Kathy Rinaldi


Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel is a former professional American tennis player, who retired in September 1997. She won three singles and two doubles titles during her career on the WTA Tour, and reached the semifinals of the 1985 Wimbledon Championships.

Career

Rinaldi reached her highest career ranking on May 26, 1986, when she was ranked world No. 7. The recipient of WTA Most Impressive Newcomer Award in 1981 and WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1989, she had career wins over top players such as Steffi Graf, Jana Novotná, Sue Barker, Pam Shriver, Hana Mandlíková, Wendy Turnbull, Manuela Maleeva, Dianne Fromholtz, Helena Suková, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Zina Garrison, Sylvia Hanika, Kathy Jordan, Jo Durie, and Natasha Zvereva.
Rinaldi was the youngest player to win a match at Wimbledon in 1981, a record that stood until 1990. After the 1987 French Open, she suffered a freak injury in Monte Carlo, slipping on stairs, and in trying to catch herself, fracturing her right thumb. This injury sidelined her for rest of the year. She was a member of the US Wightman Cup Team in 1983, 1985, and 1986.

Fed Cup

In December 2016, Rinaldi was appointed as the captain of the United States Fed Cup team, succeeding Mary Joe Fernandez. In her first year as Fed Cup captain, the U.S. won the 2017 Fed Cup.

Family

Rinaldi married Brad Stunkel, her high school sweetheart, on December 11, 1993, and adopted his surname. She gave birth to son Bradley Benton Stunkel, Jr. on February 8, 1995. The family currently resides in Palm City, Florida.

Awards and recognitions

Singles: 7 (3–4)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.October 18, 1981:fr:Classic du Japon|KyotoHard Julie Harrington6–1, 7–5
Runner-up1.May 24, 1982BerlinClay Bettina Bunge2–6, 2–6
Runner-up2.July 26, 1982San DiegoHard Tracy Austin6–7, 3–6
Winner2.August 18, 1985MahwahHard Steffi Graf6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Runner-up3.September 22, 1985ChicagoCarpet Bonnie Gadusek1–6, 3–6
Runner-up4.May 11, 1986HoustonClay Chris Evert-Lloyd4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Winner3.November 16, 1986Little RockCarpet Natasha Zvereva6–4, 6–7, 6–0

Doubles: 12 (2–10)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1.March 31, 1991San AntonioHard Jill Hetherington Patty Fendick
Monica Seles		6–7, 2–6
Winner1.April 21, 1991HoustonClay Jill Hetherington Patty Fendick
Mary Joe Fernández		6–1, 2–6, 6–1
Winner2.August 4, 1991San DiegoHard Jill Hetherington Gigi Fernández
Nathalie Tauziat		6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Runner-up2.October 6, 1991LeipzigCarpet Jill Hetherington Manon Bollegraf
Isabelle Demongeot		4–6, 3–6
Runner-up3.February 2, 1992AucklandHard Jill Hetherington Rosalyn Fairbank
Raffaella Reggi		6–1, 1–6, 5–7
Runner-up4.March 1, 1992Indian WellsHard Jill Hetherington Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Stephanie Rehe		3–6, 3–6
Runner-up5.March 22, 1992Key BiscayneHard Jill Hetherington Larisa Neiland
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario		5–7, 7–5, 3–6
Runner-up6.April 19, 1992HoustonClay Jill Hetherington Patty Fendick
Gigi Fernández		5–7, 4–6
Runner-up7.November 1, 1992San JuanHard Gigi Fernández Amanda Coetzer
Elna Reinach		2–6, 6–4, 2–6
Runner-up8.February 7, 1993AucklandHard Jill Hetherington Isabelle Demongeot
Elna Reinach		2–6, 4–6
Runner-up9.March 21, 1993Key BiscayneHard Jill Hetherington Larisa Neiland
Jana Novotná		2–6, 5–7
Runner-up10.May 23, 1993StrasbourgClay Jill Hetherington Shaun Stafford
Andrea Temesvári		7–6, 3–6, 4–6

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Tournament1981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996Career W–L
Australian OpenAA1R3RANHAAA2R1RA1R1RAA3–6
French OpenQF4R4R3R3RQF3R1R2R1R2R1R3RAAA24–13
Wimbledon2R3R4R1RSF1RAA1R1R1R2R2RAA1R13–12
US Open1R4R2R2R1R1RA1R2R2R2R2R1RA1R1R9–14
Win–Loss5–38–37–45–47–34–32–10–22–32–42–42–33–40–10–10–249–45
Year-end ranking331516231182688526910511183NRNR225-