Amanda Coetzer

Amanda Coetzer (born 22 October 1971 in Hoopstad, South Africa) is a former professional tennis player from South Africa.

Coetzer turned professional in 1988 and retired in 2004. She won her first top-level singles title in 1993 in Melbourne, and her second later that year in Tokyo.

Coetzer entered the top-20 on the women's world rankings in 1992 and remained there for most of the next 10 years. She developed a reputation for regularly beating players who were higher ranked than her as she climbed to her career high ranking of World No. 3 in 1997. As a result of her many upset wins and her small size, she earned the nickname "The Little Assassin."

Career
At the Canadian Open in 1995, Coetzer defeated three players ranked in the world's top-5 – Steffi Graf (No. 1), Jana Novotná (No. 4) and Mary Pierce (No. 5) – before finally losing to Monica Seles in the final. The defeat of Graf ended a 32-match winning-streak for the German.

At the Australian Open in 1996, Coetzer became the first South African woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, where she lost in three sets to Anke Huber.

1997 was the best season of Coetzer's career. In reaching the Australian Open semi-finals for the second consecutive year, she defeated World No. 1 Graf in the fourth round. She then beat Graf for a second time in the quarter-finals at Berlin, handing her her worst-ever loss by defeating her 6–0, 6–1 in just 56 minutes. And then in the quarter-finals of the French Open she defeated Graf yet again to become one of just six players to beat Graf three times in one year, and one of only four to defeat her more than once in Grand Slam play. Coetzer lost in the French Open semi-finals to eventual-champion Iva Majoli. Later in the year in Leipzig, Coetzer beat Martina Hingis who by then had taken over the World No. 1 ranking. Coetzer won two singles titles that year in Budapest and Luxembourg.

Coetzer won the biggest title of her career in 1998 at Hilton Head (Tier 1 event).

In 1999 Coetzer became the only player ever to defeat Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport while they were ranked No. 1.

In 2000, Coetzer teamed-up with Wayne Ferreira to win the Hopman Cup for South Africa. She also played of South Africa's Fed Cup team for six years and represented South Africa in the Olympic Games three times.

In 2001, she qualified for her ninth consecutive year-end championship.

In 2002, she obtained an invite from the Hong Kong Tennis Patrons' Association to play The Hong Kong Ladies Challenge 2002.

During her career, Coetzer won nine top-level singles titles and nine doubles titles. Her final singles title was won in Acapulco in 2003. Her career prize-money earnings totalled US$5,594,821.

Personal life
Coetzer is the daughter of Nico and Suska Coetzer. She started playing tennis at the age of 6. During her playing career she resided primarily in Hilton Head, South Carolina and was coached by Gavin Hopper. She is married to the Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan.