Anastasia Myskina in 2006, her first win over a top-20 player.
4.
In Moscow, Mara Santangelo lost in the first round to Iveta Benesova in another three-setter.
5.
In Linz, Mara Santangelo defeated Alona Bondarenko; she lost to eventual semifinalist Nicole Vaidisova.
6.
Mara Santangelo ended the year ranked world No 31, a new career high.
7.
At the Australian Open, Mara Santangelo drew then-world No 81 eventual champion Serena Williams in the first round, losing in two sets.
8.
Mara Santangelo reached her first quarterfinal of the year at the Tier IV Pattaya City tournament, losing to Sania Mirza in straight sets.
9.
At her very next tournament, the Tier III Bangalore, as the defending champion, Mara Santangelo made the final for the second straight year, where she lost to Yaroslava Shvedova in the final.
10.
Mara Santangelo lost in the round of 16 to Anna Chakvetadze.
11.
At the French Open, in singles, Mara Santangelo reached the third round, losing to eventual champion Henin.
12.
In 2007 Wimbledon Championships, Mara Santangelo was defeated in round three by the defending champion and fourth-seeded, Amelie Mauresmo, in 57 minutes.
13.
Mara Santangelo had to miss the warm-ups for the Australian Open and the Australian Open itself in 2008 because of a troublesome left foot injury.
14.
Mara Santangelo had to miss the Paris Indoors event and the Bangalore Open event, where she has previously won a WTA title and been a runner-up.
15.
In May 2010, Mara Santangelo announced her decision to compete in doubles events only, citing her recurrent left foot injury as the main cause that persuaded her to renounce to play singles matches.
16.
Mara Santangelo was born in Latina, but grew up in the Fiemme Valley in Trentino.
17.
Mara Santangelo started playing tennis at the age of 6.
18.
Mara Santangelo has written an autobiography, Te lo prometto, based on her tennis career and spiritual life.