Alicia Molik

3.1. Early Career and Major Achievements (1998-2004)

Molik turned professional in 1996 and began representing Australia in the Fed Cup in 1998. She made her Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Her first WTA Tour singles title came in January 2003 at the Hobart International in Australia, where she defeated Amy Frazier 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the final. Later that year, she reached two other singles finals, losing to Anastasia Myskina at the Sarasota Clay Court Classic and to Magüi Serna at the Budapest Grand Prix.

In 2004, Molik continued to build momentum. She was a finalist at the WTA Austrian Open in March, losing to Anna Smashnova. In August, she won her second singles title at the Nordic Light Open in Stockholm, Sweden, defeating Tatiana Perebiynis 6-1, 6-1. Her participation in the 2004 Athens Olympics proved to be a major highlight. She advanced through the singles draw, defeating Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Although she lost to Amélie Mauresmo 6-7, 3-6 in the semifinals, Molik went on to win the bronze medal by defeating the reigning French Open champion and world No. 3, Anastasia Myskina, 6-3, 6-4 in the bronze medal match.

Following the Olympics, Molik achieved further success. She reached the finals of two mixed doubles major tournaments with fellow Australian Todd Woodbridge, finishing as runner-up at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships (losing to Cara and Wayne Black) and the 2004 US Open (losing to Vera Zvonareva and Bob Bryan). In late 2004, she won two consecutive indoor hard-court tournaments: the Zurich Open in Switzerland, where she defeated Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the final, and the Luxembourg Open, where she beat Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-4. These victories contributed to her rising profile in women's tennis.

3.2. Peak and Onset of Illness (2005)

The year 2005 marked a significant period in Molik's career, beginning with a strong performance that led to her career-high ranking, but also the unfortunate onset of a debilitating illness. She started the year by partnering Mark Philippoussis in the Hopman Cup. She then won her fifth career singles title at the Sydney International, defeating compatriot Samantha Stosur in a hard-fought final 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.

At the 2005 Australian Open, Molik, seeded 10th, made a strong run. She defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues, Aiko Nakamura, and Tatiana Panova to set up a fourth-round clash with eighth seed Venus Williams. Molik advanced by defeating Williams 7-5, 7-6, becoming the first Australian woman since 1988 to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals. In her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal, she faced top seed Lindsay Davenport, losing in a marathon three-set match, 6-4, 4-6, 9-7. Despite the singles loss, Molik won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the same event, partnering with Svetlana Kuznetsova to defeat Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu 6-3, 6-4 in the final. After the Australian Open, Molik entered the top 10 in singles for the first time, reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 8 on February 28, 2005. Her doubles ranking also reached a career-high of world No. 6 on June 6, 2005.

Molik's strong form continued as she reached the semifinals of the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, losing to Amélie Mauresmo. She then defeated Mauresmo in the semifinals of the Tier II Qatar Ladies Open 7-6, 6-1, before falling to Maria Sharapova in the final in three sets. Her ranking rose to No. 8 after this tournament. As the seventh seed at the Tier I Indian Wells Open, Molik reached the fourth round before losing to a returning Justine Henin. This marked one of her last successful runs for a period.

Shortly after Indian Wells, Molik contracted an inner-ear infection after crashing out of the tournament in Amelia Island. This infection developed into vestibular neuronitis, a condition that profoundly affected her balance, vision, and energy levels, making it difficult to play tennis at a professional level. This illness forced her to take an extended break, causing her to miss the entire clay-court season, including the French Open, and later Wimbledon. She attempted a return at Birmingham but lost in the second round. Her performances suffered significantly, as evidenced by first-round losses at the US Open and other late-year tournaments. She finished 2005 ranked 29th, with a singles record of 17 wins and 14 losses.

3.3. Recovery from Illness and Second Grand Slam Title (2006-2007)

Molik began her official return to the tour in May 2006 at the Italian Open, though she struggled initially, losing in the first round. However, she found some form at the French Open, reaching the third round before losing to Maria Sharapova. She continued to face challenges throughout the 2006 season, experiencing several first-round exits, including at Wimbledon and the US Open. Despite these setbacks, she managed to break back into the top 200 by the end of the year, finishing ranked 163.

