Tennis Legends - Gigi Fernandez/Natasha Zvereva: Doubles titans that won six Grand Slams in a row

The American/Belarussian combination of Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva are one of the most successful pairings in women's doubles history. Together they won 38 titles and produced a remarkable streak of six Grand Slam titles in succession. Fernandez was born on February 22nd 1964 in San Juan, Puerto Rico but was eligible to compete for America and did so throughout her glittering career.

Partner Zvereva was born on 16 April 1971 in Minsk, then part of the Soviet Union, but now the capital of an independent Belarus. Fernandez was already a well established doubles player before linking up with the younger Zvereva. Her first flush of doubles success came in tandem with the great Martina Navratilova.

There was further burst of success with Lori McNeil and Robin White. Alongside White, a first Grand Slam title was pocketed by Fernandez at the 1988 US Open. Then, two years later, reunited with Navratilova, a second US Open title materialised after a straight sets win over the sadly departed Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova.

Their alliance began midway through the 1992 campaign. The French Open provided them with a first title together. A victory over Spaniards Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario and Conchita Martinez made a Grand Slam their inaugural title. This was soon followed by success at Wimbledon. Neiland and Novotna bested in the SW19 showpiece. The same opponents were defeated in the US Open final to make it a treble of majors in succession. They formed part of a six-title haul for them in 1992.

Their run of major success became even more remarkable as they clinched the first three Grand Slams of 1993. A first Australian Open success meant as a pair they'd now won a career Grand Slam together and held all four majors at the same time.

Later in the summer, Fernandez and Zvereva completed successful defences of both their French Open and Wimbledon titles. Roland Garros glory ensued with a final win over Neiland/Novotna. They replicated this result at Wimbledon, meaning the runners-up lost four of the six major finals won by Zvereva and Fernandez.

Their sensational run was finally upended when beaten at the US Open. A semi-final loss to Sanchez-Vicario and Sukova ending a Grand Slam winning streak of 40 consecutive match wins. They rebounded quickly to add further titles in a season where the pair amassed 12 titles.

Fernandez and Zvereva reinforced their standing as the premier doubles pairing of their generation by defending the Australian Open. This status was further emphasised when triumphant at both Wimbledon and the French Open in 1994. It left them for the second year running needing the US Open to complete a calendar year Grand Slam.

Their effort was thwarted in the semis, for the second year running, this time at the hands of Katerina Maleeva and Fernandez’s past partner White. It was a sour note in an otherwise stellar campaign that yielded eleven titles.

The American /Belarussian duo reached all four Grand Slam finals in 1995, winning two of them. A new combination of Novotna and Sanchez-Vicario bested them in the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals, punctuated by Fernandez and Zvereva toppling them in the Roland Garros showpiece.

They regained the US Open title in 1995 with a straight sets victory over Brenda Schultz-McCarthy and Rennae Stubbs. It was one of seven titles they lifted this term.

The dominance of Fernandez and Zvereva began to fade in 1996. A total of two titles was a significant drop-off for the pair. It did include, however, a successful defence of the US Open. They were also beaten in the Wimbledon title match by Americans Lindsay Davenport and Mary Joe Fernandez.

Zvereva started the year by teaming up with new star Martina Hingis to win the Australian Open title at the beginning of a 1997 campaign that would be the last for her alliance with Fernandez.

The formidable duo enjoyed trophy lifts at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. This took their number of majors won in unison to 14 in a period lasting a little over five years. An incredible strike rate that compares favourably with any doubles teams across all eras.

Fernandez retiring at the climax of the 1997 season left Zvereva searching for a new partner. She opted to align with Davenport, who was now a leading singles player.

In a remarkable and frustrating sequence, Zvereva and Davenport finished runners-up at all four Grand Slams in 1998. A run of final losses that continued at the 1999 Australian Open. Hingis defeated them in all five finals, with three alongside Novotna, and Australian Open triumphs with Mirjana Lucic and Ana Kournikova.

Between the US Open win alongside Fernandez in 1996 and the loss in Australia to begin 1999, every women's doubles final featured Zvereva.

Zvereva was a leading singles player at certain points of her career. Prior to any major doubles success, Zvereva reached the 1988 women's singles final at the French Open. She was beaten 6-0, 6-0 by Steffi Graf in a match lasting just 34 minutes, the quickest completed Grand Slam final in history.

Ten years later, Zvereva made it to the last four at Wimbledon. A win over Monica Seles in the quarters before losing a three set clash with Natalie Tauziat in the last four. Zvereva is also a five-time losing quarter-finalist at the majors.

Her singles titles haul of four came from nineteen finals. The pick of these was arguably the Eastbourne International in 1999. Zvereva’s highest singles ranking was five, set in 1989.

Fernandez progressed to the semi-final stage of Wimbledon in 1994, losing to Navratilova. It was her best run at a singles major. She also reached a pair of US Open quarter-finals, and won two WTA singles titles from five finals.

In the mixed doubles discipline, Zvereva claimed a couple of major titles. She won the 1990 Australian Open in tandem with American Jim Pugh and partnered another Statesider Rick Leach to lift the 1995 Australian Open. She was beaten in two other major finals. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Zvereva partnered Leila Meshki, with them representing the Unified Team, formed after the split of the Soviet Union. They came home with a bronze medal.

When representing the USA at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, Fernandez left with a gold medal in women's doubles on both occasions. She was joined by namesake Mary Joe Fernandez for both triumphs. In 1995, in unison with Cyril Suk, lost in three Grand Slam mixed doubles finals. One of these, in Melbourne, was at the hands of Zvereva and Leach.

Since retirement at the age of 33, Fernandez has enjoyed being an entrepreneur, coach and philanthropist. She founded the Gigi Method to facilitate people's learning of the doubles discipline. Fernandez created Tennis For Hope after her house flooded following Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Fernandez is a mom to twins Karson Xavier and Madison Jane. Her partner is former professional golfer Jane Geddes.

Her coaching has involved working with professionals such as Stubbs, Sam Stosur and Lisa Raymond. Stosur won her first doubles major under the tutelage of Fernandez. Since 2018, Fernandez has held the role of Vice Chairperson of the Board of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Zvereva retired in 2003 and has largely evolved away from tennis. She's never married or had children.

The two of them were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2010. Zvereva the first from Belarus to be included. In 1999, Puerto Rico bestowed their ‘Athlete of the Century’ award on Fernandez who under their flag had been a multiple medalist at the Pan American Games.

The Belarussian’s final haul of 80 WTA doubles titles ranks her as one of the most prolific doubles champions of all-time. 18 Grand Slams from 31 finals in doubles is an outstanding return, not bettered by any player that's followed Zvereva in doubles.

Fernandez won 69 doubles titles including 17 at Grand Slam level. She won a major every year from 1988 until 1997, bar 1989. Together, 14 of their final major doubles tally were won as a partnership. Their run of six majors in succession is bettered only by eight in a row that Navratilova and Pam Shriver produced. Zvereva and Fernandez remain the most successful partnership since Navratilova /Shriver dominated the 1980s. Their winning at such a prolific rate places them in the GOAT conversation. On two occasions, they won three Grand Slams in a year. Their match win percentages in doubles were 86% for Fernandez and 81% for Zvereva. It's a record of winning silverware hardly any other pairing can surpass.