Tennis at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Women's singles
# Tennis at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Women's singles

The United States' Jennifer Capriati defeated the defending gold medalist, Germany's Steffi Graf, in the final, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 to win the gold medal in Women's Singles tennis at the 1992 Summer Olympics. It was the first victory for the United States in the event since 1924, and the first medal in the event for united Germany (rather than West Germany) since 1912. The United States' Mary Joe Fernández and Spain's Arantxa Sánchez Vicario won the bronze medals. It was Spain's first medal in the women's singles.

The tournament was held from 28 July to 7 August at the Tennis de la Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. There were 64 competitors from 30 nations, with each nation having up to 3 players.

## Background

This was the seventh appearance of the women's singles tennis. A women's event was held only once during the first three Games (only men's tennis was played in 1896 and 1904), but has been held at every Olympics for which there was a tennis tournament since 1908. Tennis was not a medal sport from 1928 to 1984, though there were demonstration events in 1968 and 1984.

Germany's Steffi Graf was the defending Olympic champion (who had achieved the Golden version of the Grand Slam in 1988) and the #1 seed again in 1992. Two of her top competitors, Martina Navratilova of the United States and Monica Seles of Yugoslavia, were ineligible because they had not played in the Billie Jean King Cup. The #2 seed was home crowd favorite Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. The United States had the #3 seed and #4 seed in young phenom Jennifer Capriati and Mary Joe Fernández.

Chile, the People's Republic of China, Latvia, Madagascar, Poland, Romania, South Africa, and Switzerland each made their debut in the event; some former Soviet republics competed as the Unified Team. France and Great Britain each made their sixth appearance, tied for most among nations to that point.

## Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament. Unlike previous Olympic tournaments, no bronze medal match was held. All matches were best-of-three sets. The 12-point tie-breaker was used in any set, except the third, that reached 6–6.

## Schedule

All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

| Date | Time | Round |
| - | - | - |
| Tuesday, 28 July 1992 Wednesday, 29 July 1992 | | Round of 64 |
| Thursday, 30 July 1992 Friday, 31 July 1992 | | Round of 32 |
| Saturday, 1 August 1992 | | Round of 16 |
| Monday, 3 August 1992 | | Quarterfinals |
| Wednesday, 5 August 1992 | 11:00 | Semifinals |
| Friday, 7 August 1992 | 14:00 | Final |

## Seeds

* Steffi Graf (GER) (final, silver medalist)
* Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP) (semifinals, bronze medalist)
* Jennifer Capriati (USA) (champion, gold medalist)
* Mary Joe Fernández (USA) (semifinals, bronze medalist)
* Conchita Martínez (ESP) (quarterfinals)
* Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) (quarterfinals)
* Anke Huber (GER) (quarterfinals)
* Katerina Maleeva (BUL) (second round)
* Jana Novotná (TCH) (first round)
* Nathalie Tauziat (FRA) (second round)
* Helena Suková (TCH) (second round)
* Zina Garrison-Jackson (USA) (first round)
* Mary Pierce (FRA) (second round)
* Kimiko Date (JPN) (second round)
* Julie Halard (FRA) (second round)
* Sabine Appelmans (BEL) (quarterfinals)

## Draw

### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Steffi Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Sabine Appelmans (BEL) | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Sabine Appelmans (BEL) | 1 | 0 | | 1 | Steffi Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Mary Joe Fernández (USA) | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Mary Joe Fernández (USA) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | Mary Joe Fernández (USA) | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 7 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 7 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | 1 | Steffi Graf (GER) | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Jennifer Capriati (USA) | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Anke Huber (GER) | 3 | $6^1$ | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Jennifer Capriati (USA) | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 3 | Jennifer Capriati (USA) | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Jennifer Capriati (USA) | 6 | 7 | | 3 | Jennifer Capriati (USA) | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| 5 | Conchita Martínez (ESP) | 4 | 4 | | 2 | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| 2 | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half

**Section 1**

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | S Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | L Novelo (MEX) | 1 | 1 | | 1 | S Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Schultz (NED) | 7 | $6^4$ | 6 | | B Schultz (NED) | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | F Li (CHN) | 5 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | 1 | S Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | E Zardo (SUI) | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | Mag Maleeva (BUL) | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | Mag Maleeva (BUL) | 6 | 6 | | | Mag Maleeva (BUL) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | R Simpson-Alter (CAN) | 5 | 1 | | 14 | K Date (JPN) | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | K Date (JPN) | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | S Graf (GER) | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | S Appelmans (BEL) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | S Appelmans (BEL) | 1 | 0 |
| | R McQuillan (AUS) | 3 | 3 | | 16 | S Appelmans (BEL) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Provis (AUS) | 6 | 6 | | | N Provis (AUS) | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | K Piccolini (ITA) | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | 16 | S Appelmans (BEL) | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Alt | P Ritter (AUT) | 1 | $6^4$ | | | | | | | Q | E Maniokova (EUN) | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| Q | E Maniokova (EUN) | 6 | 7 | | Q | E Maniokova (EUN) | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | L Savchenko (LAT) | $6^3$ | 2 | | 8 | K Maleeva (BUL) | $6^5$ | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | K Maleeva (BUL) | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

