Eleni Daniilidou (; ; born 19 September 1982) is a Greek former tennis player from the island of Crete.
She is considered one of the best Greek tennis players of the Open Era, winning five singles titles and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour. In 2003, she reached the mixed-doubles final of the Australian Open, making her the first Greek player to have reached a Grand Slam final. Her highest singles ranking is world No. 14, making her the only female tennis player from Greece to have reached the top 20 until Maria Sakkari in February 2020. No male tennis player had achieved this until Stefanos Tsitsipas reached 15th place in August 2018. By beating Justine Henin in the first round of the 2005 Wimbledon Championships, she became the first player to defeat a reigning French Open champion in the first round of Wimbledon.
Career summary
Daniilidou began her professional career in 1996, making the final of her first ITF event, having barely turned 14. She achieved her first ranking in 1998, finishing that year as the world No. 294. In 2001, she broke into the top 100 following a third round appearance at the US Open. 2002 was the best year of Daniilidou's career, finishing it at No. 22 in the world. She won her first WTA career singles title at the Rosmalen Championships, defeating Elena Dementieva in the final; and reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at Wimbledon. At the end of the year, she reached her second WTA final at the Brasil Open, beating Monica Seles en route, but lost to Anastasia Myskina.
Daniilidou started 2003 by winning her second WTA title at the Auckland Open and reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, results which saw her break into the top 20 for the first time, reaching a career high of No. 14 after the German Open. She also reached the semifinals of the Paris Indoors and the DFS Classic. Daniilidou successfully defended her title at Auckland in 2004, her third WTA singles title. She reached the semifinals at the prestigious Miami Open, beating Jennifer Capriati en route. Later that year she equalled her best Grand Slam performance at the US Open by reaching the fourth round.
2005 was a relatively poor year for Daniilidou, becoming the first since 2001 where she did not win a title. She did, however, cause a huge upset at Wimbledon, beating the reigning French Open champion, Justine Henin. It was the first time the French Open champion had ever lost in the first round of Wimbledon. It also brought the end of Henin's 24-match win streak dating back to the beginning of the clay season. Daniilidou eventually lost in the third round, her best Grand Slam performance of the year. She also reached the semifinals of a lower level WTA event in Portorož, Slovenia. She recovered slightly in 2006, going back into the top 50 and winning her fourth WTA singles title at the Korea Open. She also reached the semifinals of the Ordina Open, and remained in the top 50 in 2007 with her best result being a semifinal at the Connecticut Open, where she beat Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals after saving a match point.
2008 was an injury-plagued season for Daniilidou, missing almost half the year with a right knee injury. She won her fifth and last WTA singles title at the Hobart International, but missed several months of events from March. She returned at the Summer Olympics in August but failed to win a match for the rest of the season, ultimately finishing the year outside the top 100 for the first time since 2000.
Performance timelines Only main-draw results in WTA Tour, Grand Slam tournaments, Fed Cup and Olympic Games are included in win–loss records.
