Silvia Farina Elia

Silvia Farina-Elia (; born 27 April 1972) is a former professional tennis player from Italy. She won three WTA singles titles, reached the quarterfinals of the 2003 Wimbledon Championships and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 11 in May 2002. Farina-Elia won her first ITF title at Caltagirone in 1991 and her first WTA tournament at Strasbourg in 2001. She made her debut Grand Slam appearance at the 1991 French Open and was coached by husband Francesco Elia, whom she married September 1999.

Career

Farina-Elia made steady progression on the ITF circuit during the early 1990s and finished her first year in the top 100 in 1991. She completed her first victory over a top ten player (Gabriela Sabatini, Roland Garros) in 1994 and won her first doubles title the next year. In 1996, she represented Italy at the Atlanta Olympics. 1998 was considered her breakthrough year, reaching the final of four tournaments and in the process securing a place in the year end top 20. She was 26 at the time and thus considered a "late bloomer". She only reached one singles final in 1999 but made a greater impact in doubles, winning three tournaments.

In 2001, Farina-Elia won a belated first WTA Tour title, at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. She ended the year No. 14, what was to be her best year end finish and played in the WTA Tour Championships of 2001 and 2002. She consolidated the Strasbourg win with two more wins at the tournament. In 2003, she achieved her best Grand Slam result at the unlikely venue of Wimbledon, home of her least favourite surface, losing to Kim Clijsters, 7–5, 0–6, 1–6 in the quarterfinals.

Farina-Elia represented Italy at nine Federation Cups and also at three Olympics.

On Monday 24 October 2005, she announced her retirement from the tour due a recurrence of a shoulder injury, saying, "My body has given all it can."

Personal life

Farina-Elia began playing tennis aged 10; introduced to the sport by her mother, who played recreationally. Her parents are both insurance agents, as is her sister, Olga. Her brother, Enrico, restores furniture. She married Francesco Elia on 22 September 1999 and described the prospect of life after tennis as "exciting".

WTA career finals

Singles: 13 (3 titles, 10 runner-ups)

Legend
Grand Slam (0)
Tier I (0)
Tier II (0)
Tier III (3)
Tier IV-V (0)

Result	W-L	Date	Tournament	Date	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Jul 1991	San Marino Open	Clay	Template:Flagicon Katia Piccolini	2–6, 3–6
Loss	0–2	Jan 1998	Auckland, New Zealand	Hard	Template:Flagicon Dominique van Roost	6–4, 6–7(9–11), 5–7
Loss	0–3	Apr 1998	Budapest, Hungary	Clay	Template:Flagicon Virginia Ruano Pascual	4–6, 6–6, 3–6
Loss	0–4	Jul 1998	Warsaw Open, Poland	Clay	Template:Flagicon Conchita Martínez	0–6, 3–6
Loss	0–5	Nov 1998	Luxembourg Open	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Mary Pierce	0–6, 0–2 ret.
Loss	0–6	Feb 1999	Prostějov, Czech Republic	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Henrieta Nagyová	6–7(2–7), 4–6
Loss	0–7	Jan 2001	Gold Coast, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Justine Henin	6–7(5–7), 4–6
Win	1–7	May 2001	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Template:Flagicon Anke Huber	7–5, 0–6, 6–4
Win	2–7	May 2002	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jelena Dokić	6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Win	3–7	May 2003	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Template:Flagicon Karolina Šprem	6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Loss	3–8	Jan 2004	Canberra, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Paola Suárez	6–3, 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Loss	3–9	Feb 2004	Antwerp, Belgium	Hard (i)	Template:Flagicon Kim Clijsters	3–6, 0–6
Loss	3–10	Apr 2005	Amelia Island, United States	Clay	Template:Flagicon Lindsay Davenport	5–7, 5–7

