Corina Maria Morariu (born January 26, 1978) is an American former professional tennis player.
Morariu (pronounced: mo-RA-R'ju) was born in Detroit, Michigan and is of Romanian descent. She turned professional in 1994. Mainly known as a doubles specialist, she won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1999 with Lindsay Davenport. She also won the mixed-doubles title at the 2001 Australian Open with Ellis Ferreira. She reached the Australian Open women's doubles final with Davenport in 2005. She also reached the world No. 1 ranking in doubles in 2000.
In 2001, Morariu was diagnosed with leukemia and began a program of chemotherapy. During this time, Jennifer Capriati dedicated her 2001 French Open victory to Morariu. After recovering from cancer, along with shoulder surgery, Morariu was largely restricted to doubles play. The WTA then created the Corina Comeback Award, which was presented to Morariu by Capriati.
Morariu retired from the tour in 2007. She is an International Sports Ambassador for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and has released a memoir titled Living Through the Racket: How I Survived Leukemia...and Rediscovered My Self. Following her retirement, she began working as a commentator for Tennis Channel.
Grand Slam finals Doubles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1999WimbledonGrass Lindsay Davenport Mariaan de Swardt Elena Tatarkova 6–4, 6–4Loss 2001Australian OpenHard Lindsay Davenport Serena Williams Venus Williams 2–6, 6–2, 4–6Loss 2005Australian OpenHard Lindsay Davenport Svetlana Kuznetsova Alicia Molik 3–6, 4–6
Mixed doubles: 1 (title) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 2001Australian OpenHard Ellis Ferreira Barbara Schett Joshua Eagle 6–1, 6–3
WTA Tour finals
Singles: 4 (1–3) LegendTier I (0–0)Tier II (0–0)Tier III (0–1)Tier IV (1–2) ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss0–1May 1997Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Mirjana Lučić5–7, 7–6(9–7), 6–7(5–7)Loss0–2Apr 1998Japan Open, TokyoHard Ai Sugiyama3–6, 3–6Loss0–3May 1998Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Mirjana Lučić2–6, 4–6Win1–3May 1999Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Julie Halard-Decugis6–2, 6–0
Doubles: 20 (13–7) LegendGrand Slam (1–2)Tier I (1–2)Tier II (3–2)Tier III (7–1)Tier IV (1–0)
ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss1.Apr 1997Japan Open, TokyoHard Kerry-Anne Guse Alexia Dechaume-Balleret Rika Hiraki4–6, 2–6Win1.Nov 1997Pattaya Open, ThailandHard Kristine Kunce Florencia Labat Dominique Monami6–3, 6–4Win2.Jan 1999Brisbane International, AustraliaHard Larisa Neiland Kristine Kunce Irina Spîrlea6–3, 6–4Win3.Apr 1999Japan Open, TokyoHard Kimberly Po Kerry-Anne Guse Catherine Barclay6–3, 6–2Win4.Jun 1999Birmingham Classic, UKGrass Larisa Neiland Inés Gorrochategui Alexandra Fusai6–4, 6–4Win5.Jul 1999Wimbledon Championships, UKGrass Lindsay Davenport Mariaan de Swardt Elena Tatarkova6–4, 6–4Win6.Jul 1999Stanford Classic, U.S.Hard Lindsay Davenport Anna Kournikova Elena Likhovtseva6–4, 6–4Win7.Aug 1999San Diego Open, U.S.Hard Lindsay Davenport Venus Williams Serena Williams6–4, 6–1Win8.Feb 2000Cellular South Cup, U.S.Hard (i) Kimberly Po Tamarine Tanasugarn Elena Tatarkova6–4, 4–6, 6–2Win9.Mar 2000Indian Wells Open, U.S.Hard Lindsay Davenport Anna Kournikova Natasha Zvereva6–2, 6–3Win10.May 2000Bol Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Julie Halard-Decugis Katarina Srebotnik Tina Križan6–2, 6–2Loss2.May 2000German Open, BerlinClay Amanda Coetzer Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Conchita Martínez6–3, 2–6, 6–7(7–9)Win11.Oct 2000Japan Open, TokyoHard Julie Halard-Decugis Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik6–1, 6–2Loss3.Jan 2001Australian Open, MelbourneHard Lindsay Davenport Serena Williams Venus Williams2–6, 6–2, 4–6Loss4.Nov 2004Philadelphia Championships, U.S.Hard (i) Liezel Huber Lisa Raymond Alicia Molik5–7, 4–6Loss5.Jan 2005Australian Open, MelbourneHard Lindsay Davenport Svetlana Kuznetsova Alicia Molik3–6, 4–6Loss6.Feb 2005Pan Pacific Open, TokyoCarpet (i) Lindsay Davenport Janette Husárová Elena Likhovtseva4–6, 3–6Win12.Jan 2006Sydney International, AustraliaHard Rennae Stubbs Paola Suárez Virginia Ruano Pascual6–3, 5–7, 6–2Win13.Sep 2006Bali Classic, IndonesiaHard Lindsay Davenport Natalie Grandin Trudi Musgrave6–3, 6–4Loss7.Oct 2006Ladies Linz, AustriaHard (i) Katarina Srebotnik Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur3–6, 0–6
ITF Circuit finals $100,000 tournaments$75,000 tournaments$50,000 tournaments$25,000 tournaments$10,000 tournaments
Singles (5–0) ResultNo.DateLocationSurfaceOpponentScoreWin1.22 August 1994Nicolosi, ItalyHard Giulia Casoni7–5, 7–6(5)Win2.22 May 1995Salzburg, AustriaClay Patricia Wartusch6–2, 6–2Win3.29 May 1995Katowice, PolandClay Ewa Radzikowska6–4, 6–2Win4.21 August 1995Sochi, RussiaClay Anne-Gaëlle Sidot6–4, 4–6, 6–0Win5.23 February 1997Bogotá, ColombiaClay Lenka Němečková6–2, 6–3
Doubles (9–4) ResultNo.DateLocationSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss1.July 17, 1994Olsztyn, PolandClay Henrieta Nagyová Marielle Bruens Amanda Hopmans4–6, 7–5, 5–7Win2.August 22, 1994Nicolosi, ItalyHard Loretta Sheales Natalie Frawley Jenny Anne Fetch6–1, 7–5Win3.January 30, 1995İstanbul, TurkeyHard Christina Zachariadou Dora Djilianova Desislava Topalova6–3, 7–5Loss4.April 3, 1995Athens, GreeceClay Christina Zachariadou Denisa Chládková Patrícia Marková2–6, 5–7Win5.May 22, 1995Salzburg, AustriaClay Aarthi Venkatesan Tjaša Jezernik Marina Lazarovskaw/oWin6.August 14, 1995Carthage, TunisiaClay Christina Zachariadou Denisa Chládková Daphne van de Zande6–4, 7–6(7)Win7.August 27, 1995Sochi, RussiaHard Elena Tatarkova Natalia Egorova Petra Thorén6–3, 7–5Loss8.August 28, 1995Athens, GreeceClay Christina Zachariadou Magdalena Grzybowska Henrieta Nagyováw/oWin9.December 4, 1995Cergy, FranceHard (i) Angela Lettiere Dally Randriantefy Natacha Randriantefy6–3, 7–5Win10.January 27, 1996Mission, United StatesHard Angela Lettiere Shannan McCarthy Julie Steven7–6(7), 6–2Win11.February 17, 1996Midland, United StatesHard (i) Angela Lettiere Katrina Adams Debbie Graham7–6(4), 7–6(6)Loss12.May 19, 1996Athens, GreeceClay Angela Lettiere Liezel Horn Christína Papadáki5–7, 2–6Win13.October 12, 1997Sedona, United StatesHard Cătălina Cristea Liezel Horn Paola Suárez7–5, 6–2
Doubles performance timeline
Tournament1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007SRW–LGrand Slam tournamentsAustralian OpenAA2R2R2RSFFAA3RF1R1R0 / 919–9French OpenA1R1R3R2RAAA1RASFA1R0 / 77–7WimbledonA1R2R2RWAAA1RA2RA1R1 / 79–6US OpenA3R1R1RQFAAQF1R2RQF2RQF0 / 1016–10Win–loss0–02–32–44–411–34–15–13–10–33–213–41–23–41 / 3351–32Year-end championshipsTour ChampionshipsAAAASFAAAAAAAA0 / 11–1Year-end rankingRanking187816649614577815624153476
Awards The Corina Comeback Award (established by the WTA and named after her; she was the first recipient) The 2002 WTA Tour Comeback Player of the Year Award
References
Publications
External links