Jennifer Capritati's Early Prominence
Born on March 29, 1976 in New York City, Jennifer Capriati quickly made her entry into the world of tennis, winning her first Junior Orange Bowl title at the age of 12. She made her professional debut in 1990 at the age of 13, winning her first career title in Puerto Rico, reaching the semifinals of the French Open (her Grand Slam debut) and setting several "youngest ever" records, including the youngest seeded player at Wimbledon.
Her second season in 1991 saw her establish herself as a consistent top 10 player, reaching the semifinals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, ending the season with a WTA ranking of 6 (an improvement on her 1990 ranking of 8). In 1992, she reached the quarter-finals of three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and won the Women's Singles Gold at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Jennifer Capriati's Fall and Resurgence
In 1993, after a loss in the first round of the US Open, Capriati announced that she would take a break, playing only one match in 1994 and none in 1995. She made a promising return in 1996 with a few top 10 placements, but her rankings fell in 1997-98. She began her ascent once again in 1999, winning a pair of titles, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, and rocketed to the top 20 of the WTA rankings.
2001 marked her big comeback, beginning the Australian Open as the 12th seed. She reached the finals for the first time in her career and won, her first Grand Slam title. After a few more title wins, she won her second consecutive Grand Slam at the French Open. While she lost at the semi-finals of both the US Open and Wimbledon, she had the best Grand Slam record of the year. She also achieved the no. 1 WTA ranking for the first time in her professional career.
In 2002, she kept her streak going, winning the Australian Open a second time for her third Grand Slam title. She lost in the semifinals of the French Open and the quarterfinals of both the US Open and Wimbledon. Over the next couple years, she won several other titles, with her biggest coming at New Haven in 2003 as part of the WTA tour. However, declining performances in Grand Slam tournaments and injuries forced her to step away in 2004, at the age of 28.
Jennifer Capriati's Personal Life
Considered one of the greatest Grand Slam players of her generation, Capriati's career has often been marred by personal struggles and legal issues. She was charged with shoplifting in 1993, which she deemed an accident, and with misdemeanor marijuana possession in 1994, for which she required counseling.
In 2013, she was charged with battery and stalking an ex boyfriend, although the charges were later dropped. While she has mostly kept her personal life under wraps, she notably dated actor Dale DaBone from 2003-2009.
