Mercedes Paz


Mercedes María Paz is a former professional tennis player from Argentina, who won three singles titles during her career on the WTA Tour. She reached her highest career ranking of 28 on April 29, 1991. Her best Grand Slam finish was the fourth round at the 1986 French Open and the 1990 French Open.
Paz unexpectedly defeated defending champion Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the second round of the 1990 French Open. Later that year, at the Virginia Slims of Worcester, Paz also defeated Sánchez Vicario in the round of 16. Five years before, in the semifinals of the 1985 Brazil Open, she beat top-seeded Gabriela Sabatini en route to beating Peruvian Laura Arraya for the title. In so doing, Paz became the first Argentinian woman to capture a major WTA event. In addition to wins over Sánchez Vicario and Sabatini, she also defeated top-seeded Jana Novotná in three sets to reach the semifinals of the Belgian Ladies Open in Brussels in 1989. The previous year, at the 1988 Hilton Head tournament, Paz had defeated Novotná in the round of 32 for the first time.

WTA Tour finals

Singles 6 (3–3)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.18 March 1985São Paulo, BrazilClay Laura Arraya5–7, 6–1, 6–4
Runner-up1.20 October 1986SingaporeHard Gigi Fernández6–4, 2–6, 6–4
Runner-up2.10 October 1988San Juan, Puerto RicoHard Anne Minter2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Winner2.7 November 1988Guarujá, BrazilHard Rene Simpson7–5, 6–2
Runner-up3.17 July 1989Brussels, BelgiumClay Radka Zrubáková7–6, 6–4
Winner3.21 May 1990Strasbourg, FranceClay Ann Grossman6–2, 6–3

Doubles 40 (22–18)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1.1 October 1984Tokyo, JapanHard Ronni Reis Emilse Raponi-Longo
Adriana Villagrán
6–4, 7–5
Winner2.18 March 1985São Paulo, BrazilClay Gabriela Sabatini Csilla Bartos
Neige Dias
7–5, 6–4
Winner3.19 August 1985Monticello, USAHard Gabriela Sabatini Kateřina Böhmová
Andrea Holíková
5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Winner4.10 November 1986San Juan, Puerto RicoHard Lori McNeil Gigi Fernández
Robin White
6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Winner5.1 December 1986Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClay Lori McNeil Manon Bollegraf
Nicole Muns-Jagerman
6–1, 2–6, 6–1
Runner-up1.30 March 1987Wild Dunes, USAClay Candy Reynolds Laura Arraya
Tine Scheuer-Larsen
6–4, 6–4
Winner6.6 April 1987Hilton Head, USAClay Eva Pfaff Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
7–6, 7–5
Winner7.30 November 1987Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClay Gabriela Sabatini Jill Hetherington
Christiane Jolissaint
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up2.7 December 1987Guarujá, BrazilHard Jill Hetherington Katrina Adams
Cheryl Jones
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Winner8.4 July 1988Båstad, SwedenClay Sandra Cecchini Linda Ferrando
Silvia La Fratta
6–0, 6–2
Winner9.11 July 1988Brussels, BelgiumClay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Katerina Maleeva
Raffaella Reggi
7–6, 6–1
Winner10.7 November 1988Guarujá, BrazilHard Bettina Fulco Carin Bakkum
Simone Schilder
6–3, 6–4
Winner11.1 May 1989Taranto, ItalyClay Sabrina Goleš Sophie Amiach
Emmanuelle Derly
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up3.8 May 1989Rome, ItalyClay Manon Bollegraf Elizabeth Smylie
Janine Thompson
6–4, 6–3
Winner12.22 May 1989Strasbourg, FranceClay Judith Wiesner Lise Gregory
Gretchen Magers
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up4.10 July 1989Arcachon, FranceClay Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Sandra Cecchini
Patricia Tarabini
6–3, 7–6
Winner13.17 July 1989Brussels, BelgiumClay Manon Bollegraf Carin Bakkum
Simone Schilder
6–1, 6–2
Winner14.24 July 1989Båstad, SwedenClay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Sabrina Goleš
Katerina Maleeva
6–2, 7–5
Winner15.11 December 1989Guarujá, BrazilHard Patricia Tarabini Cláudia Chabalgoity
Luciana Corsato
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up5.2 April 1990Hilton Head, USAClay Natasha Zvereva Martina Navratilova
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 6–1
Winner16.9 April 1990Amelia Island, USAClay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Regina Kordová
Andrea Temesvári
7–6, 6–4
Winner17.16 April 1990Tampa, USAClay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Laura Arraya
Sandra Cecchini
6–2, 6–0
Winner18.23 April 1990Barcelona, SpainClay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Sabrina Goleš
Patricia Tarabini
6–7, 6–2, 6–1
Winner19.9 July 1990Båstad, SwedenClay Tine Scheuer-Larsen Carin Bakkum
Nicole Muns-Jagerman
6–3, 6–7, 6–2
Runner-up6.13 August 1990Manhattan Beach, USAHard Gabriela Sabatini Gigi Fernández
Jana Novotná
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Runner-up7.15 October 1990Filderstadt, West GermanyHard Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Mary Joe Fernández
Zina Garrison
7–5, 6–3
Runner-up8.12 November 1990New York, USACarpet Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Kathy Jordan
Elizabeth Smylie
7–6, 6–4
Runner-up9.8 April 1991Amelia Island, USAClay Natasha Zvereva Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Helena Suková
4–6, 6–2, 6–2
Runner-up10.20 May 1991Strasbourg, FranceClay Manon Bollegraf Lori McNeil
Stephanie Rehe
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up11.8 July 1991Palermo, ItalyClay Laura Garrone Petra Langrová
Mary Pierce
6–3, 6–7, 6–3
Runner-up12.15 July 1991San MarinoClay Laura Garrone Kerry-Anne Guse
Akemi Nishiya
6–0, 6–3
Runner-up13.11 November 1991Indianapolis, USAHard Katrina Adams Patty Fendick
Gigi Fernández
6–4, 6–2
Winner20.2 December 1991São Paulo, BrazilClay Inés Gorrochategui Renata Baranski
Laura Glitz
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up14.18 May 1992Strasbourg, FranceClay Lori McNeil Patty Fendick
Andrea Strnadová
6–3, 6–4
Runner-up15.24 August 1992San Diego, USAHard Conchita Martínez Jana Novotná
Larisa Neiland
6–1, 6–4
Runner-up16.26 April 1993Taranto, ItalyClay Petra Langrová Debbie Graham
Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
6–0, 6–4
Runner-up17.26 July 1993Stratton Mountain, USAHard Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere Elizabeth Smylie
Helena Suková
6–1, 6–2
Winner21.31 January 1994Auckland, New ZealandHard Patricia Hy Jenny Byrne
Julie Richardson
6–4, 7–6
Winner22.24 April 1995Zagreb, CroatiaClay Rene Simpson Laura Golarsa
Irina Spîrlea
7–5, 6–2
Runner-up18.14 July 1997Palermo, ItalyClay Florencia Labat Silvia Farina Elia
Barbara Schett
2–6, 6–1, 6–4