Article written by Gerhard Grundhammer

Lisa Raymond started playing tennis at the age of seven. She had a coach by the name of Charlie Oliver. The greatest gift or lesson that he tought Lisa was to just enjoy life and be a normal kid. She lived with her family in Wayne, Pennsylvania and opted to stay in High school instead of joining the WTA tour. She wanted to enjoy her senior year of high school and all the benefits it had to offer such as her class trip to Cancun and the senior prom. Once she is done with her pro career on the WTA she wants to return to the University of Florida to complete her credits to get her crimmology degree. Lisa`s ultimate job in criminology would be to work for the FBI. The branch she likes and wants to work in most, is the bahavioral science. Yes, in fact, she wants to become the next Agent Scully.

 The USA Fed Cup team winning team member 2000, is perhaps still most widely acknowledged as doubles player, being part of one of the most consistent teams on the women`s tour, but she also has achieved some notable scalps in the singles. Lisa`s roots are deeply athletic, she is an excellent football player and enjoys a number of sports, including volleyball. Her other interests include music and she enjoys listening to Sister Hazel and Sarah McLaughan. She enjoys eating Indian and burger and fries, shopping and watching television. The rather small girl (1.65 meters / 5`5``) turned pro in 1993 at the age of 20.

 Lisa has won one of her 3 carreer-singles titles. Memphis 2002, Birmingham 2000 and Quebec in 1996. But her doubles-highlights are just fantastic. She won Sydney, Tokyo, Scottsdale, Indian Wells, Charleston, Eastbourne and Stanford, all with her partner Rennae Stubbs + Filderstadt with Davenport. And that is only the year 2002 i am talking about!!!

 Fortunately Jelena playes Lisa at the singles competition and so I will concentrate on her singles performances from now on. Lisa is ranked no 30 in the world, and I hardly know any player, who deserved a certain spot more than she does. In 2002 she beat nearly every player ranked below her, and also lost nearly every match to players inside the top 30.

 And if you think thats consistant, i got even more for you: She had 7 matches vs. top 10 players last year, where she has not even won a set! Hantuchova, Hingis, Myskina and Venus Williams (twice) were the names of these players, and of course Mrs. Dokic, who beat her twice, also.

 The first time they met was on August 20, 2001 at New Haven, where Dokic won that second round match quite easyly 6-3 and 6-0 only to loose the next round to Capriati in straight sets.... There second meeting happened at Birmingham, and Jelena won 6-1 and 7-5 to win the title!

 2003 started as usual for americas no 9. She played an excellent qualification at Sydney, won her first round match vs. Daniilidou in three sets, before falling to Davenport 6-4 and 6-1. Only the Australian Open were rather disappointing for her, as she lost there in the second round to Anca Barna.

 Wins over Paola Suarez and Maggie Maleeva brought her to the quarterfinal of Tokyo, where she lost last year her opening match to Amanda Coetzer in straight sets, but won the doubles title. The match is scheduled as match no 3 on center court, and so it should start at about 1.30pm local time which is:
8.30pm in L.A. (thursday)
11.30pm in New York (thursday)
4.30am in London (friday)
5.30am in Belgrade (friday)
 

 "One of the things I`ve learned about Lisa from watching her play is that she`s a fighter. She has a lot of heart and always gives 110%. Lisa is always gracious to her fans stopping and signing autographs". Rennae Stubbs