The 2007 season saw Molik's comeback gain momentum. She earned a wildcard into the Australian Open by winning the Australian Open Wildcard Play-offs, defeating Jessica Moore in the final. She also performed well at the Hopman Cup in Perth, securing victories over top players like world No. 6 Nadia Petrova and Ashley Harkleroad. In her final Australian Open warm-up, the Hobart International, she reached the quarterfinals. At the Australian Open itself, Molik reached the third round, improving her ranking from No. 141 to inside the top 100.

Molik continued to show progress throughout 2007, reaching the second or third rounds in various WTA tournaments. Crucially, she teamed up with Mara Santangelo at the French Open to win her second Grand Slam women's doubles title, defeating the partnership of Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama 7-6, 6-4 in the final. This victory marked her first major title since her illness and signified a successful return to elite form in doubles. Following this, at Wimbledon, Molik reached the second round in singles and the semifinals in women's doubles with Santangelo. She also reached her third Grand Slam mixed doubles final, partnering with Jonas Björkman, but they lost to Jelena Janković and Jamie Murray. Molik concluded 2007 ranked No. 60 in the world in singles, with a 25-24 win-loss record, showcasing a significant recovery.

3.4. First Retirement and Comeback (2008-2009)

The 2008 season saw Molik's singles ranking continue to decline due to persistent elbow problems. After competing in the Hopman Cup and the Sydney International, she reached the second round of the 2008 Australian Open, losing to Nicole Vaidišová. Despite a wildcard entry into the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she was defeated in the first round of both singles and doubles (partnering Casey Dellacqua). On September 5, 2008, after battling chronic leg and elbow issues, Molik announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 27.

Following her initial retirement, Molik spent six months working as a tennis commentator. However, in July 2009, she announced her intention to return to the professional tour, stating she was fully recovered from injuries. Her comeback began in the doubles event at the Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, partnering with Meghann Shaughnessy. She also competed in doubles at the US Open, but faced early exits. Molik then focused on the ITF circuit, winning singles and doubles titles at a $25,000 tournament in Darwin in September 2009, partnering with Casey Dellacqua for the doubles and defeating Monika Wejnert in the singles final. She also secured wins at ITF events in Bendigo and Mildura, and reached the semifinals of another ITF event in Perth, signaling a strong return to competitive play.

3.5. Late Career and Final Retirement (2010-2011)

Molik's successful run on the ITF tour at the end of 2009 saw her ranking rise back into the top 200, allowing her to compete at the WTA Tour level in 2010. She started the year at the Brisbane International, where she defeated Ekaterina Makarova before losing to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. At the Hobart International, she beat former doubles partner Sania Mirza in the first round but lost in the second.

At the 2010 Australian Open, Molik, partnered with Meghann Shaughnessy in doubles, faced an early exit. In singles, she held a commanding lead against Julie Coin before ultimately losing. She also played in Australia's Fed Cup World Group II tie against Spain, suffering a heavy loss in the reverse singles. Molik continued to compete in various tournaments, including the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she upset the 16th seed Zheng Jie in the first round, and the Malaysian Open.

A notable performance came at the Indian Wells Open, a Premier Mandatory event, where she received a wildcard. She defeated Tatjana Malek and then pulled off an upset by defeating 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues. She continued her strong showing by dominating Elena Baltacha in the third round before losing to Zheng Jie in the fourth. At the Miami Open, she partnered with Svetlana Kuznetsova in doubles, a pair that had previously won the Miami doubles title. Molik's final appearances in Grand Slam tournaments included first-round losses at the 2010 French Open and the 2010 US Open, and a second-round loss at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships. Her last official professional match was a second-round loss at the 2011 Australian Open to Nadia Petrova, after which she definitively retired from competitive tennis. She finished 2011 ranked 317th.

6.1. Grand Slam Finals

Molik participated in five Grand Slam finals during her career, securing two titles in women's doubles and reaching three finals in mixed doubles.

6.2. WTA Tour Finals

Molik competed in numerous singles and doubles finals on the WTA Tour, achieving five singles titles and seven doubles titles.

6.3. Olympic Games Performance

Molik represented Australia in the Olympics twice, achieving a significant medal in her second appearance.

7.1. Singles Performance Timeline

7.2. Doubles Performance Timeline