**Section 2**

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | M J Fernández (USA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | L-L Chen (CHN) | 2 | 3 | | 4 | M J Fernández (USA) | 6 | 1 | 12 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Hy (CAN) | 6 | 6 | | | P Hy (CAN) | 2 | 6 | 10 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | D Randriantefy (MAD) | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 4 | M J Fernández (USA) | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| Alt | S Gomer (GBR) | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | N Zvereva (EUN) | $6^9$ | 1 | | | | | |
| Alt | S Smith (GBR) | 2 | 6 | 6 | Alt | S Smith (GBR) | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Zvereva (EUN) | 6 | 6 | | | N Zvereva (EUN) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | J Novotná (TCH) | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | M J Fernández (USA) | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 11 | H Suková (TCH) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Man Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Q | N Randriantefy (MAD) | 0 | 1 | | 11 | H Suková (TCH) | 6 | 4 | $3^r$ | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Gavaldón (MEX) | 6 | 6 | | Q | A Gavaldón (MEX) | 4 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Lindqvist (SWE) | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | Q | A Gavaldón (MEX) | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| WC | J Byrne (AUS) | 4 | $6^2$ | | | | | | | 6 | Man Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | R Reggi-Concato (ITA) | 6 | 7 | | | R Reggi-Concato (ITA) | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Vieira (BRA) | 2 | 3 | | 6 | Man Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Man Maleeva-Fragniere (SUI) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

**Section 3**

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | A Huber (GER) | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Sawamatsu (JPN) | 0 | 6 | 2 | 7 | A Huber (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Javer (GBR) | 7 | 4 | 3 | | B Paulus (AUT) | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Paulus (AUT) | $6^9$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 7 | A Huber (GER) | 7 | 7 | | | | |
| Q | I-S Kim (KOR) | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | Q | N Muns-Jagerman (NED) | 5 | $6^3$ | | | | |
| Q | N Muns-Jagerman (NED) | 6 | 6 | | Q | N Muns-Jagerman (NED) | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | K Nowak (POL) | 4 | $6^1$ | | 15 | J Halard (FRA) | $6^3$ | $6^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | J Halard (FRA) | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | A Huber (GER) | 3 | $6^1$ |
| 13/WC | M Pierce (FRA) | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | J Capriati (USA) | 6 | 7 |
| | L Meskhi (EUN) | $6^5$ | 5 | | 13/WC | M Pierce (FRA) | 6 | 3 | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| WC | M Paz (ARG) | 1 | 4 | | | Y Basuki (INA) | 0 | 6 | 10 | | | | | | | | |
| | Y Basuki (INA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | Y Basuki (INA) | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| Alt | P Tarabini (ARG) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 3 | J Capriati (USA) | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | M de Swardt (RSA) | 4 | 2 | | Alt | P Tarabini (ARG) | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | E Reinach (RSA) | 1 | 0 | | 3 | J Capriati (USA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | J Capriati (USA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

**Section 4**

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | C Martínez (ESP) | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Wiesner (AUT) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | C Martínez (ESP) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | P Sepúlveda (CHI) | 2 | 3 | | | S Cecchini (ITA) | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Cecchini (ITA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 5 | C Martínez (ESP) | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| LL | C Papadáki (GRE) | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | A Coetzer (RSA) | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| LL | A Blumberga (LAT) | 4 | 6 | 6 | LL | A Blumberga (LAT) | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Coetzer (RSA) | 7 | 6 | | | A Coetzer (RSA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12/WC | Z Garrison-Jackson (USA) | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | C Martínez (ESP) | 4 | 4 |
| 10 | N Tauziat (FRA) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | A Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 6 | 6 |
| WC | R Zrubáková (TCH) | 3 | 2 | | 10 | N Tauziat (FRA) | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Labat (ARG) | 3 | 3 | | WC | B Rittner (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | B Rittner (GER) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | WC | B Rittner (GER) | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| Q | E Pampoulova (BUL) | $6^4$ | $6^6$ | | | | | | 2 | A Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | M Endo (JPN) | 7 | 7 | | Q | M Endo (JPN) | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | I Spîrlea (ROM) | 1 | 3 | | 2 | A Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | A Sánchez Vicario (ESP) | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
