Reached the quarterfinals of 1997 Wimbledon after saving three match points against her in the fourth round against Sandrine Testud; trailing double match point in the third set, play was suspended due to rain. After play resumed she won four straight points and won the match 10 games later 4-6, 7-5, 12-10.

Capped off a tremendous latter part of 1997 by qualifying for the season-ending Chase Championships as one of the 16 best singles players of the year and one of the best eight doubles teams with Alexandra Fusai; in singles at the championships, upset fourth-ranked Amanda Coetzer and No. 6 Iva Majoli to reach the semifinals, losing in three sets to No. 7 Mary Pierce; was a finalist in doubles with Alexandra Fusai; had previously qualified for the season-ending championships in 1990-93 in singles, 1988 and 1994 in doubles; qualified in singles and doubles again in 1998 and 1999.

By defeating No. 2 Jana Novotna and No. 6 Iva Majoli en route to the 1997 Chicago final, defeated two Top 10 players in one tournament for the first time; won the doubles title.

Made Fed Cup history in France's first-round win over Japan in 1997, defeating Naoko Sawamatsu, 7-5, 4-6,

the final set was the longest set ever in Fed Cup singles; the 54 games in the match tie the record for the most games in a rubber; with an undefeated record in both singles and doubles in 1997, helped France go on to claim its first Fed Cup title.

Won 1995 Eastbourne for first-ever grass court title; upset three higher-seeded players en route to title, including second seed Natasha Zvereva.

At 1990 Bayonne, defeated Anke Huber in final 6-3, 7-6(10-8) for first major-tour singles title.

Has other career wins over Gabriela Sabatini, Jana Novotna, and Martina Navratilova.

Coached by Regis de Camaret since age 13 (first coach was French journalist Francois Xavier D'Eau).

Began playing tennis at age 7.


Personal

Father, Bernard, sells bathroom fixtures
Mother, Regine, is a homemaker.

Has one brother, Eric, who lives in Paris.

Was born in Africa and lived there until age 8.

Established a tennis academy in Cabreton, France in 1994.

Enjoys listening to music by Whitney Houston and playing golf.

Follows local Bordeaux soccer team and is the cousin of French soccer captain Didier Deschamps.