For decades, Spain has produced elite tennis talent across both the men’s and women’s tours. While the women’s side has seen fewer stars emerge in recent years — especially since the retirement of Garbiñe Muguruza — names like Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Conchita Martínez remain foundational to Spanish tennis history.
Born in Huesca on April 16, 1972, Conchita Martínez showed early promise, dominating junior competitions across Europe. She turned pro in 1988 at just 16 years old, reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros in her debut year.
That same year, Martínez captured her first WTA title, setting the tone for a successful career during a golden era of women’s tennis that featured legends like Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Gabriela Sabatini, and Martina Hingis. A versatile player with one of the best forehands on tour, Martínez reached a career-high world ranking of No. 2.
Wimbledon glory
Her crowning achievement came at Wimbledon in 1994, where she defeated Martina Navratilova in a thrilling final, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3. It remains her only Grand Slam title — though she came close in several others, including a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in 1998 (lost to Hingis) and at Roland Garros in 2000 (lost to Mary Pierce). She also made back–to–back semifinal appearances at the US Open in 1995 and 1996.
Conchita Martinez after defeating Martina Navratilova at the 1994 Wimbledon final. (Bob Martin/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)
An Olympic legacy
Beyond her individual accolades, which include 33 career WTA titles, Martínez also found success on the Olympic stage. She earned three medals: a silver in doubles at Barcelona 1992, a bronze in Atlanta 1996 (both with Sánchez Vicario), and another silver in Athens 2004 with Virginia Ruano Pascual.
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From champion to coach
After retiring in 2006, Martínez transitioned to coaching. In 2013, she was appointed captain of Spain’s Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup) team, and by 2015, she was also leading the Davis Cup team — becoming the first woman to hold that position. She remained in those roles until 2017.
Though her first coaching experience came with Shahar Pe’er in 2007, Martínez gained widespread recognition in 2017 when she guided Garbiñe Muguruza to a Wimbledon title. By 2020, she was Muguruza’s official coach.
Mentoring a rising star
Today, Martínez coaches one of the WTA’s brightest young stars — 18-year-old Russian phenom Mirra Andreeva, who broke into the top 10 in 2024 and has quickly become a fixture on the tour.
Speaking to L’Équipe, Martínez offered high praise for Andreeva: “She’s a sponge — she learns fast, absorbs information and applies it right away. She analyzes the game well and has great confidence in herself. If she ever doubts, that’s where I step in to strengthen her. What really sets her apart is her mindset. She never gives up, she has a winning spirit, and she always believes she can win.”.
Coach Conchita Martinez and Mirra Andreeva of Russia pose with the championship trophy after defeating Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Martínez added: “She has no limits. If she stays patient, keeps learning without rushing to win a Grand Slam, and maintains a clear mind, she can become a great player and win multiple majors. I always tell her to stay grounded — as long as I’m around, I never want to see her getting cocky”.
Andreeva, in turn, credits her coach for boosting her confidence: “With her, I became braver. Before, I’d never go for a volley on match point. But this time I said, ‘Why not?’ I tried it — and it worked. Now, she even has a better sense of humor with me… before it wasn’t so great, but now when she’s with me, everyone laughs at her jokes… thanks to me!”
