Gisela Dulko

Gisela Dulko (born January 30, 1985 in Tigre, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) is an Argentine female tennis player. Although Dulko reached her career-high singles ranking of #26 in November, 2005, she climbed back to #30 in the world in September, 2009.

Career

As a Junior, she won three of the four Grand Slam events in doubles, including the 2000 US Open with María Emilia Salerni, the 2002 Australian Open with Angelique Widjaja, and the 2001 Wimbledon Championships with Ashley Harkleroad. As a professional, she has won eleven doubles championships.

In singles, Dulko has had a less successful career, although she has been consistently ranked in the Top 50 over the last few years. On April 29, 2007, Dulko finally won her first WTA Tour title by defeating Sorana Cîrstea of Romania 6–7(2), 6–2, 6–2 in the final of the Tier III event in Budapest. On August 25, 2007, Dulko won her second WTA Tour title at the Forest Hills Tier IV event defeating Virginie Razzano 6–2 6–2 in the final. On May 4, 2008, Dulko won her third WTA Tour title at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem Tier IV event defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues 7–6(2) 7–6(5) in the final.

2009
In 2009 Dulko started the year with a Quarterfinals appearance at the 2009 Moorilla Hobart International losing to Iveta Benesova 6-4 6-4. However at the 2009 Australian Open she lost to eventual champion Serena Williams in the second round 6-3 7-5. In the 2009 Fed Cup First Round she gave her team their only wins when she defeated Americans Melanie Oudin and Jill Craybas. In the 2009 Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas she reached her finals of the year, but in end up in the losing end to María José Martínez Sánchez 6-3, 6-2. She then made good performances by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2009 Monterrey Open and 2009 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and the Third Round of Mandatory Events in Indian Wells and Miami. She however lost in the second rounds of the 2009 Internazionali BNL d'Italia and 2009 Internationaux de Strasbourg and a first round exits in 2009 Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open and the 2009 AEGON International.

In the next two Grand Slams of 2009 French Open lost to Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-2 and the 2009 Wimbledon Championships lost to #10 seed Nadia Petrova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 she was able to reach the Third Round. At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, Dulko upset #24 seeded Maria Sharapova in three sets in the second round. at the 2009 Swedish Open she lost once again to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez this time in the semifinals 7-5 6-4. she then maid first round exits in the 2009 Internazionali Femminili di Palermo, the 2009 LA Women's Tennis Championships, the 2009 Pilot Pen Tennis and failed to Qualify in the 2009 Rogers Cup. She upset Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 5-7 6-4 in the first round and #30-seeded Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 6-0 in the second round of the 2009 US Open. She then defeated Yaroslava Shvedova in the third round, who had defeated #5-seed Jelena Jankovic. She lost in the fourth round to Alona's sister, Kateryna Bondarenko 6-0, 6-0 in just 47 mins. Her last tournament of the year was at the 2009 Toray Pan Pacific Open were she reached the second round losing to Iveta Benesova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

2010
Dulko started the year at the 2010 Moorilla Hobart International where she reached the quarterfinals losing to Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1 5-7 6-1, and then she played at the 2010 Australian Open where she upset Ana Ivanovic in the second round 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4 before losing to 9th seed Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 7-5. She then played in 2010 Copa BBVA-Colsanitas as the top seed and cruised through the Semifinals with straight sets victory but was upset by Angelique Kerber 7-5 6-3. She then played in the 2010 Abierto Mexicano Telcel as the 3rd seed but lost to 5th seeded Spaniard Carla Suárez Navarro in the semifinals. Ironically all the players that defeated her lost in the following round.

Seeded 31st at the 2010 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Dulko received a bye in the first round. In the second round she gained the biggest victory of her career by defeating former world No.1 Justine Henin in just over 2 hours. She broke the Belgian 6 times during the match and led 6-2, 1-6, 5-2. A comeback by Henin looked possible as she fought back to 4-5, but Dulko fought hard and successfully served out the match, winning 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. In the third round she failed to cause another upset and crashed out to No.5 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6, 0-6.

Unseeded at the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open, Dulko reached the third round by defeating Olga Govortsova 6-4, 6-1 and No.21 seed Alona Bondarenko 7-5, 6-2. She lost to Marion Bartoli in the fourth round of this prestigious tournament 7-6(2), 6-4 but won the double title of this tournament with Flavia Pennetta.

Dulko then withdrew from her first clay event in Marbella, Spain with and upper respitory tract infection.

Dulko caused the first upset of the 2010 French Open with a 6-1, 6-2 first round victory over #10 Victoria Azarenka.





statics
Country : Argentina
Residence : Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of birth : January 30, 1985 (1985-01-30)
Place of birth : Tigre, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Height : 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight: 56 kg (120 lb; 8.8 st)
Turned pro: 2001
Retired : Active
Plays: Right-handed; two-handed backhand
Career prize money : $2,119,000

Singles
Career record : 264–189
Career titles : 3 WTA, 6 ITF
Highest ranking : No. 26 (November 21, 2005)
Current ranking : No. 45 (May 24, 2010)

Grand Slam results
Australian Open : 3R (2010)
French Open : 4R (2006)
Wimbledon : 3R (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009)
US Open : 4R (2009)

Doubles
Career record : 202–137
Career titles : 12 WTA, 6 ITF
Highest ranking : No. 10 (May 10, 2010)
Australian Open : QF (2006, 2010)
French Open : QF (2007)
Wimbledon : 2R (2008, 2009)
US Open : 3R (2007)