South at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships | |
Full name | Melanie Jayne South |
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Country (sports) | ![]() |
Residence | New Malden, London |
Born | Kingston, London | 3 May 1986
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Turned pro | 2004 |
Retired | 2013 |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $464,831 |
Singles | |
Career record | 301–257 |
Career titles | 6 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 99 (2 February 2009) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (2009) |
French Open | 1R (2009) |
Wimbledon | 2R (2006) |
US Open | Q3 (2008) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 236–156 |
Career titles | 24 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 120 (9 March 2009) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Wimbledon | 2R (2008, 2009) |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Wimbledon | QF (2007) |
Team competitions | |
Fed Cup | 2–2 |
Melanie Jayne South (born 3 May 1986) is a former English tennis player. She won six singles and 24 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. On 2 February 2009, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 99. On 9 March 2009, she peaked at No. 120 in the doubles rankings.
Her greatest success in a Grand Slam tournament came in the first round of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships when she came back from one set down to beat world No. 14, Francesca Schiavone, in a match witnessed by Martina Navratilova. At the time, South was ranked No. 305 in the world and had reached the main-draw courtesy of a wildcard. Not since the third round of the 1998 tournament, when Samantha Smith beat then-world No. 7, Conchita Martínez, had a British woman beaten an opponent of a similar ranking at Wimbledon.[1] She lost in the second round to Shenay Perry, the world No. 62.[2] Outside of Wimbledon, South reached the first round of the 2009 Australian Open without needing to qualify or receiving a wildcard. This was the first time in her career that her ranking was high enough to grant her access to a Grand Slam main draw without a wildcard. She lost to world No. 17 Marion Bartoli in round one.[3]
South announced her retirement from professional tennis on 2 December 2013 in order to focus on a coaching career.[4][5]