Introduction
Barbara Rittner (born 25 April 1973) is a German former professional tennis player. She currently is the captain of the German Fed Cup team. Her career-high singles ranking was No. 24 in the world, achieved on 1 February 1993.
As a junior, she won the 1991 Wimbledon Championships. She won her first WTA Tour title in 1992, and almost nine years later, she won her second at the Belgian Open in Antwerp. This marked the second longest time between singles titles in the Open Era (behind Marcie Louie, who captured her second title 9+1⁄2 years after her first one). She also won three doubles titles with three different partners.
She reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament twice in her professional career; once at the French Open in 1996, and again at the Australian Open in 2001. Her best performances at Wimbledon and the US Open are the third round in both.
At 's-Hertogenbosch in 2003, as a main-draw alternate, she recorded the best win of her career over the then-sixth ranked Amélie Mauresmo before losing to Kim Clijsters. Earlier in the year, she achieved her first career top-ten win over Jelena Dokić at Indian Wells.
In January 2005, she became captain of the German Fed Cup team.
WTA Tour career finals
Singles (2–3)
| Legend |
|---|
| Grand Slam (0) |
| WTA Championships (0) |
| Tier I (0) |
| Tier II (0) |
| Tier III (0) |
| Tier IV, V (2) |
| Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | Sep 1991 | St. Petersburg, USSR | Carpet (i) | Larisa Neiland | 6–3, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1–1 | Aug 1992 | Schenectady, United States | Hard | Brenda Schultz | 7–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1–2 | Jul 1993 | San Marino | Clay | Marzia Grossi | 6–3, 5–7, 1–6 |
| Loss | 1–3 | Feb 1995 | Linz, Austria | Carpet (i) | Jana Novotná | 7–6, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 2–3 | May 2001 | Antwerp, Belgium | Clay | Klára Koukalová | 6–3, 6–2 |
Doubles (3–10)
| Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1–0 | Feb 1992 | Essen, Germany | Carpet (i) | Katerina Maleeva | Sabine Appelmans Claudia Porwik | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1–1 | May 1992 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Katerina Maleeva | Monica Seles Helena Suková | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1–2 | Aug 1993 | San Marino | Clay | Florencia Labat | Sandra Cecchini Patricia Tarabini | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1–3 | Aug 1993 | Schenectady, United States | Hard | Florencia Labat | Rachel McQuillan Claudia Porwik | 6–4, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1–4 | Jul 1996 | Palermo, Italy | Clay | Florencia Labat | Janette Husárová Barbara Schett | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1–5 | Oct 1996 | SEAT Open, Luxembourg | Carpet (i) | Dominique Monami | Kristie Boogert Nathalie Tauziat | 6–2, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1–6 | Jan 1997 | Hobart, Australia | Hard | Dominique Monami | Naoko Kijimuta Nana Miyagi | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 2–6 | Apr 2001 | Estoril, Portugal | Clay | Květa Peschke | Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 2–7 | May 2001 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Květa Peschke | Cara Black Elena Likhovtseva | 2–6, 6–4, 2–6 |
| Loss | 2–8 | Sep 2001 | Leipzig, Germany | Hard (i) | Květa Peschke | Elena Likhovtseva Nathalie Tauziat | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 3–8 | Feb 2002 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Hard | María Vento-Kabchi | Sandrine Testud Roberta Vinci | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 3–9 | Apr 2002 | Estoril, Portugal | Clay | María Vento-Kabchi | Elena Bovina Zsófia Gubacsi | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 3–10 | Oct 2002 | Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Hard (i) | Květa Peschke | Kim Clijsters Janette Husárová | 6–4, 3–6, 5–7 |
ITF finals
Singles (2–2)
| Legend |
|---|
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1. | 6 November 1989 | Fez, Morocco | Clay | Judith Warringa | 6–7, 6–3, 9–7 |
| Win | 2. | 5 February 1990 | Stavanger, Norway | Carpet (i) | Amy Jönsson Raaholt | 6–3, 6–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 3. | 12 February 1990 | Horsholm, Denmark | Carpet (i) | Petra Holubová | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 4. | 30 July 2000 | Liège, Belgium | Clay | Justine Henin | 0–6, 1–3 ret. |
Doubles (1–2)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | 6 November 1989 | Fez, Morocco | Clay | Petra Kemper | Lucie Kořínková Flora Perfetti | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 2. | 5 February 1990 | Stavanger, Norway | Carpet (i) | Heike Thoms | Elena Brioukhovets Nina Erickson | 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 3. | 15 April 1990 | Bari, Italy | Clay | Agnese Gustmane | Yayuk Basuki Suzanna Wibowo | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |