Annie Miller (tennis)

Annie Miller (born January 19, 1977) is a retired American professional tennis player. Miller attained a career high singles ranking of 40 on 21 September 1998. She is best known for being the first opponent of Serena Williams in Williams' professional career, Miller winning the match 6-1, 6-1.

Miller was raised in Michigan.

Miller began playing tennis for fun when she was just five. At 18, she began playing tennis professionally. She played right-handed (double handed backhand).

At the time when Miller started thriving in professional tennis – at the age of 21, a mere four years into her career – she took an indefinite leave of absence from the Women’s Tennis Association. This was the best season of her career, with her solid run to the third round of the U.S. Open, which was her personal best, ranking her Number 43 in the world.

Miller also beat both Lindsay Davenport (who was Number 7 in the world) and Mary Pierce, which earned her reputation for being a “young player on the rise.” When she played at the Open against Monica Seles – a game that was televised – she accrued a whole slew of new fans, due to her impressive playing and attractiveness.

When she lost a second round at Wimbledon (against Seles 6-3, 6-3), she quit professional tennis and began studying at the University of Michigan. Part of this decision was financial. As a professional tennis player she never got a racquet or clothing contract and thus didn’t have any big sponsors. Coach fees were between $1–1,500 weekly. She commented: “Our prize money is probably half what the guys is, and I think any player at my level will tell you, they aren't able to live and spend right and left. They have to watch their money at this ranking unless they have endorsement contracts or sponsors. But the difficult thing for me is I'm not from Costa Rica or some country that doesn't have any other star players. I'm from the U.S. I'm just average for my country.”

Miller was also quite stressed on the court. For example, she said: “A lot of the girls are friends with each other and have friends but the way I feel, and maybe I just take everything too personally, is that there is somehow not enough total separation.”

In a 1991 junior competition Miller won the U.S. National 16s and 1992 Easter Bowl 18s. The following year she received the Clairol/WTA Tennis Scholarship at the U.S. Open. Two years later she received the 1994 International Hall of Fame Sportsmanship Award.

Miller was a member of both the U.S. Maureen Connolly Brinker Cup team and the U.S. National Team 1991-92.

In 1995, Miller graduated from Bradenton Academy with honors. Following her tennis career, she studied Spanish, Statistics and Geography at the University of Michigan. On the importance of her education she explained: “I was always raised — and education was an important thing in my family — that I wasn't for sure going to turn pro like girls like Venus and Anna. They were groomed from childhood to know that this is what they want to do. This is their ticket to a wonderful life, and they've really done that. But I was lucky or not to come from a family where tennis wasn't going to be my only way.”