Mary Pierce established herself as one of the top tennis players of the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, her path to success was far from easy, as she had to overcome challenges related to her abusive father. While she won two Grand Slam singles titles and two more in doubles and mixed doubles, a devastating knee injury ended her career in 2006.
Born in 1975 in Montreal, Canada, Pierce held French citizenship through her mother and chose to represent France. She made history as the youngest player at the time to debut on the professional tour at just 14 years and two months. In 1991, she claimed her first WTA title in Palermo and finished the season ranked No. 26 in the world.
Pierce’s early career was overshadowed by her father’s violent behavior, which led the WTA to ban him from attending tournaments in 1993. She later sought a restraining order after he threatened her life. Despite their troubled past, they eventually reconciled.
Early rise in tennis and her relationship with her father
In April 1989, at a WTA tournament in Hilton Head, 14-year-old Mary Pierce became the youngest American to debut on the professional tour, a record later broken by Jennifer Capriati in 1990. Known for her strength and aggressive style, her powerful ball-striking drew comparisons to Capriati, and she quickly earned a reputation as one of the hardest hitters on the women’s tour.
When she was 18, her father, Jim Pearce, started coaching her. “During this time, I played tennis because I had no choice. I had to win because if I didn’t, my dad would get abusive and I was afraid of what would happen. Fear was the driving emotion,” she wrote on her Instagram in 2020 for Behind The Racket.
Thanks to her first title, she broke into the Top 10. However, she became estranged from her father. “From 18 to 25, I saw my dad once, when I won the Australian Open at age 20. Other than that, I didn’t see him. I hated him, was afraid of him, and never wanted to see him again,” she wrote.
However, as she became “a born-again Christian”, Pierce said she forgave him and she spent his last days with him, as he battled with cancer. “When he passed away, I was by his side. I am very grateful for the special times we shared,” she wrote.