Singles Tournament1999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014SRW–LWin%Grand Slam tournaments Australian OpenAAA3R4R3R1R1R1R1RQ2Q2Q22R2RQ10 / 99–9 French OpenAAQ32R3R1R1R1R1RAAQ11R1RQ2A0 / 83–8 WimbledonAA2R4R2R1R3R1R2RAA1R2R1RQ2A0 / 1010–10 US OpenAA3R1R1R4R1R2R2R1RAQ11R1R1RA0 / 117–11Win–loss0–00–03–26–47–45–42–41–42–40–20–00–11–31–41–20–00 / 3829–38National representationSummer OlympicsNH1RNH3RNH1RNHANH0 / 32–3WTA Premier Mandatory & 5 + formerDubai / Qatar OpenNH/NMS1RAAAQ11RA0 / 20–2Indian Wells OpenAAA2R3R2RA3RA3RA1RA1RQ2A0 / 75–7Miami OpenAAA2R3RSF2R4R1R1RAAA1RQ1A0 / 810–8Berlin / Madrid OpenAAA1R3R2R2R1R1RAAAAQ1AA0 / 64–6Italian OpenAAAA2RAAA1RAAAQ1AAA0 / 21–2Canadian OpenAAA1R1RAAA3RAAAAQ1AA0 / 32–3Cincinnati OpenNMSAA1R2RAA0 / 21–2Pan Pacific OpenAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ2AA0 / 00–0China OpenNH/NMSAA1RQ1AA0 / 10–1Charleston Open (former)AAAAA1R1RA2RANMS0 / 31–3San Diego Open (former)AAAAA2R1RA2RANH0 / 32–3Kremlin Cup (former)AAA1RQFAAA1RANMS0 / 32–3Zurich Open (former)AAAQ11RQ2Q1A1RNH/NMS0 / 20–2Win–loss0–00–00–02–57–76–52–45–34–81–30–00–10–21–30–10–00 / 4228–42Career statisticsTournament1999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014SRW–LWin%Tournaments01823242020252910131221102Career total: 209Titles0001110101000000Career total: 5Finals0002110101000000Career total: 6Hard win–loss0–00–13–314–1117–1321–127–1220–1519–186–84–12–25–117–133–90–14 / 130128–130Clay win–loss1–30–03–48–96–54–52–53–64–70–00–02–11–31–50–10–00 / 4635–54Grass win–loss0–00–02–211–24–30–25–24–34–30–00–00–11–10–30–00–11 / 2431–23Carpet win–loss0–00–00–00–25–30–10–10–00–11–10–00–00–00–00–00–00 / 96–9Overall win–loss1–30–18–933–2432–2425–2014–2027–2427–297–94–14–47–158–213–100–25 / 209200–216Year-end ranking3183208422263470364314916016790100189386$2,929,165
Doubles Tournament199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015SRW–LWin%Grand Slam tournaments Australian OpenAAAA3R1R1RQF1R3R1RAA2R1R1RAA0 / 107–10 French OpenAAAAA3R1R1RSF2RAA1R1R2RAAA0 / 88–8 WimbledonAAAQ2A1R1R2RQF2RAA1R1R1RA1RA0 / 95–9 US OpenAAAAA1R2R1RA2R1RA1R2R1R1RAA0 / 93–9Win–loss0–00–00–00–01–12–41–44–47–35–40–20–00–32–41–40–20–10–00 / 3623–36National representationSummer OlympicsNHANH1RNH1RNHANH0 / 20–2WTA Premier Mandatory & 5 + formerDubai / Qatar OpenNH/NMS1RAAA1R2RAA0 / 31–3Indian Wells OpenAAAAAA2R1RSFA2RAAA1RAAA0 / 54–5Miami OpenAAAAA1R2R1RQF1RAAAAAAAA0 / 53–5Berlin / Madrid OpenAAAAAAA1RQF1RAAAAAAAA0 / 32–3Italian OpenAAAAAAAAA1RAAA1RAAAA0 / 20–2Canadian OpenAAAAA2RAAA1RAAA1R1RAAA0 / 41–4Cincinnati OpenNMSAA2RQFAAA0 / 23–2Pan Pacific OpenAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA0 / 00–0China OpenAAAAAAAAAAAAA1RAAAA0 / 10–1Charleston Open (former)AAAAAA1R1RA1RANMS0 / 30–3San Diego Open (former)NMSQF2RA1RANH0 / 32–3Kremlin Cup (former)AAAAA1RAAA1RANMS0 / 20–2Zurich Open (former)AAAAAAA1R1RANH/NMS0 / 20–2Win–loss0–00–00–00–00–01–33–41–66–40–71–20–00–01–42–41–10–00–00 / 3516–35Career statisticsTournament199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015SRW–LWin%Tournaments0137111819212430851321171170Career total: 216Titles000000100000110000Career total: 3Finals000001211110120200Career total: 12Hard win–loss0–00–00–00–24–33–1013–119–1315–1410–195–75–18–612–116–1010–72–20–03 / 125102–116Clay win–loss3–10–02–13–43–55–32–61–510–61–30–01–30–56–81–33–13–32–00 / 5846–57Grass win–loss0–00–00–01–11–10–21–14–33–34–50–00–10–10–10–20–11–20–00 / 2215–24Carpet win–loss0–00–10–10–02–23–30–10–00–11–10–10–00–00–00–00–00–00–00 / 116–10Overall win–loss3–10–12–24–710–1111–1816–1914–2128–2416–285–86–58–1218–207–1513–96–72–00 / 216169–207Year-end ranking2573302371769563465022541699884609179135779
Grand Slam finals Mixed doubles: 1 (runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss2003Australian OpenHard Todd Woodbridge Leander Paes Martina Navratilova4–6, 5–7
