María Emilia Salerni

María Emilia Salerni
Country (sports) Argentina
Residence Rafaela, Argentina
Born 14 May 1983
Rafaela
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro 1999
Retired 2009
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money US$656,296
Singles
Career record 263–173 (60.3%)
Career titles 0 WTA, 12 ITF
Highest ranking No. 65 (25 February 2008)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 1R (2002, 2003, 2008)
French Open 1R (2001, 2008, 2009)
Wimbledon 1R (2001)
US Open 2R (2005)
Doubles
Career record 151–124 (54.9%)
Career titles 2 WTA, 9 ITF
Highest ranking No. 45 (23 September 2002)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 2R (2002, 2003)
French Open 2R (2003, 2005, 2006, 2009)
Wimbledon 1R (2001, 2003, 2006)
US Open 3R (2001, 2002)

María Emilia Salerni (born 14 May 1983), known as "Pitu Salerni", is a former professional tennis player from Argentina.

On 25 February 2008, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 65. On 23 September 2002, she peaked at No. 45 in the doubles rankings.

The two-time former junior Grand Slam champion, winning Wimbledon and US Open in 2000, as well as finishing runner-up at Roland Garros, was named the 2000 ITF Junior World Champion. Salerni dated Argentine tennis player Guillermo Cañas until 2007.

Salerni retired from professional tour in 2009 after a string of injuries.

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

Legend
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV & V (0–1)
Result Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss Feb 2008 Copa Colsanitas, Colombia Clay Nuria Llagostera Vives 0–6, 4–6

Doubles: 6 (2 titles, 4 runner-ups)

Legend
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–1)
Tier III (1–1)
Tier IV & V (1–2)
Result Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 29 July 2001 Morocco Open Clay María José Martínez Sánchez Lubomira Bacheva
Åsa Svensson
3–6, 7–6(7–4), 1–6
Loss 14 April 2002 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Åsa Svensson Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Daniela Hantuchová
4–6, 2–6
Loss 13 September 2002 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Carpet (i) Fabiola Zuluaga Samantha Reeves
Jessica Steck
6–4, 3–6, 5–7
Win 5 April 2003 Morocco Open Clay Gisela Dulko Henrieta Nagyová
Elena Tatarkova
6–3, 6–4
Win 17 November 2004 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Hard (i) Carly Gullickson Els Callens
Samantha Stosur
7–5, 7–5
Loss 24 July 2005 Cincinnati Open, U.S. Hard Květa Peschke Laura Granville
Abigail Spears
6–3, 2–6, 4–6

ITF finals

Legend
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles: 16 (12–4)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 26 September 1999 ITF Asunción, Paraguay Clay Mariana Mesa 3–6, 7–6, 7–5
Winner 2. 3 October 1999 ITF Montevideo, Uruguay Clay Eugenia Chialvo 6–3, 6–0
Winner 3. 10 October 1999 ITF Santiago, Chile Clay Eugenia Chialvo 6–1, 6–3
Winner 4. 23 April 2000 ITF San Severo, Italy Clay Vanesa Krauth 6–4, 6–1
Winner 5. 14 May 2000 ITF Caserta, Italy Clay Lamia Essaadi 6–4, 6–1
Winner 6. 30 July 2000 ITF Horb, Germany Clay Adriana Jerabek 6–3, 2–6, 6–2
Winner 7. 6 August 2000 ITF Ettenheim, Germany Clay Martina Suchá 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 1. 1 February 2004 ITF Waikoloa, United States Hard Melinda Czink 6–7, 2–6
Winner 8. 19 September 2004 ITF Ashland, United States Hard Kelly McCain 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 2. 3 October 2004 ITF Troy, United States Hard Shenay Perry 2–6, 2–6
Winner 9. 12 February 2006 Midland Classic, United States Hard (i) Vasilisa Bardina 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Winner 10. 1 April 2007 ITF La Palma, Spain Hard Georgie Gent 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 3. 30 June 2007 ITF Getxo, Spain Hard Nuria Llagostera Vives 3–6, 3–6
Winner 11. 8 July 2007 ITF Cuneo, Italy Clay Sara Errani 3–6, 6–1, 7–6
Winner 12. 21 March 2009 ITF Lima, Peru Clay Lucía Jara Lozano 7–6, 6–3
Runner-up 4. 15 June 2009 Open Montpellier, France Clay Anaïs Laurendon 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 18 (9–9)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 27 September 1999 ITF Montevideo, Uruguay Clay Jorgelina Cravero Melody Falcó
Joelle Schad
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 2. 4 October 1999 ITF Santiago, Chile Clay Jorgelina Cravero Natalia Gussoni
Aliénor Tricerri
5–7, 4–6
Winner 1. 24 July 2000 ITF Horb, Germany Clay Patrycja Bandurowska Zuzana Hejdová
Kristen van Elden
6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 3. 6 August 2000 ITF Ettenheim, Germany Hard Mariana Díaz Oliva Nadejda Ostrovskaya
Anna Zaporozhanova
4–6, 2–6
Winner 2. 8 July 2001 ITF Orbetello, Italy Clay Patricia Tarabini Lubomira Bacheva
Laurence Courtois
7–6(5), 3–6, 6–1
Winner 3. 12 May 2003 ITF Bromma, Sweden Clay Gisela Dulko Melinda Czink
Zsófia Gubacsi
6–4, 6–3
Winner 4. 8 June 2003 ITF Galatina, Italy Clay Arantxa Parra Santonja Bahia Mouhtassine
Andreea Ehritt-Vanc
6–0, 7–6(6)
Runner-up 4. 7 September 2003 ITF Fano, Italy Clay Gala León García Conchita Martínez Granados
Giulia Casoni
3–6, 3–6
Runner-up 5. 21 September 2003 ITF Columbus,
United States
Hard Andreea Ehritt-Vanc Teryn Ashley
Ally Baker
3–6, 7–6(4), 2–6
Winner 5. 18 September 2004 ITF Ashland,
United States
Hard Sandra Klösel Cory Ann Avants
Kristen Schlukebir
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 6. 26 September 2004 ITF Albuquerque,
United States
Hard Stéphanie Dubois Maureen Drake
Carly Gullickson
3–6, 6–7(6)
Runner-up 7. 22 October 2005 Open de Saint-Raphaël, France Hard (i) Meilen Tu Lucie Hradecká
Sandra Záhlavová
6–4, 4–6, 5–7
Winner 6. 31 January 2006 ITF Rockford,
United States
Hard Maria Fernanda Alves Michaela Paštiková
Abigail Spears
0–6, 6–4, 6–2
Winner 7. 11 May 2007 ITF Monzón, Spain Hard Estrella Cabeza Candela Iryna Brémond
Vesna Dolonc
6–2, 6–1
Runner-up 8. 30 June 2007 ITF Getxo, Spain Clay Conchita Martínez Granados Nuria Llagostera Vives
Laura Pous Tió
2–6, 1–6
Winner 8. 16 March 2009 ITF Lima, Peru Clay Lucía Jara Lozano Carla Beltrami
Tatiana Búa
7–6(3), 6–3
Runner-up 9. 6 June 2009 ITF Galatina, Italy Clay Beatriz García Vidagany Elena Bovina
Regina Kulikova
2–6, 1–6
Winner 9. 12 June 2009 Open de Marseille, France Clay Tathiana Garbin Elena Bovina
Timea Bacsinszky
6–7(4), 6–3, [10–7]

Sources