Silvia Farina Elia : biography
Silvia Farina Elia ( born April 27, 1972 in Milan, Italy) is a former female tennis player from Italy. She reached a career high of World No. 11 on 20 May 2002. She won her first ITF title at Caltagirone in 1991 and her first WTA tournament at Strasbourg in 2001. She made her début Grand Slam appearance at the 1991 French Open and was coached by husband Francesco Elia, whom she married September 1999.
Career
Farina Elia made steady progression on the ITF circuit during the early 1990s and finished her first year in the top 100 in 1991. She completed her first victory over a top ten player (Gabriela Sabatini, Roland Garros) in 1994 and won her first doubles title the next year. In 1996, she represented Italy at the Atlanta Olympics. 1998 was considered her breakthrough year, reaching the final of four tournaments and in the process securing a place in the year end top 20. She was 26 at the time and thus considered a "late bloomer". She only reached one singles final in 1999 but made a greater impact in doubles, winning three tournaments.
In 2001 Farina Elia won a belated first WTA Tour title, at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. She ended the year #14, what was to be her best year end finish and played in the WTA Tour Championships of 2001 and 2002. She consolidated the Strasbourg win with two more wins at the tournament. In 2003 she achieved her best Grand Slam result at the unlikely venue of Wimbledon, home of her least favourite surface, losing to Kim Clijsters, 7–5, 0–6, 1–6 in the quarterfinals.
Farina Elia represented the Italy Fed Cup team at nine Federation Cups and also represented Italy at three Olympics.
On Monday October 24, 2005 she announced her retirement from the WTA Tour due a recurrence of a shoulder, saying, "My body has given all it can."
Personal life
Farina Elia began playing tennis aged 10; introduced to the sport by her mother who played recreationally. Her parents are both insurance agents, as is her sister, Olga. Her brother, Enrico, restores furniture. She married Francesco Elia on September 22, 1999 and described the prospect of life after tennis as "exciting".
Career finals
Singles: 13 (3-10)
Legend |
Grand Slam (0) |
Tier I (0) |
Tier II (0) |
Tier III (3) |
Tier IV-V (0) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
1. | 26 May 2001 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | DEU}} Anke Huber | 7–5, 0–6, 6–4 |
2. | 25 May 2002 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | AUS}} Jelena Dokić | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
3. | 24 May 2003 | Strasbourg, France | Clay | CRO}} Karolina Šprem | 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
- Runner-ups (10)
No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
1. | 21 July 1991 | San Marino | Clay | ITA}} Katia Piccolini | 6–2, 6–3 |
2. | 11 January 1998 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | BEL}} Dominique van Roost | 4–6, 7–6(9), 7–5 |
3. | 26 April 1998 | Budapest, Hungary | Clay | ESP}} Virginia Ruano Pascual | 6–4, 4–6, 6–3 |
4. | 19 July 1998 | Warsaw, Poland | Clay | ESP}} Conchita Martínez | 6–0, 6–3 |
5. | 1 November 1998 | Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Carpet (i) | FRA}} Mary Pierce | 6–0, 2–0, retired |
6. | 14 February 1999 | Prostějov, Czech Republic | Carpet (i) | SVK}} Henrieta Nagyová | 7–6(2), 6–4 |
7. | 7 January 2001 | Gold Coast, Australia | Hard | BEL}} Justine Henin | 7–6(5), 6–4 |
8. | 17 January 2004 | Canberra, Australia | Hard | ARG}} Paola Suárez | 3–6, 6–4, 7–6(5) |
9. | 22 February 2004 | Antwerp, Belgium | Hard (i) | BEL}} Kim Clijsters | 6–3, 6–0 |
10. | 10 April 2005 | Amelia Island, USA | Green Clay | USA}} Lindsay Davenport | 7–5, 7–5 |
Does not include ITF titles.
Doubles: 17 (9-8)
- Wins (9)
- 2004: Warsaw (w/ Francesca Schiavone)
- 2001: Strasbourg (w/ Iroda Tulyaganova)
- 2000: Palermo (w/ Rita Grande)
- 1999: Auckland (w/ Barbara Schett)
- 1999: ‘s Hertogenbosch (w/ Rita Grande)
- 1999: Portschach (w/ Karina Habšudová)
- 1998: Prague (w/ Karina Habšudová)
- 1997: Palermo (w/ Barbara Schett)
- 1995: Maria Lankowitz (with Andrea Temesvári)
- Runner-ups (8)
- 2005: Gold Coast (w/ Maria Elena Camerin)
- 2004: Paris (w/ Francesca Schiavone)
- 2003: Linz (w/ Marion Bartoli)
- 2000: Hannover (w/ Karina Habšudová)
- 1997: Gold Coast (w/ Ruxandra Dragomir)
- 1996: Moscow (w/ Barbara Schett)
- 1993: Palermo (w/ Brenda Schultz)
- 1990: Taranto (w/ Rita Grande)