Fernandez Happy for Opportunity to Defend Medal

After being left swinging for a few weeks, Mary Joe Fernandez has finally been put on the U.S. Olympic team.

Named to the team at the French Open last month were Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport and Chanda Rubin in singles and Gigi Fernandez. Davenport was to play with Fernandez in doubles.

The Fernandezes, who are not related, teamed to win the gold medal in doubles at the 1992 Olympics.

“We had a player meeting yesterday and Les Snyder [president of the U.S. Tennis Assn.] had a big smile on his face,” Fernandez said at Wimbledon Monday.

“It made my day. It made my year. I can’t tell you how excited I am. Playing in the ’92 Olympics was the highlight of my career so far, and being able to be a part of this great team is very, very special. I can’t wait.”

Mary Joe Fernandez, who together with Davenport won the doubles at the French Open, had been told in Paris that she was not going to be on the team, a curious omission because Fernandez is a loyal Fed Cup player and has been vocal about her love of the Olympics.

She received the support of most players on the tour who didn’t understand the oversight. The USTA selected the team strictly according to rankings.

“The United States has so much depth, and it was unfortunate that I was the last one out,” Fernandez said. “It’s kind of harsh that a player ranked in the top 20 would not be able to go to the Olympics.”

Davenport, Mary Joe Fernandez’s best friend, offered to play only singles so that Fernandez might make the team. That offer, and a general uproar from fellow Olympians and others, failed to budge the USTA until Sunday.

According to the USTA, Fernandez’s place on the Olympic team was secured only after negotiations with the International Tennis Federation, the International Olympic Committee and the USOC. An exception was made in Fernandez’s case.

The ITF said it took into account “exceptional circumstances” in allowing Fernandez to play. Among the reasons the ITF cited were: The fact that Fernandez is a defending gold medalist, her ranking and the fact that the United States is the host nation.

Fernandez was a bronze medalist in singles at Barcelona.