Sara Errani has emerged from the shadows of a successful career as a doubles player to reach the quarters of both 2012 Grand Slam Championships and is poised to stake a claim to her first slam finals against Samantha Stosur on Thursday in Paris.

Sara Errani

Like most tour players, Sara Errani began playing at a young age. Sara’s father introduced her to the game at age 5.  Her career has been a steady climb up the ladder.  At one point, she seemed destined to have a successful career in doubles. Like Samantha Stosur, her semifinal opponent in the 2012 French Open, Sara used her doubles play to develop a more aggressive ground attack and a better serve.

Errani is coached by Pablo Lozano and David Endres. Her coaches have worked hard on her strategy and developing a more aggressive forehand. Sara prefers clay but has begun to have success on the faster surfaces.  She reached the quarters in Australia in 2012.

Unlike most tour players, Sara does not have the athletic roots of many European women. Her father, Giorgi, markets fresh fruits and vegetables while mother Fulvia is a hard-working pharmacist. Errani is multi-lingual adding fluent English and Spanish to her native tongue, Italian. She is an avid soccer and basketball fan.

Sara broke into the top 100 in 2007. She climbed into the top 50 in 2008 with her first WTA tournament wins at Palermo and Portoroz.  Since then, she has enjoyed a top 50 ranking every year. Until this year, she has been unable to go deep into a Grand Slam.  She bucked the trend reaching the quarterfinal in Melbourne and now the semis in Paris. Sara’s timing could not be better as Italian teammates Pennetta and former French Open Champion Schiavone are past-prime.

A top 50 ranking will be a disappointment this season. If she can upset heavily favored Stosur in the semis, she would be on course to the top ten. As WTA singles player, this little lady is no longer just another doubles player.  Sara Errani is a competitive singles player.  Looking past her will break somebody’s heart. Watch out Samantha, the Italian freight train is coming through.

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