WTA career finals Singles: 6 (5 titles, 1 runner–up) Legend Grand Slam WTA Premier Mandatory & 5 WTA Premier (0–1)WTA International (5–0)Finals by surfaceHard (4–1)Clay (0–0)Grass (1–0)Carpet (0–0)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1–0 Rosmalen Open, Netherlands Tier III Grass Elena Dementieva 3–6, 6–2, 6–3Loss 1–1 Brasil Open, BrazilTier II Hard Anastasia Myskina 3–6, 6–0, 2–6Win 2–1 Auckland Open, New Zealand Tier IV Hard Cho Yoon-jeong 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(7–2)Win 3–1 Auckland Open, New Zealand (2) Tier IV Hard Ashley Harkleroad 6–3, 6–2Win 4–1 Korea Open, South Korea Tier IV Hard Ai Sugiyama 6–3, 2–6, 7–6(7–3)Win 5–1 Hobart International, Australia Tier IV Hard Vera Zvonareva walkover
Doubles: 12 (3 titles, 9 runner–ups) LegendGrand Slam WTA Premier Mandatory & 5WTA Premier (1–2)WTA International (2–7)Finals by surfaceHard (3–4)Clay (0–3)Grass (0–1)Carpet (0–1)
ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss0–1Warsaw Open, PolandTier IIClay Francesca Schiavone Liezel Huber Magdalena Maleeva6–3, 4–6, 2–6Loss0–2Diamond Games, BelgiumTier IIHard Myriam Casanova Cara Black Els Callens2–6, 1–6Win1–2Stanford Classic, United StatesTier IIHard Nicole Pratt Claudine Schaul Iveta Benešová6–2, 6–4Loss1–3Birmingham Classic, UKTier IIIGrass Jennifer Russell Daniela Hantuchová Ai Sugiyama2–6, 3–6Loss1–4Gaz de France Stars, BelgiumTier IIICarpet (i) Jasmin Wöhr Lisa Raymond Samantha Stosur2–6, 3–6Loss1–5Korea Open, South KoreaTier IVHard Jasmin Wöhr Chuang Chia-jung Hsieh Su-wei2–6, 2–6Loss1–6Hobart International, AustraliaTier IVHard Jasmin Wöhr Anabel Medina Garrigues Virginia Ruano Pascual2–6, 4–6Win2–6İstanbul Cup, TurkeyInternationalHard Jasmin Wöhr Maria Kondratieva Vladimíra Uhlířová6–4, 1–6, [11–9]Loss2–7Estoril Open, PortugalInternationalClay Michaëlla Krajicek Alisa Kleybanova Galina Voskoboeva4–6, 2–6Win3–7Tashkent Open, UzbekistanInternationalHard Vitalia Diatchenko Lyudmyla Kichenok Nadiia Kichenok6–4, 6–3Loss3–8Gastein Ladies, AustriaInternationalClay Kristina Barrois Sandra Klemenschits Andreja Klepač 1–6, 4–6Loss3–9Baku Cup, AzerbaijanInternationalHard Aleksandra Krunić Irina Buryachok Oksana Kalashnikova 4–6, 7–6(7–3), [10–4]
ITF Circuit finals Legend $100,000 tournaments $80,000 tournaments $60,000 tournaments $25,000 tournaments $15,000 tournaments $10,000 tournaments
Singles: 16 (11 titles, 5 runner-ups) ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 0–1 Sep 1996 ITF Thessaloniki, Greece10,000 Hard Nóra Köves 3–6, 2–6Win 1–1 Aug 1998 ITF Southsea, Great Britain10,000 Grass Manisha Malhotra 7–6(7–5), 6–3Win 2–1 Aug 1998 ITF İstanbul, Turkey10,000 Hard Riei Kawamata 6–0, 6–1Win 3–1 Aug 1998 ITF Skiathos, Greece10,000 Carpet Tatiana Poutchek 6–3, 6–4Win 4–1 Aug 1998 ITF Xanthi, Greece10,000 Hard Lizzie Jelfs 6–2, 6–0Win 5–1 Sep 1999 ITF Thessaloniki, Greece25,000 Carpet Clarisa Fernández 6–2, 6–2Win 6–1 Aug 2000 ITF Kastoria, Greece10,000 Carpet Jolanda Mens 6–3, 6–1Win 7–1 Apr 2001ITF Dubai, United Arab Emirates75,000 Hard Anikó Kapros 6–4, 6–4Win 8–1 Apr 2001 ITF Taranto, Italy 25,000 Clay Edina Gallovits-Hall 7–5, 6–2Loss 8–2 Feb 2009 ITF Midland, United States75,000 Hard (i) Lucie Hradecká 3–6, 3–6Loss 8–3 Aug 2009 ITF Westende, Belgium 25,000 Hard Estelle Guisard 1–6, 2–6Loss 8–4 Sep 2009ITF Athens, Greece100,000 Hard Jelena Dokic 2–6, 1–6Win 9–4 Oct 2010 ITF Athens, Greece 50,000 Hard Laura Pous Tió 6–4, 6–1Win 10–4 May 2011 ITF Nottingham, Great Britain75,000 Grass Olga Govortsova 1–6, 6–4, 6–2Win 11–4 Jul 2011 ITF Pozoblanco, Spain50,000 Hard Elitsa Kostova 6–3, 6–2Loss 11–5 Oct 2012 ITF Barnstaple, Great Britain75,000 Hard (i) Annika Beck 7–6(7–1), 2–6, 2–6
Doubles: 29 (16 titles, 13 runner-ups)