2022 annual summary
Under the radar at the start of the season, the Frenchwoman finished in the top 5, her best ranking in four years, after a career-resetting effort.
ByStephanie Livaudais
Posted on Dec 08, 2022
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LOOK: Caroline Garcia's press conference after winning the 2022 WTA Finals
Memorable moment:Not only did Garcia announce her return in Cincinnati by winning the WTA 1000 as a qualifier, but she also defeated three Top 10 players in the process.
Missed Opportunity:Fueled by a 13-match winning streak, Garcia, playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open, failed to keep things competitive in a straight set loss to Ons Jabeur.
Projection 2023:With his game flowing again and his confidence levels skyrocketing, Garcia is poised for a long run in the Top 10 and another shot at Grand Slam glory.
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After struggling with an ankle injury, Garcia returned to the WTA Finals for the first time since 2017.
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For tennis fans, there's something magical about watching a young player rise through the ranks (think: Carlos Alcaraz), or watching an unknown challenger make an unexpected breakthrough (Emma Raducanu), or witnessing a top player in the prime of his powers (Iga Swiatek).
But there's also something so rich and satisfying about the Caroline Garcias of the world. Those who bordered on greatness before they were ready for it, and then had to fight their way back to that place with the odds and expectations stacked against them. Those whose life-and-death battles take place on Court 5, not Center Court, but compete with equal ferocity on any stage because they no longer take anything for granted.
"I've learned to let it go," wrote the world No. 4, reflecting on her 2022 season. It was an apt summation, as for 11 months, Garcia would put old expectations behind her, putting aside her own beliefs about what her results should be. or shouldn't be, and embrace routine way back.
Having started the year ranked No. 74 and hardly anyone on the tennis radar, Garcia finished in the WTA Top 5, her highest ranking in four years, after an effort that redefined her career.
Sidelined with an ankle injury that sidelined her for two months, the 29-year-old basically had to start from scratch. For a player Andy Murray was aiming for greatness as a teenager in 2011, it was the first time in a long time that she was able to swing freely without the pressure of never fulfilling her prediction.
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Garcia has won four multi-surface singles titles: one on grass (Bad Homburg) and clay (Warsaw) and two on hard courts (Cincinnati, WTA Finals).
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"This injury allowed me to play more freely," Garcia would later write. “I learned to let go, I learned to accept my mistakes, the unexpected, to delegate, to trust myself, to follow my instincts…
"Building day after day, staying positive, confident, with simple goals in mind: be healthy, do my best day after day, live in the present moment, play my game to the fullest, I ended up having the best season of my career . !"
For the first half of the season, her unglamorous work went relatively unnoticed as slowly, through qualifiers and WTA 250 events, the Lyon native began to erode her ranking. That is, until June, when its renaissance began to accelerate.
And suddenly, it was hard not to notice the threat Garcia posed with every draw.
The Frenchwoman racked up 39 game wins from the start of June through the end of the year, finishing with a 46-20 record for the season. She won four multi-surface singles titles during that time, one on grass (Bad Homburg) and clay (Warsaw) and two on hard courts (Cincinnati, WTA Finals), also partnering with Kristina Mladenovic to lift her second Roland Garros. Doubles Trophy in May.
In Bad Homburg, Garcia returned to the WTA winners' circle for the first time since 2019, and in Warsaw she sent a message by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, her first victory over a world-ranked player in 10 attempts, with 6 -1, 1-6, 6-4 home win.
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He went on a 13-game winning streak this summer after lifting the Cincinnati trophy and reaching the semifinals of the US Open.
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But it was in Cincinnati at the Western & Southern Open that Garcia finally got the world to sit up and take notice again.
“The Cincinnati tournament showed me that I could play and beat the best players in the world and do it day after day,” Garcia said in an interview. "It was a great experience. The week in Cincinnati really helped me gain confidence in my fitness, my tennis level and my style of play."
Garcia's trademark fast hitting tennis was on full display in Cincinnati, passing No. 3 Maria Sakkari, No. 8 Jessica Pegula and No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the title, which she secured with a victory over Petra Kvitova in the final.
The Frenchwoman demonstrated her adaptable and versatile game on all surfaces and still made a big impact. He frequently confused his opponents with his combination of strength and movement, such as returning serve from inside the baseline and stepping up the court to bring in his soaring groundstrokes, stealing time from his opponents.
