Biography

Birthplace Bologna, Italy
Date of birth April 29, 1987
Weight 132 lbs. (60 kg)
Height 5′ 4 1/2″ (1.64 m)
Family Father, Giorgio, is a fruit and vegetables import/export broker
Mother, Fulvia, is a pharmacist
Brother, Davide, is a sport manager (Errani, Knapp, Arnaboldi)
Status Pro (2002)
Coaches Pablo Lozano, David Andres
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Favorite surface Clay
Favourite shot Forehand

 

Sara enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (esp. pop), following soccer and basketball and playing Monopoly, cards and computer games. She describes herself as shy, happy and responsible.

Sara tried a few different sports (football, swimming, athletics) before settling on tennis. She first got picked to represent Italy at the age of 12, in an International tournament in Auray (France). The same year, she went to the Nick Bolletieri Tennis Academy in Florida, USA, where she stayed for 10 months. She didn’t speak a single English word when she arrived, and was the youngest player ever to stay there without parents. Sara said about this time:

“...it was quite hard, I was crying nearly every day, but I didn’t say a word to mum and dad, because I knew my family was making an effort and I didn’t want to fail…”.

After that year, Sara went back to Italy and at the age of 14, she started to play in the U18 ITF circuit. When she was only 15 years and 7 months old, she became the best Italian player Under 18, which she stayed until she turned 18.

Despite her promising results, Sara found it hard to become a professional player in Italy. She didn’t receive a lot of support from coaches and other people who were professionally involved in tennis. They didn’t seem to have a lot of faith in her abilities as a professional player, probably because of her “normal” physique. That is the reason why, at the age of 17, Sara decided to move to Spain, where she found the perfect circumstances for her to train and to become a successful tennis player. Sara didn’t forget and when she won her second WTA title, in Portoroz in 2008, this is what she said during the final cerimony:

“…I want to dedicate this victory to all the Italians that never believed in me as a tennis player, and always said I would never go anywhere.”

 

Titles

Singles

2016: Dubai

2015: Rio de Janeiro

2013: Acapulco

2012: Acapulco, Barcelona, Budapest, Palermo

2008: Palermo, Portoroz

2007: $25K Galatina

2005: $10K Melilla

Doubles

2014: Australian Open (w/Vinci), Stuttgart (w/Vinci), Madrid (w/Vinci), Wimbledon (w/Vinci), Montreal (w/Vinci)

2013: Australian Open (w/Vinci), Paris (w/Vinci), Doha (w/Vinci)

2012: Monterrey (w/Vinci), Acapulco (w/Vinci), Barcelona (w/Vinci), Madrid (w/Vinci), Rome (w/Vinci), Roland Garros (w/Vinci), ‘s-Hertogenbosch (w/Vinci), US Open (w/Vinci)

2011: Hobart (w/Vinci), Pattaya City (w/Vinci), Palermo (w/Vinci)

2010: Barcelona (w/Vinci), Marbella (w/Vinci), Palermo (w/Brianti)

2009: ‘s-Hertogenbosch (w/Pennetta)

2008: Palermo (w/Llagostera Vives)

2007: $25K Capriolo (w/Gabba), $50K Latina (w/Gabba)

2006: $50K+H Cuneo (w/Knapp)

2005: $10K Melilla (w/Martinez Sanchez), $25K Torrent (w/Garcia), $25K Seville (w/Martinez Sanchez)

Others

Fed Cup 2013, 2010, 2009