| Full name | Claudine Punipuao Toleafoa |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  New Zealand |
| Born | 28 February 1970 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Prize money | $115,616 |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 121 (28 January 1991) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1991) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (1991) |
| Doubles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 128 (17 September 1990) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1990) |
| US Open | 1R (1990) |
Claudine Punipuao Toleafoa (born 28 February 1970) is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand.
Toleafoa was born in Auckland and is of Samoan heritage, with her father Afamasaga Fa'amatala coming from Fasito'o Tai on the island of Upolu. Her mother, Phillipa Lousley, is from Dunedin. As a child she lived for a time in Samoa and represented the country in tennis at the 1985 South Pacific Mini Games. [1]
During her junior career she made the girls' doubles quarter-finals at both the 1987 and 1988 US Open competitions. [2]
Toleafoa began playing for the New Zealand Federation Cup team in 1989 and won her debut match over Italy's world number 25 Sandra Cecchini, 10–8 in the third set, to help the side win the World Group tie. [3]
On the WTA Tour her best results came at her home tournament, the Wellington Classic. In 1990 she beat two seeded players, Donna Faber and Sandra Wasserman, to reach the semi-finals, then in 1991 made the quarter-finals, beating third seed Larisa Neiland en route. In addition to her singles performances at Wellington she also twice made the semi-finals of the doubles.
She appeared in the main singles draw of the 1991 Australian Open and made the second round, defeating Stephanie Rottier, which resulted in her career best ranking of 121 following the tournament. At the 1991 French Open she fell in the qualifying draw, then lost in the final round of qualifying at the 1991 Wimbledon Championships, but received entry into the main draw as a lucky loser. She lost in the opening round of Wimbledon to Julie Halard, in three sets. [4]
In 1992 she played Steffi Graf in a Federation Cup tie, then from 1993 until her retirement in 1996 only came up against opponents from the Asia/Oceania Zone, as New Zealand had dropped out of the World Group. [5] She finished her Federation Cup career with a 17/16 overall record, from 25 ties.
Toleafoa is married to Australian former professional tennis player Carl Limberger. [6]
She now works in Auckland as a lawyer and was previously a prosecutor for NZ Police.[ citation needed ]
| Legend |
|---|
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 20 February 1989 | Melbourne, Australia | Hard |  Janine Thompson | 1–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 2. | 19 June 1989 | Brindisi, Italy | Clay |  Maïder Laval | 6–4, 5–7, 1–6 |
| Loss | 3. | 1 August 1994 | Norfolk, United States | Hard |  Karin Miller | 6–2, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Result | No. | Date | Location | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 18 July 1988 | Rheda-Wiedenbrück, West Germany | Clay |  Henrike Kadzidroga |  Alice Danila Gabriela Dinu | 6–1, 2–6, 6–7 |
| Loss | 2. | 11 June 1989 | Milan, Italy | Clay | Ruth Seeman |  Yayuk Basuki Suzanna Wibowo | 7–5, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 3. | 18 September 1989 | Bangkok, Thailand | Hard |  Valda Lake |  Paulette Moreno  Karin Ptaszek | 7–6, 1–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 4. | 20 November 1989 | Bulleen, Australia | Hard |  Rika Hiraki |  Ingelise Driehuis Alysia May | 7–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 5. | 25 July 1994 | Roanoke, United States | Hard | Gail Biggs |  Kristina Brandi Karin Miller | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
| Loss | 6. | 1 August 1994 | Norfolk, United States | Hard | Gail Biggs | Karin Miller Varalee Sureephong | 3–6, 6–4, 2–6 |
Barbora Strýcová, formerly known as Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová, is a Czech former professional tennis player who was ranked world No. 1 in doubles.
Johanna Larsson is a Swedish former tennis player. In her career, she won two singles and 14 doubles titles on the WTA Tour, with 13 singles and 17 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. Her career-high WTA rankings are 45 in singles, achieved in September 2016, and 20 in doubles, set on 30 October 2017.
Naomi Kathleen Cavaday is a British former professional tennis player from Sidcup, London. She retired in April 2011 to take up a coaching role with the Lawn Tennis Association. At the time of her retirement, she was the British No. 6, with a ranking of world No. 231. Her career-high ranking was 174, achieved in May 2010. She won three ITF singles titles and two ITF doubles titles. Her coach at retirement was Rob Smith. She was formerly coached by David Felgate, the long-time coach of Tim Henman.
Melanie Jayne South is a former English tennis player. She won six singles and 24 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. On 2 February 2009, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 99. On 9 March 2009, she peaked at No. 120 in the doubles rankings.
Sandra Roma is a former tennis player from Sweden.
Noppawan "Nok" Lertcheewakarn is a former professional Thai tennis player. At 2009 Wimbledon Championships, she won the junior singles title. She reached career-high WTA rankings of 149 in singles and 97 in doubles.
Aleksandra Krunić is a Serbian professional tennis player. She has won one singles title and six doubles titles on the WTA Tour along with one singles title on WTA 125 tournaments. In June 2018, she reached her best singles rankings of world No. 39. On 30 September 2019, she peaked at No. 35 in the doubles rankings.
Sacha Hughes is the current New Zealand Fed Cup captain, appointed May 2019. She is a former professional New Zealand and Australian tennis player who competed as Sacha Jones. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 150, which she reached on 8 October 2012. Her highest ITF junior ranking is 11 in the world. She attained the No. 1 ranking in New Zealand in 2009 and competed in the ASB Classic, New Zealand's only WTA event, on seven occasions.
Ana Konjuh is a Croatian tennis player.
Paige Mary Hourigan is a professional tennis player from New Zealand. She has won four singles and 12 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. She reached her best rankings in both singles and doubles after winning ITF titles in Singapore and Surprise, Arizona early in 2019, and those rankings continued to climb as her run of success extended through Mexico and Asia.
Emily Fanning is a former tennis player from New Zealand. Her career-high junior ranking is 38, achieved in July 2012. In her career, Fanning won three doubles titles at tournaments of the ITF Women's Circuit.
Vera Valeryevna Lapko is a Belarusian former professional tennis player.
Erin Hope Routliffe is a New Zealand professional tennis player who previously represented Canada. She became world No. 1 in doubles on 15 July 2024. Routliffe won a major doubles title at the 2023 US Open partnering Gabriela Dabrowski. She became the second New Zealand woman to win a major in the Open Era, after Judy Connor won the women's doubles title at the 1979 Australian Open. Routliffe was a two-time NCAA doubles champion with Maya Jansen for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Steven Downs is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand.
Jade Lewis is a former tennis player from New Zealand. She comes from a family of achievers in the sport. One uncle is 1983 Wimbledon Championships finalist Chris Lewis, and her father David and other uncle Mark competed for New Zealand's Davis Cup team. Her older sister Carolina, who died suddenly in September 2019, played tennis for West Virginia University and also competed in a handful of ITF tournaments.
Alistair Hunt is a former professional tennis player from New Zealand.
Cristina Tessi is a former professional tennis player from Argentina.
Gabriella Patricia Taylor is a British former tennis player.
Amanda Grunfeld Rosenfield is a British former professional tennis player.
Valentina Sergeyevna Ivanov is a New Zealand tennis player, although she has lived in Sydney since she was two years old.