Doubles: 17 (9 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Result	W-L	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	0–1	May 1990	Taranto Trophy, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Rita Grande	Template:Flagicon Elena Brioukhovets Template:Flagicon Eugenia Maniokova	6–7, 1–6
Loss	0–2	Jul 1993	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Brenda Schultz	Template:Flagicon Karin Kschwendt Template:Flagicon Natalia Medvedeva	4–6, 6–7(4–7)
Win	1–2	Jul 1995	Maria Lankowitz, Austria	Clay	Template:Flagicon Andrea Temesvári	Template:Flagicon Alexandra Fusai Template:Flagicon Wiltrud Probst	6–2, 6–2
Loss	1–3	Nov 1996	Kremlin Cup, Russia	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Barbara Schett	Template:Flagicon Natalia Medvedeva Template:Flagicon Larisa Savchenko	6–7(5–7), 6–4, 1–6
Loss	1–4	Jan 1997	Gold Coast, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Ruxandra Dragomir	Template:Flagicon Naoko Kijimuta Template:Flagicon Nana Miyagi	7–6, 6–1
Win	2–4	Jul 1997	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Barbara Schett	Template:Flagicon Florencia Labat Template:Flagicon Mercedes Paz	2–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win	3–4	Jul 1998	Prague, Czech Republic	Clay	Template:Flagicon Karina Habšudová	Template:Flagicon Květa Hrdličková Template:Flagicon Michaela Paštiková	2–6, 6–1, 6–2
Win	4–4	Jan 1999	Auckland, New Zealand	Hard	Template:Flagicon Barbara Schett	Template:Flagicon Seda Noorlander Template:Flagicon Marlene Weingärtner	6–2, 7–6
Win	5–4	Jun 1999	Rosmalen Open, Netherlands	Grass	Template:Flagicon Rita Grande	Template:Flagicon Cara Black Template:Flagicon Kristie Boogert	7–5, 7–6
Win	6–4	Jul 1999	Pörtschach, Austria	Clay	Template:Flagicon Karina Habšudová	Template:Flagicon Olga Lugina Template:Flagicon Laura Montalvo	6–4, 6–4
Loss	6–5	Feb 2000	Hanover, Germany	Hard (i)	Template:Flagicon Karina Habšudová	Template:Flagicon Åsa Carlsson Template:Flagicon Natalia Zvereva	3–6, 4–6
Win	7–5	Jul 2000	Palermo, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Rita Grande	Template:Flagicon Ruxandra Dragomir Template:Flagicon Virginia Ruano Pascual	6–4, 0–6, 7–6(8–6)
Win	8–5	May 2001	Strasbourg, France	Clay	Template:Flagicon Iroda Tulyaganova	Template:Flagicon Amanda Coetzer Template:Flagicon Lori McNeil	6–1, 7–6(7–0)
Loss	8–6	[[2003 Generali Ladies Linz – Doubles|Template:Dts]]	Linz, Austria	Hard (i)	Template:Flagicon Marion Bartoli	Template:Flagicon Liezel Huber Template:Flagicon Ai Sugiyama	1–6, 6–7(6–8)
Loss	8–7	Feb 2004	Paris, France	Hard	Template:Flagicon Francesca Schiavone	Template:Flagicon Barbara Schett Template:Flagicon Patty Schnyder	3–6, 2–6
Win	9–7	May 2004	Warsaw, Poland	Clay	Template:Flagicon Francesca Schiavone	Template:Flagicon Gisela Dulko Template:Flagicon Patricia Tarabini	3–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss	9–8	Jan 2005	Gold Coast, Australia	Hard	Template:Flagicon Maria Elena Camerin	Template:Flagicon Elena Likhovtseva Template:Flagicon Magdalena Maleeva	6–3, 5–7, 6–1

ITF finals

Singles (2–1)

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

Result	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1.	29 October 1990	ITF Putignano, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Nathalie Baudone	2–6, 4–6
Win	2.	24 June 1991	ITF Caltagirone, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Ann Devries	7–5, 6–3
Win	3.	5 April 1993	ITF Limoges, France	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Laurence Courtois	6–3, 6–3

Doubles (6–2)

Result	No	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1.	11 June 1990	ITF Modena, Italy	Hard	Template:Flagicon Simona Isidori	Template:Flagicon Heleen van den Berg Template:Flagicon Miriam Oremans	6–2, 6–3
Win	2.	23 July 1990	ITF Milan, Italy	Hard	Template:Flagicon Simona Isidori	Template:Flagicon Nathalie Ballet Template:Flagicon Agnes Romand	2–6, 6–1, 6–3
Win	3.	29 October 1990	ITF Putignano, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Nathalie Baudone	Template:Flagicon Darija Dešković Template:Flagicon Karin Lušnic	6–1, 6–1
Win	4.	24 June 1991	ITF Caltagiron, Italy	Hard	Template:Flagicon Misumi Miyauchi	Template:Flagicon Alexandra Fusai Template:Flagicon Olivia Gravereaux	6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Win	5.	13 April 1992	ITF Salerno, Italy	Hard	Template:Flagicon Linda Ferrando	Template:Flagicon Kirrily Sharpe Template:Flagicon Angie Woolcock	6–1, 6–4
Loss	6.	7 September 1992	ITF Arzachena, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Linda Ferrando	Template:Flagicon Laura Garrone Template:Flagicon Laura Golarsa	4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Win	7.	11 April 1993	ITF Limoges, France	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Elena Pampoulova	Template:Flagicon Stephanie Reece Template:Flagicon Danielle Scott	6–2, 6–7(5), 6–2
Loss	8.	16 August 1993	ITF Arzachena, Italy	Clay	Template:Flagicon Linda Ferrando	Template:Flagicon Akiko Kijimuta Template:Flagicon Naoko Kijimuta	0–6, 5–7

Head-to-head record against players in the top 10

Players who have been ranked world No. 1 are in boldface.

• Dominique Monami 1–4
• Martina Hingis 1–4
• Lindsay Davenport 1–7
• Dinara Safina 0–2
• Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 0–5
• Serena Williams 1–1
• Maria Sharapova 1–1
• Justine Henin 0–3
• Kim Clijsters 0–6
• Amélie Mauresmo 0–7
• Jelena Janković 2–1
• Elena Dementieva 1–3
• Iva Majoli 0–4
• Jana Novotná 1–5
• Anna Kournikova 3–4
• Flavia Pennetta 1–0
• Nadia Petrova 0–4
• Karina Habšudová 2-1

External links

• Template:WTA
• Template:ITF
• Template:BJK Cup player
• Template:Olympedia
• Template:Olympics.com profile