Topic: Marion Bartoli

Marion Bartoli (born October 2, 1984) is a French professional tennis player and the current French No. 1. She has won six Women's Tennis Association singles titles and three doubles titles. She was also a runner-up at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships.

Bartoli has defeated two reigning World No.1 players in her career so far. She defeated Justine Henin in the semi-final of the 2007 Wimbledon Championships 1–6, 7–5, 6–1 and she defeated Jelena Janković in the fourth round of the 2009 Australian Open 6–1, 6–4. She has also recorded wins over former World No. 1 Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Ana Ivanović, Lindsay Davenport, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina, Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clijsters as well as many top 5 and top 10 players.

Bartoli was born in Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire, France. She is of Corsican, Catalan and metropolitan French descent. She started playing tennis at the age of six. Bartoli trained in a small facility as a youngster where there was not much room behind the baseline. Her father, Walter, gave up his career as a doctor to become her full time coach when Bartoli won the 2001 Junior US Open title, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova 4–6, 6–3, 6–4.