Lori McNeil


Lori McNeil is an American tennis coach and former top 10 professional tennis player. McNeil was a singles semi-finalist at the US Open in 1987 and Wimbledon in 1994, a women's doubles finalist at the Australian Open in 1987 with Zina Garrison and French Open mixed doubles winner in 1988 with Jorge Lozano.

Personal

McNeil was born the youngest of four siblings to mother Dorothy and father Charlie McNeil, who played professional football with the San Diego Chargers during the 1960s. Moving from San Diego to Houston, McNeil developed her tennis skills at MacGregor Park playground, a public facility in the Third Ward district. It was there she became close childhood friends with fellow future professional tennis player, Zina Garrison.

Career

Lori McNeil attended Oklahoma State University for two years and played tennis for the Cowgirls, reaching the 1983 NCAA Quarterfinals.
McNeil played on the WTA Tour for 19 years from 1983–2002. She won a total of 10 singles and 33 doubles titles during her career. Her career-high world rankings were World No. 9 in singles, and World No. 4 in doubles.
In 1987, McNeil received the WTA Most Improved Player of the Year award.
McNeil is perhaps best remembered for her results against Steffi Graf. In 1992, McNeil defeated Graf 7–6, 6–4 in the first round of the WTA Tour Championships, marking the first time since 1985 that Graf had lost in the opening round of a tournament. Then, in 1994, McNeil beat Graf 7–5, 7–6 in the first round at Wimbledon, the first time in Grand Slam history that a defending-champion had suffered a first round loss.
That year, McNeil went on to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon before losing to eventual-champion Conchita Martínez 3–6, 6–2, 10–8. This equalled McNeil's best-ever Grand Slam singles performance – she also reached the semi-finals at the US Open in 1987 where she lost to Graf 4–6, 6–2, 6–4.
Despite never winning a women's doubles Grand Slam title, she reached the quarter-final stage or better on 22 occasions at Grand Slam level, and won multiple WTA-tour doubles titles with many of the leading doubles players of the era, including Martina Navratilova, Gigi Fernández, Rennae Stubbs, Katrina Adams, Zina Garrison and Helena Suková.
From 2001-2004, McNeil coached former top-5 player Amanda Coetzer. Partnering together, coach and student reached the doubles quarterfinals of the 2002 Australian Open. In 2004 and 2008, McNeil was also Assistant Coach to the US Olympic tennis teams.
In 2006, McNeil was inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 1 (1 loss)

Mixed doubles: 4 (1 win, 3 losses)

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 21 (10–11)

ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.Feb 1986Oklahoma CityCarpet Marcella Mesker4–6, 6–4, 3–6
Loss2.Jul 1986NewportGrass Pam Shriver4–6, 2–6
Win1.Sep 1986TampaHard Zina Garrison2–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win2.Sep 1986:fr:Tournoi de Tulsa|TulsaHard Beth Herr6–0, 6–1
Loss3.Feb 1987Oklahoma CityHard Elizabeth Smylie6–4, 3–6, 5–7
Loss4.Mar 1987PiscatawayCarpet Helena Suková0–6, 3–6
Loss5.Sep 1987New OrleansCarpet Chris Evert3–6, 5–7
Win3.Feb 1988Oklahoma CityCarpet Brenda Schultz6–3, 6–2
Loss6.May 1988GenevaClay Barbara Paulus4–6, 7–5, 1–6
Win4.Jul 1988NewportGrass Barbara Potter6–4, 4–6, 6–3
Loss7.Jan 1989TokyoCarpet Martina Navratilova7–6, 3–6, 6–7
Win5.Aug 1989AlbuquerqueHard Elna Reinach6–1, 6–3
Win6.Feb 1991DenverCarpet Manon Bollegraf6–3, 6–4
Win7.Apr 1991TokyoHard Sabine Appelmans2–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss8.Jul 1991WestchesterHard Isabelle Demongeot4–6, 4–6
Loss9.Feb 1992Oklahoma CityHard Zina Garrison5–7, 6–3, 5–7
Win8.Jun 1992EastbourneGrass Linda Wild6–4, 6–4
Win9.Jun 1993BirminghamGrass Zina Garrison6–4, 2–6, 6–3
Win10.Jun 1994BirminghamGrass Zina Garrison6–2, 6–2
Loss10.Jun 1995BirminghamGrass Zina Garrison3–6, 3–6
Loss11.Nov 1995PhiladelphiaCarpet Steffi Graf1–6, 6–4, 3–6

Doubles: 64 (33–31)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.September 26, 1983BakersfieldHard :fr:Kylie Copeland|Kylie Copeland Ann Henricksson
Patricia Medrado
6–4, 6–3
Loss1.April 1, 1985Seabrook IslandClay Elise Burgin Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
1–6, 3–6
Win2.October 21, 1985BrightonCarpet Catherine Suire Barbara Potter
Helena Suková
4–6, 7–6, 6–4
Loss2.February 24, 1986Oklahoma CityCarpet Catherine Suire Marcella Mesker
Pascale Paradis
6–2, 6–7, 1–6
Loss3.October 6, 1986ZürichCarpet Alycia Moulton Steffi Graf
Gabriela Sabatini
6–1, 4–6, 4–6
Win3.October 27, 1986IndianapolisHard Zina Garrison Candy Reynolds
Anne Smith
4–5 ret.
Win4.November 10, 1986San JuanHard Mercedes Paz Gigi Fernández
Robin White
6–2, 3–6, 6–4
Win5.December 1, 1986Buenos AiresClay Mercedes Paz Manon Bollegraf
Nicole Jagerman
6–1, 2–6, 6–1
Loss4.January 12, 1987Australian OpenGrass Zina Garrison Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
1–6, 0–6
Loss5.February 9, 1987Oklahoma CityHard :fr:Kim Sands|Kim Sands Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
4–6, 4–6
Loss6.March 23, 1987Washington, D.C.Carpet Zina Garrison Elise Burgin
Pam Shriver
1–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win6.March 29, 1987PiscatawayCarpet Gigi Fernández Betsy Nagelsen
Elizabeth Smylie
6–1, 6–4
Loss7.April 6, 1987Hilton Head IslandClay Zina Garrison Mercedes Paz
Eva Pfaff
6–7, 5–7
Loss8.April 20, 1987HoustonClay Zina Garrison Kathy Jordan
Martina Navratilova
2–6, 4–6
Win7.July 13, 1987NewportGrass Gigi Fernández Anne Hobbs
Kathy Jordan
7–6, 7–5
Loss9.August 10, 1987Los AngelesHard Zina Garrison Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Win8.August 17, 1987TorontoHard Zina Garrison Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
6–1, 6–2
Win9.August 24, 1987MahwahHard Gigi Fernández Anne Hobbs
Elizabeth Smylie
6–3, 6–2
Win10.September 28, 1987New OrleansCarpet Zina Garrison Peanut Louie Harper
Heather Ludloff
6–3, 6–4
Loss10.October 12, 1987FilderstadtCarpet Zina Garrison Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
1–6, 2–6
Loss11.November 9, 1987ChicagoCarpet Zina Garrison Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win11.February 8, 1988DallasCarpet Eva Pfaff Gigi Fernández
Zina Garrison
2–6, 6–4, 7–5
Win12.February 29, 1988San AntonioHard Helena Suková Rosalyn Fairbank
Gretchen Magers
6–3, 6–7, 6–2
Win13.April 4, 1988Hilton Head IslandClay Martina Navratilova Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Gabriela Sabatini
6–2, 2–6, 6–3
Loss12.April 18, 1988HoustonClay Martina Navratilova Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
7–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss13.July 11, 1988NewportGrass Gigi Fernández Rosalyn Fairbank
Barbara Potter
4–6, 3–6
Loss14.October 3, 1988New OrleansHard Betsy Nagelsen Beth Herr
Candy Reynolds
4–6, 4–6
Win14.October 24, 1988BrightonCarpet Betsy Nagelsen Isabelle Demongeot
Nathalie Tauziat
7–6, 2–6, 7–6
Win15.November 7, 1988ChicagoCarpet Betsy Nagelsen Larisa Savchenko
Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Loss15.November 28, 1988AdelaideHard Jana Novotná Sylvia Hanika
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
5–7, 7–6, 4–6
Win16.February 27, 1989Oklahoma CityHard Betsy Nagelsen Elise Burgin
Elizabeth Smylie
w/o
Loss16.March 20, 1989Key BiscayneHard Gigi Fernández Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
