| Country (sports) | 
Norway
United States |
|---|---|
| Born | July 26, 1974 Oslo, Norway |
| Prize money | $11,944 |
| Singles | |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 572 (August 11, 1997) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| US Open | Q1 ( 1994, 1995) |
| Doubles | |
| Career titles | 1 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 223 (September 28, 1998) |
Tina Samara (born July 26, 1974) is an American former professional tennis player.
Biography
Samara was born in Oslo, to a Norwegian mother and Sri Lankan father, before later settling in Laurel Hollow, New York. [1]
From 1992 to 1996, Samara attended the University of Georgia, where she was a two-time All-American in tennis. She was a member of Georgia's NCAA championship winning team in 1994, partnering with Stacy Sheppard to win the title deciding doubles match. [2] She and Sheppard became college tennis' top ranked doubles pairing in 1995. [3]
Samara represented her birth country Norway in the Fed Cup, appearing in a total of 12 ties between 1996 and 1998. As a professional player she was most successful in doubles, with a best ranking of 223 and one ITF title. She twice featured in the singles qualifying draw for the US Open.
An experienced coach in college tennis, since 2008 she has been a head coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, West Virginia University, University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of the Pacific. [4]
ITF finals
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
Doubles: 7 (1–6)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | February 10, 1992 | Swindon, Great Britain | Carpet |
 Jacqueline Geller
|
Lorna Woodroffe
Julie Pullin
|
4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 2. | June 19, 1995 | Peachtree, United States | Hard |
Stacy Sheppard
|
 Melissa Beadman Nicole Oomens
|
6–7(7), 1–6 |
| Loss | 3. | June 26, 1995 | Hilton Head, United States | Hard |
Stacy Sheppard
|
Jane Chi  Stephanie Chi
|
3–6, 6–7(5) |
| Win | 1. | April 14, 1997 | Elvas, Portugal | Hard |
Aneta Soukup
|
Miriam D'Agostini 
Alicia Ortuño
|
6–4, 7–5 |
| Loss | 4. | June 8, 1997 | Little Rock, United States | Hard |
Erica Adams
|
Amy Jensen
Samantha Reeves
|
0–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 5. | June 16, 1997 | Mount Pleasant, United States | Hard |
Amanda Augustus
|
Keirsten Alley 
Liza Andriyani
|
6–2, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 6. | June 23, 1997 | Greenwood, United States | Hard |
Keirsten Alley
|
Melissa Beadman Amy Jensen
|
6–4, 2–6, 4–6 |
References
- ^ "Badger Women's Tennis full of international flavor". WISC. September 11, 2013.
- ^ "Sport". Panama City News. May 18, 1994. p. 20.
- ^ "Tribe Believes, Achieves in Tennis". Daily Press. April 16, 1995.
- ^ "Tina Samara Named Pacific Women's Tennis Coach". wccsports.com. June 17, 2016.
External links
- 1974 births
- Living people
- American female tennis players
- Norwegian female tennis players
- Tennis players from New York (state)
- Georgia Bulldogs women's tennis players
- Tennis coaches from New York (state)
- People from Laurel Hollow, New York
- Sportspeople from Nassau County, New York
- American people of Sri Lankan descent
- American people of Norwegian descent
- Norwegian people of Sri Lankan descent
- Tennis players from Oslo