Not to mention, few players seemed to know how to neutralize his big serve: Garcia was not only the WTA's leading ace, hitting 394 in 63 games, but he also won 80% of the service games he played all season.
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The result propelled her back into the WTA Top 20 and built a 13-match winning streak as she reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open. The 29-year-old looked exhausted in her 6-1, 6-3 victory at the hands of Ons Jabeur, but rather than let the result unsettle her, Garcia simply let it go and got back to work, navigating the post-USA Blues United States Open.
After booking her first trip to the WTA Finals since 2017, she got another curveball. With less than a week to go before the tournament, her coach, Bertrand Perret, tendered his immediate resignation, leaving her in charge of the season-ending event alone.
And she did, accepting the challenge and delving deliciously into the Texan atmosphere as she knocked out Maria Sakkari and Sabalenka in the semifinals and final to clinch the biggest title of her career.
But such is the 'new' Garcia that, even amid the celebrations in Fort Worth, she wasn't about to rest on her laurels. After all, she's been in positions like this before, having reached No. 4 in the world rankings in 2018.
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Building day after day, being positive, confident, with simple goals in mind... I ended up having the best season of my career!Caroline Garcia
Back then, it took a similar monumental effort during the second half of the season to win back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Wuhan and Beijing and qualify for the WTA Finals. At age 24, that result launched Garcia into the Top 10 for the first time, but when those spots finally disappeared, she wouldn't be back there for nearly four years due to pressure, inconsistency and injury.
This time around, Garcia is already bracing himself for inevitable disappointment and planning his next move as he seeks consistency week after week.
"Of course I've done well in the past, I've been in the top 4, but the following year was a bit difficult", he acknowledged. “It was a good class for me and I want to be able to handle this part better. I think I grew a lot in those five years.
“We will still make mistakes here and there, but we try to do as little as possible and learn very quickly. But I really want to focus on the future, enjoy the present and see what I can improve in my game, in my physical condition, in my mental capacity."
FAQs
Who is number 2 in women's tennis? ›
| RANKING | PLAYER NAME | RANKING POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iga Swiatek | 11085 |
| 2 | Ons Jabeur | 5055 |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | 4691 |
| 4 | Caroline Garcia | 4375 |
...
Most Popular Tennis Players.
This big three is composed of the top three women in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings: World No. 1 Serena Williams, World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka and World No. 3 Maria Sharapova.
Is Garcia seeded at Wimbledon? ›Unseeded Caroline Garcia ran her grass-court winning streak to seven with an emphatic win over No. 10 seed Emma Raducanu in Round 2 at Wimbledon. After winning her first match at Wimbledon on Monday, Caroline Garcia predicted that her Round 2 clash against Emma Raducanu was ticketed for Centre Court.
Who won Morales vs Garcia? ›On March 24, 2012, popular Philadelphia boxer-puncher Danny Garcia scored a 12-round unanimous decision over faded Mexican icon Erik Morales to win the WBC junior welterweight title. The official scores were 118-109, 117-110 and 116-112.
Who is Garcia fighting next? ›Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia announce agreement in place for 2023 fight between the superstars. Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia appears to be a reality after two years of trading barbs on social media. Garcia announced on Thursday that a fight between he and Davis will take place in Las Vegas in 2023.
How tall is Caroline Garcia? › What tournament did Caroline Garcia win? ›Her most significant singles titles are the 2022 WTA Finals, Premier 5 Wuhan Open and the Premier Mandatory China Open, both achieved in 2017 and WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open in 2022. In doubles, she has won two Grand Slam titles at the French Open in 2016 and 2022 and one Premier Mandatory Madrid Open, also in 2016.
Who are Caroline Garcia parents? ›Caroline Garcia
How tall is Emily Raducanu? ›
- Iga Swiatek. POL. Iga Swiatek. POL. ...
- Ons Jabeur. TUN. Ons Jabeur. TUN. ...
- Jessica Pegula. USA. Jessica Pegula. USA. ...
- Caroline Garcia. FRA. Caroline Garcia. FRA. ...
- Aryna Sabalenka. BLR. Aryna Sabalenka. ...
- Maria Sakkari. GRE. Maria Sakkari. ...
- Coco Gauff. USA. Coco Gauff. ...
- Daria Kasatkina. RUS. Daria Kasatkina.
