Amelie Mauresmo: Lesbian Tennis Star

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Amelie Mauresmo: Out Lesbian Tennis Player:

Amelie Mauresmo came out at the Australian Open in January 1999 at age 19. After a very successful Australian Open, beating top-ranked Lindsay Davenport, Mauresmo lept into the arms of her then girlfriend and announced that her success had to do with finding love and coming to terms with her sexuality.

Amelie Mauresmo: Andy Murray's Coach

In June 2014, Amelie Mauresmo began coaching Andy Murray, one of the top tennis players in the world. She is the first female to coach an elite male player--and that fact has not been without controversy. She coached Andy Murray all the way to the finals of the Men's Australian Open, yet he felt he had to defend his choice in a coach. "A lot of people criticized me for working with her and I think so far this week we have showed women can be very good coaches as well," Murray said as he played his way to the first Grand Slam final of 2015. The two seem to be a great pair. Murray spoke to some of the qualities that make Mauresmo a great coach, “She’s very calm, that’s something that’s important for me. She listens well and she asks a lot of questions. Especially when you’ve been an ex-player, it’s easy to see things only through your eyes, but it’s important to learn what the player’s thinking. So far she’s been very good for me. It’s now down to me to produce the results on the court.”

Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo:

Amelie Mauresmo has received some scorn for coming out of the closet. Martina Hingis called her "half a man" and Lindsay Davenport claimed Mauresmo played like a man. Hingis later denied the remark, but it was caught on tape. Mauresmo dismissed the comments as "a little stupid."

Amelie Mauresmo: Star Tennis Player:

Regardless of her sexual orientation, Amelie Mauresmo has proven herself on the tennis court. She reached a #1 ranking in 2004. She's twice been a semi finalist at Wimbledon. She has 17 career titles and has reached the semi or quarter finals at the US Open four times. In 2006 Amelie Mauresmo won Wimbledon.

In 2009, Amelie Mauresmo announced that she is retiring from the sport at age 30.

Background info on Amelie Mauresmo:

Amelie Mauresmo was born Laye, France on July 5, 1979. She turned pro in 1997. The story goes that Amelie, at age 4, watched French Tennis hero Yannick Noah win the French Open and asked her parents for a tennis racket. She had such a natural talent that her parents enrolled her in a private tennis club.

Amelie the Competitor:

Her former coach said Amelie Maursemo's main asset was her determination. Her coach said of her at age 7, "She wasn't very big, but she was already able to compete with the boys. She would play football or race with them and she hated to lose."

Mauresmo and the out lesbians before her:

Unlike Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, previous tennis players to come out of the closet, Amelie Mauresmo did not lose any of her sponsorships from Nike, Dunlop, Babolat and Gaz de France.

An Out Lesbian Olympian:

Amelie Mauresmo won a silver medal for France in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Who is Amelie Mauresmo's Lover?:

When Amelie Mauresmo came out in 1999, her girlfriend was 31-year-old night club owner Sylvie Bourdon. After they broke up, she has been more private about her relationships.

Amelie Mauresmo: Wimbledon Champion 2006!!:

Amelie Mauresmo defeated Justine Henin-Hardenne to win the Wimbledon championship in 2006. The victory was especially sweet because Mauresmo's last grand slam victory came in January 2006 when Henin-Hardenne withdrew because of stomach cramps. This time she can revel in the glory of a hard-earned victory.