6–7, 4–6
Loss17.April 24, 1989HoustonClay Gigi Fernández Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
3–6, 4–6
Win17.May 22, 1989GenevaClay Katrina Adams Larisa Savchenko
Natasha Zvereva
2–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win18.July 17, 1989NewportGrass Gigi Fernández Elizabeth Smylie
Wendy Turnbull
6–3, 6–7, 7–5
Win19.October 23, 1989BrightonCarpet Katrina Adams Hana Mandlíková
Jana Novotná
4–6, 7–6, 6–4
Win20.October 30, 1989IndianapolisHard Katrina Adams Claudia Porwik
Larisa Savchenko
6–4, 6–4
Loss18.February 11, 1991DenverCarpet Patty Fendick Lise Gregory
Gretchen Rush
4–6, 4–6
Win21.May 20, 1991StrasbourgClay Stephanie Rehe Manon Bollegraf
Mercedes Paz
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Loss19.July 22, 1991WestchesterHard Katrina Adams Rosalyn Fairbank
Lise Gregory
5–7, 4–6
Win22.September 30, 1991MilanCarpet Sandy Collins Sabine Appelmans
Raffaella Reggi
7–6, 6–3
Loss20.October 7, 1991ZürichCarpet Zina Garrison Jana Novotná
Andrea Strnadová
4–6, 3–6
Loss21.October 21, 1991BrightonCarpet Zina Garrison Pam Shriver
Natasha Zvereva
1–6, 2–6
Win23.February 17, 1992Oklahoma CityHard Nicole Provis Katrina Adams
Manon Bollegraf
3–6, 6–4, 7–6
Loss22.May 18, 1992StrasbourgClay Mercedes Paz Patty Fendick
Andrea Strnadová
3–6, 4–6
Win24.June 8, 1992BirminghamGrass Rennae Stubbs Sandy Collins
Elna Reinach
5–7, 6–3, 8–6
Win25.August 17, 1992MontrealHard Rennae Stubbs Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
3–6, 7–5, 7–5
Runner-up23.January 11, 1993SydneyHard Rennae Stubbs Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Smylie
6–7, 2–6
Runner-up24.February 1, 1993TokyoCarpet Rennae Stubbs Martina Navratilova
Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win26.June 7, 1993BirminghamGrass Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver
Elizabeth Smylie
6–3, 6–4
Win27.March 28, 1994Hilton Head IslandClay Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 4–1 ret.
Win28.May 16, 1994StrasbourgClay Rennae Stubbs Patricia Tarabini
Caroline Vis
6–3, 3–6, 6–2
Runner-up25.March 6, 1995Delray BeachHard Larisa Neiland Mary Joe Fernández
Jana Novotná
4–6, 0–6
Runner-up26.October 16, 1995BrightonCarpet Helena Suková Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
5–7, 1–6
Win29.October 30, 1995OaklandCarpet Helena Suková Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win30.November 6, 1995PhiladelphiaCarpet Helena Suková Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up27.January 8, 1996SydneyHard Helena Suková Lindsay Davenport
Mary Joe Fernández
3–6, 3–6
Runner-up28.February 19, 1996EssenCarpet Helena Suková Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up29.June 10, 1996BirminghamGrass Nathalie Tauziat Elizabeth Smylie
Linda Wild
3–6, 6–3, 1–6
Runner-up30.November 11, 1996PhiladelphiaCarpet Nicole Arendt Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win31.October 26, 1998Quebec CityHard Kimberly Po Chanda Rubin
Sandrine Testud
6–7, 7–5, 6–4
Win32.February 19, 2001Oklahoma CityHard Amanda Coetzer Janet Lee
Wynne Prakusya
6–3, 2–6, 6–0
Runner-up31.May 21, 2001StrasbourgClay Amanda Coetzer Silvia Farina Elia
Iroda Tulyaganova
1–6, 6–7
Win33.September 10, 2001BahiaHard Amanda Coetzer Nicole Arendt
Patricia Tarabini
6–7, 6–2, 6–4

Grand Slam tournament timeline

Singles

Doubles

Mixed doubles