Serena Williams legacy will live far beyond the court. Serena Williams is the GOAT of tennis with73 singles titles, 23 doubles titles, two mixed doubles titles and four Olympic gold medals but her impact extends beyond the court.
Who are the top 10 female tennis players 2022? ›| Rank | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iga Swiatek | POL |
| 2 | Ons Jabeur | TUN |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | USA |
| 4 | Caroline Garcia | FRA |
Serena Williams has won the most Grand Slam titles of all time during her career, with a total of 23 Grand Slam tournament victories.
Who won all 4 Grand Slams? ›Combining the Grand Slam and the non-calendar-year Grand Slam, only eight singles players on 11 occasions achieved the feat of being the reigning champion of all four majors, three men (Don Budge, Rod Laver, Novak Djokovic) and five women (Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena ...
What level is a 3.5 tennis player? ›Level 3.5. You have achieved improved stroke dependability with directional control on moderate shots, but need to develop depth and variety. You exhibit more aggressive net play, have improved court coverage and are developing teamwork in doubles.
Who was the lowest seed to win Wimbledon? ›Williams then beat 18th-seeded Marion Bartoli in the final to become the lowest-seeded player in history to win Wimbledon. That historical achievement is aided by the fact that no more than 16 players were seeded before 2001. Nonetheless, winning Wimbledon as the 23rd seed suggests how unlikely Williams' title was.
Is Nick Kyrgios seeded? ›
Polarising Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios is in career best form - despite dealing with family pain off the court. The 27-year-old will be seeded at the US Open come August 29 after an impressive 2022 to date which saw him reach the Wimbledon final.
What's the prize money for winning Wimbledon? ›Prize money for The Championships.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club is pleased to announce the total prize money fund for The Championships 2022 will be a record £40,350,000, with the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles Champions each receiving £2,000,000.
Before a crowd of 13,058 in attendance, Porter became a two-time world champion after defeating Garcia via unanimous decision.
Who did Garcia lose to in boxing? ›He ended his time in the welterweight class by splitting his final six fights, and his three losses came against the top of the division as he dropped decisions to Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, and Spence.
Who did Garcia lose to? ›He reigned between March 1998 and October 1999, defending his belt twice before losing to the late Diego Corrales. Garcia hung up his gloves with a fine record of 34-3, with 25 wins coming via knockout.
Who is the best boxing fighter in the world? ›1 – Muhammad Ali (56-5)
Muhammad Ali tops this list of the top 10 boxers.
| Age | 25 |
|---|---|
| Networth | $4 million |
| Birthdate | 1994/7/11 |
| Record | 24-0 |
| Achievements | WBA (Regular) lightweight champion Former IBF super featherweight champion, WBA (Super) super featherweight champion, current WBO super-featherweight world champion |
| Net Worth: | $10 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | May 31, 2001 (21 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Warsaw, Poland |
| Gender | Female |
| Net Worth: | $3.5 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | Mar 13, 2004 (18 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Gender | Female |
How tall is Elena Rebecca? ›
Caroline Garcia defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final, 7–6, 6–4 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2022 WTA Finals. Garcia became the first Frenchwoman to win the season-ending championships since Amélie Mauresmo in 2005. En route to the final, Sabalenka defeated the top three players in the world.
Who qualifies for WTA Finals? ›To qualify for the WTA Finals, WTA players compete throughout the year in over 53 WTA tournaments throughout the world, as well as the four Grand Slam events.
How many titles does Caroline Garcia have? ›Garcia has won 7 singles titles and 7 doubles titles. She is a 2x Grand Slam Doubles Champion, with both major titles coming at her home slam at Roland-Garros.
Has Garcia won a Grand Slam? › Was Garcia adopted? ›Garcia was adopted as a baby by a Park Slope couple–a labor negotiator and a teacher—who had two biological children and adopted Garcia along with two other children, both of whom are Black. At the event, Garcia recalled her older sister Elizabeth's experience, who was brought into the family as a 7-year-old.
Was Caroline Garcia born in France? › Can Emma Raducanu speak? ›Emma Raducanu can speak English, Mandarin and Romanian.
Is Emma Raducanu parents Chinese? ›Emma Raducanu's father Ian is Romanian while her mother Renee Zhang is Chinese. Both worked in the finance industry and moved to the UK when their daughter was just two years old. Raducanu's father encouraged her to partake in a number of hobbies that included ballet, swimming, horse riding, golf and skiing.
