Brenda Schultz-McCarthy


Brenda Anne Marie Schultz-McCarthy is a former Dutch tennis player. Primarily known by her maiden name Brenda Schultz, she married Sean McCarthy, a former American football player at University of Cincinnati, on 8 April 1995 and adopted his surname. Schultz is known for her fast serve; she has the eighth-fastest serve ever recorded by a female tennis player.

Tennis career

Schultz' career high was in 1996 when she reached World No. 9. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1995. She retired from tennis in 1999 with longstanding injuries. She came out of retirement in 2005, playing Fed Cup and WTA tournaments in 2006. The best result of her comeback came in June 2006 at the Tier III Ordina Open in the Netherlands, reaching the quarterfinals with wins over two players ranked in the top 70 on the WTA Tour.
In July 2006, Schultz-McCarthy claimed her place as the fastest server in WTA history, recording a 130 mph serve in the first round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open qualifying tournament, held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Venus Williams previously held the women's record set in 1998 of 127 mph in a match in a quarter-finals win against Mary Pierce in Zurich. Williams would tie the record in 2008. In June 2007, Schultz-McCarthy won an ITF tournament in Surbiton.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 1 (0–1)

Mixed doubles: 1 (0–1)

WTA career finals

Singles (7 wins, 9 losses)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.Feb 1988Oklahoma City, U.S.Carpet Lori McNeil3–6, 2–6
Loss2.Apr 1988Taipei, TaiwanCarpet Stephanie Rehe4–6, 4–6
Loss3.Jan 1989Brisbane, AustraliaHard Helena Suková6–7, 6–7
Win1.Aug 1991Schenectady, U.S.Hard Alexia Dechaume7–6, 6–2
Win2.Jun 1992Birmingham, UKGrass Jenny Byrne6–2, 6–2
Loss4.Jul 1992Palermo, ItalyClay Mary Pierce1–6, 7–6, 1–6
Loss5.Aug 1992Schenectady, U.S.Hard Barbara Rittner6–7, 3–6
Win3.May 1993Taranto, ItalyClay Debbie Graham7–6, 6–2
Loss6.Feb 1994Oklahoma City, U.S.Hard Meredith McGrath6–7, 6–7
Loss7.May 1994Berlin, GermanyClay Steffi Graf6–7, 4–6
Loss8.Jul 1994Palermo, ItalyClay Irina Spîrlea4–6, 6–1, 6–7
Loss9.Nov 1994Quebec City, CanadaCarpet Katerina Maleeva3–6, 3–6
Win4.Feb 1995Oklahoma City, U.S.Hard Elena Likhovtseva6–1, 6–2
Win5.Nov 1995Quebec City, CanadaHard Dominique Monami7–6, 6–2
Win6.Feb 1996Oklahoma City, U.S.Hard Amanda Coetzer6–3, 6–2
Win7.Oct 1997Quebec City, CanadaHard Dominique Van Roost6–4, 6–7, 7–5

Doubles (9 wins - 10 losses)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.Apr 1989Tampa, U.S.Clay Andrea Temesvári Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank
7–6, 6–4
Loss1.Jul 1989Arcachon, FranceClay Mercedes Paz Sandra Cecchini
Patricia Tarabini
3–6, 6–7
Loss2.Nov 1990Nashville, U.S.Hard Caroline Vis Kathy Jordan
Larisa Neiland
1–6, 2–6
Win2.May 1993Taranto, ItalyClay Debbie Graham Petra Langrová
Mercedes Paz
6–0, 6–4
Loss3.May 1993Berlin, GermanyClay Debbie Graham Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
1–6, 3–6
Loss4.Jul 1993Palermo, ItalyClay Silvia Farina Elia Karin Kschwendt
Natalia Medvedeva
4–6, 6–7
Loss5.May 1994Rome, ItalyClay Gabriela Sabatini Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
1–6, 3–6
Loss6.Nov 1994Philadelphia, U.S.Carpet Gabriela Sabatini Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Win3.Feb 1995Chicago, United StatesCarpet Gabriela Sabatini Tami Whitlinger Jones
Marianne Werdel
5–7, 7–6, 6–4
Loss7.Feb 1995Oklahoma City, U.S.Hard Katrina Adams Nicole Arendt
Laura Golarsa
4–6, 3–6
Win4.Aug 1995Toronto, CanadaHard Gabriela Sabatini Martina Hingis
Iva Majoli
4–6, 6–0, 6–3
Loss8.Sep 1995US Open, Flushing MeadowsHard Rennae Stubbs Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
5–7, 3–6
Loss9.Oct 1995Leipzig, GermanyCarpet Caroline Vis Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
4–6, 4–6
Win5.Feb 1996Oklahoma City, U.S.Hard Chanda Rubin Katrina Adams
Debbie Graham
6–3, 6–2
Win6.Mar 1996Indian Wells, U.S.Hard Chanda Rubin Julie Halard-Decugis
Nathalie Tauziat
6–1, 6–4
Win7.May 1996Hamburg, GermanyClay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Gigi Fernández
Martina Hingis
4–6, 7–6, 6–4
Win8.Jun 1996Rosmalen, NetherlandsGrass Larisa Neiland Kristie Boogert
Helena Suková
6–4, 7–6
Win9.Oct 1996Quebec City, CanadaHard Debbie Graham Amy Frazier
Kimberly Po
6–1, 6–4
Loss10.Feb 1997Hannover, GermanyCarpet Larisa Neiland Nicole Arendt
Manon Bollegraf
6–4, 3–6, 6–7

ITF Finals

Singles Finals (3-2)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner1.5 1 1987Chicago, United StatesHard Anne Grousbeck6–4, 6–3
Runner-up2.27 July 1987Neumünster, West GermanyClay Julie Halard-Decugis2–6, 4–6
Winner3.6 2 1994Midland, United StatesHard Meredith McGrath6–2, 1–0 Ret.
Runner-up4.5 February 1995Midland, United StatesHard Chanda Rubin5–7, 4–6
Runner-up5.8 May 2007Palm Beach, United StatesClay Rossana de los Ríos5–7, 4–6
Winner6.9 June 2007Surbiton, United KingdomGrass Ayumi Morita4–6, 6–4, 7–6

Doubles Finals (1-1)

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Tournament1987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999Career SR
Australian OpenA1R4R2R1R1RAA4R4R2RAA0 / 8
French OpenA4R1R2R1R3R4R3R2R3R3R1R1R0 / 12
WimbledonA1R1R4R4R1R3R2RQF3R3RAA0 / 10
US Open1R1R1R1R2R3R3R1RQF2R2RAA0 / 11
SR0 / 10 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 30 / 30 / 40 / 40 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 41