Alexandra Stevenson

Alexandra Winfield Stevenson (born December 15, 1980) is an American former professional tennis player.

Stevenson's mother is Samantha Stevenson, a sports journalist.

Her father is former National Basketball Association player Julius Erving.

Erving was married when he met Samantha Stevenson, and Alexandra Stevenson was conceived as a result of an affair.

Stevenson made her professional tennis debut in 1998 as a wild card at the US Open where she lost in the first round to France's Alexandra Fusai.

In 1999 Stevenson qualified and ultimately reached the quarterfinals at Birmingham, a grass warmup to Wimbledon, before withdrawing to Magüi Serna because of a stomach muscle pull.

The next week, Stevenson was the number one seed during qualifying at Roehampton—and did not drop a set in three rounds as she moved into the main draw at Wimbledon.

At Wimbledon, two weeks after graduating from La Jolla Country Day School, she became the second woman qualifier in the tennis Open Era to reach the semifinals.

It was her second time at Wimbledon, having competed the year before in the Junior Wimbledon Championships.

Stevenson moved from California to train with Nick Bollettieri at IMG Academy from 1999 to 2002.

In 2000 and 2001, Stevenson, often pitted against top 20 players – including Nathalie Tauziat, Mary Pierce, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Amanda Coetzer, Lisa Raymond, Dominique Van Roost, Julie Halard, Jennifer Capriati, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams – worked on her aggressive all-court playing style as she found her way in the professional game.

Stevenson reached the quarterfinals at Quebec City in 2001, and the quarterfinals at Linz, defeating Arantxa Sánchez Vicario en route.

She had played during the European indoor season in 2001 and was the only American player to appear in Moscow in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

But, it was in 2002 that Stevenson moved up to No. 18 in the world.

In 2002, prior to the European indoors, she lost to Monica Seles in the Tokyo quarterfinals 6–7(9), 6–7(9), and there were no breaks of serve until the tiebreakers.

Alan Mills, the Tokyo referee and renowned Wimbledon referee proclaimed, "This is the finest women's serving match I have ever seen."

Soon after, Seles and Stevenson were asked to serve aces for the American Heart Association, bringing awareness to heart disease.

During the 2002 European indoors, Stevenson won her first doubles title with Serena Williams in Leipzig, Germany.

She reached the quarterfinals of Filderstadt, defeating number one Jennifer Capriati.

She was a finalist at Linz, beating two top ten players en route, including Capriati.

Stevenson finished the year at 18, percentage points away from No. 17, Elena Dementieva.

Stevenson served 100 aces in 2003.

Stevenson experienced shoulder pain in 2003 at the Wimbledon Championships.

She worked on strengthening the area, but was unable to repair the tear.

Stevenson went to Birmingham, Alabama, where Dr. James Andrews performed a type II labral repair on her right shoulder in September 2004.

Stevenson graduated from the University of Colorado in December 2007, with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Sociology.

She graduated on the Dean's List and is the only final-eight member to have graduated from college while playing professional tennis.

Alexandra Stevenson met her father for the first time October 2008 after she initiated a meeting.

The meeting was documented by ESPN.com's "Reaching Out".

Stevenson keeps up with her father between tournaments.

Stevenson was inducted into the La Jolla Country Day School Hall of Fame in December 2009 – joining fellow Torrey, Rashaan Salaam, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner.

Stevenson beat 11th seed Julie Halard in the third round.

In the fourth round, she saved one match point against Lisa Raymond in a 2–6, 7–6, 6–1 win.

She then beat Jelena Dokić in three sets in the quarterfinals, before losing to the eventual champion, third seed Lindsay Davenport.

Stevenson had 57 aces during the fortnight, her serve speed over 120 mph.

It was the beginning of Stevenson being known for the fastest second serve in the women's game.

Stevenson's second serve was 105 mph – 115 mph. Phil Knight, the co-founder and chairman of Nike, flew to London to personally sign Stevenson to a three-year contract.

During the months following her dramatic run at Wimbledon, Stevenson was named Rookie of the Year by Tennis Magazine and named Most Fascinating by People Magazine.

She was interviewed by Barbara Walters for a Barbara Walters Special and was featured in a variety of national and international media.

Nike flew a dozen flags with Stevenson's name in bold print during her first visit to the iconic campus.