Is Raducanu retired? ›It is Raducanu's fourth retirement of the year. The 19-year-old fell at the first hurdle in the defence of her US Open title last month, and has slipped to 77th in the world rankings from a career-high of 10th. If she had won in Korea, a return to the top 50 looked on.
How old is Elise Cornet? ›
How tall is Sebastian quarter? ›| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Turned pro | 2018 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Petr Korda, Dean Goldfine, Theodor Devoty |
| Singles | |
|---|---|
Gnaly Albert Maxwel Cornet (born 27 September 1996) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a winger and full-back for Premier League club West Ham United and the Ivory Coast national team.
Is Raducanu in a relationship? ›The teen is currently single, but rumours previously surfaced regarding potential romances, starting with singer HRVY last year.
Is Emma Raducanu British citizen? ›Emma Raducanu may compete under the British flag but neither of her parents are actually of British descent, with the 19-year-old gaining her citizenship after moving here at the age of just two-years-old, after being born in Ontario, Canada, on November 13, 2002.
Is Emma Raducanu Father English? ›Emma Raducanu's mother, Renee, and father, Ian, will be cheering on their daughter in the US Open 2021 final from the UK. Born on 13 November 2002 in Toronto, Canada, Raducanu moved to London aged two with her Chinese mother and Romanian father.
Who's the best female tennis player as of 2022? ›| Singles | |
|---|---|
| Career titles | 1 |
| Highest ranking | No. 10 (11 July 2022) |
| Current ranking | No. 76 (24 October 2022) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
Carlos Alcaraz is the current men's world number one. The Spaniard won the 2022 US Open to secure top spot and became the youngest male to ever be crowned world No. 1 in the process.
Who is the British No 2 tennis player? ›...
Dan Evans (tennis)
| Residence | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Born | 23 May 1990 Birmingham, England |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned pro | 2006 |
| Singles | |
|---|---|
Who are the top 5 women's tennis players? ›
- Iga Swiatek. POL. Iga Swiatek. POL. ...
- Ons Jabeur. TUN. Ons Jabeur. TUN. ...
- Jessica Pegula. USA. Jessica Pegula. USA. ...
- Caroline Garcia. FRA. Caroline Garcia. FRA. ...
- Aryna Sabalenka. BLR. Aryna Sabalenka. ...
- Maria Sakkari. GRE. Maria Sakkari. ...
- Coco Gauff. USA. Coco Gauff. ...
- Daria Kasatkina. RUS. Daria Kasatkina.
Ashleigh Barty
The current World No. 1 has had an interesting career. After achieving success in the doubles section, the Australian suddenly took a hiatus from Tennis and switched to cricket where she played for the Brisbane Heat in the Women's Big Bash League.
Having lost a total of 2,030 points as a result of her first-round loss to Cornet, Raducanu is projected to slide from world No 11 down to 83 - a drop of 72 positions and just 11 points ahead of fellow Brit Harriet Dart.
Is Emma Raducanu good? ›In September 2021, Emma Raducanu made history by becoming the first qualifier and youngest British player to win a Grand Slam title at the US Open. This unbelievable run saw her rise to British No. 1 and inside the top-25 rankings for the first time in her career.
Is Raducanu a one off? ›Despite injuries plaguing Raducanu in recent months, including during her preparations for Flushing Meadows, no one is suggesting that Raducanu is one and done. She is still only 19 and the hope and expectation is that she will win many more majors.
Who is the number 2 ranked tennis player? ›| Rank | Player | Hall of Fame |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novak Djokovic | – |
| 2 | Roger Federer | – |
| 3 | Rafael Nadal | – |
| 4 | Rod Laver | 1981 |
Rafael Nadal, men's singles No. 2. Casper Ruud, men's singles No. 3. Stefanos Tsitsipas, men's singles No.4. Novak Djokovic, men's singles No. 5.
Who is the best female British tennis player? ›Leading professional tennis player, Johanna Konta is one of the most impressive female tennis players of the modern era. She is the current British number one and has ranked as high as World number 4 in the World rankings.
What is a 2 star tennis player? ›Rank 76-200- 4 Star. Rank 201-400- 3 Star. Rank 401-600- 2 Star. Rank 601-800- 1 Star. For national high school graduating class years with fewer than 800 ranked players, thresholds are scaled down proportionally.