# Catalina Castaño

Catalina Castaño Álvarez (Latin American Spanish:; born 7 July 1979) is a Colombian former tennis player. Her highest singles ranking is world No. 35 which she achieved July 2006.
In her career, she won ten titles on the ITF Women's Circuit, six in singles and four in doubles, as well as one doubles title on both the WTA Tour and Challenger Tour.
Castaño defeated top-20 players such as Nicole Vaidišová, Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Patty Schnyder, Paola Suárez, Li Na and Lucie Šafářová. She was coached by Peruvian-born British citizen Pablo Giacopelli since 2004.

## Career summary
### 1999–2004

In 1999 she won her first ITF title in Santiago. The following year she won two ITF titles in Midlothian and Cali. In 2001, she reached the quarterfinals in her home tournament of Bogotá, Colombia (Tier III). In 2002, Castaño advanced the semifinals in Bogotá. She reached four ITF finals, winning two of them - in Gorizia and Campobasso. She won 39 matches in the year and lost 18. In 2004, she reached the quarterfinals in Bogotá for the third time. She was the last player to be defeated by Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in the ladies singles, losing the match 0–6, 1–6. She won her sixth ITF title in Orbetello.

### 2005

In April, she won five matches in Miami (Tier I) including back-to-back wins over world No. 19, Paola Suárez, and world No. 13, Patty Schnyder, before falling to world No. 9, Venus Williams, in three sets in the round of 16. In May, she won four matches in Rome (Tier I) before losing to world No. 10, Vera Zvonareva, in the round of 16. In August, she reached her first ever WTA Tour final in Budapest. She lost to the top seed Anna Smashnova in the final, in straight sets. In October, she reached the semifinals in Seoul (Tier IV) but lost to the eventual champion Nicole Vaidišová.

### 2006

She commenced January with a semifinal showing in Canberra (Tier IV) and passed the first round of the Australian Open for the first time. In Charleston in mid-April, Catalina reached her first Tier I quarterfinal, after defeating Ashley Harkleroad, Nicole Vaidišová and Marion Bartoli. Her two-sets win over Vaidišová, who was ranked 14 at the time, was her best win of the year. The following week in Berlin, Catalina beat Anna-Lena Grönefeld, who was ranked 14 at the time. It was her second win over a top-15 player in as many weeks. In May, she reached the quarterfinals in Istanbul (Tier III) for the first time. She reached her highest ranking of No. 35 on July 16.

### 2007

Catalina commenced the new season with a solid start, recording two quarterfinal appearances at the Gold Coast and Hobart in January. At the Gold Coast, she defeated Li Na who was ranked 21 at the time.

### 2014

Castaño retired from professional tennis after a diagnosis of breast cancer.

## WTA Tour finals
### Singles: 1 (runner-up)

| Outcome | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Runner-up | Jul 2005 | Budapest Grand Prix, Hungary | Tier IV | Clay | Anna Smashnova | 2–6, 2–6 |

### Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

| Outcome | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Winner | Jul 2012 | Swedish Open, Båstad | International | Clay | Mariana Duque Mariño | Eva Hrdinová Mervana Jugić-Salkić | 4–6, 7–5, [10–5] |
| Runner-up | Mar 2013 | Mexican Open, Acapulco | International | Clay | Mariana Duque Mariño | Lourdes Domínguez Lino Arantxa Parra Santonja | 4–6, 6–7$^{(1–7)}$ |

## WTA Challenger finals
### Singles: 1 (runner-up)

| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | Feb 2013 | Copa Bionaire Cali, Colombia | Clay | Lara Arruabarrena | 3–6, 2–6 |

### Doubles: 1 (title)

| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | Feb 2013 | Copa Bionaire, Colombia | Clay | Mariana Duque Mariño | Florencia Molinero Teliana Pereira | 3–6, 6–1, [10–5] |

## ITF Circuit finals

* Legend
* $100,000 tournaments
* $75,000 tournaments
* $50,000 tournaments
* $25,000 tournaments
* $10,000 tournaments

### Singles (6–7)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1. | 29 March 1999 | ITF Santiago, Chile | Clay | María Fernanda Landa | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1. | 18 October 1999 | ITF Nashville, United States | Hard | Florencia Labat | 1–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 2. | 8 May 2000 | ITF Midlothian, Canada | Clay | Evelyn Fauth | 6–3, 7–5 |
| Loss | 2. | 23 April 2000 | ITF San Luis Potosí, Mexico | Clay | Milagros Sequera | 4–6, 6–3, 5–7 |
| Loss | 3. | 13 November 2000 | ITF Naples, United States | Clay | Yvette Basting | 0–4, 0–4, 2–4 |
| Win | 3. | 10 December 2000 | ITF Bogotá, Colombia | Clay | Fabiola Zuluaga | 4–1 ret. |
| Loss | 4. | 14 October 2001 | ITF Hallandale Beach, United States | Clay | Fabiola Zuluaga | 6–3, 3–6, 4–3 ret. |
| Win | 4. | 1 June 2003 | ITF Campobasso, Italy | Clay | Nina Bratchikova | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 5. | 9 June 2003 | Grado Tennis Cup, Italy | Clay | Martina Suchá | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 5. | 16 June 2003 | ITF Gorizia, Italy | Clay | Michaela Paštiková | 7–6$^{(2)}$, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 1 September 2003 | ITF Fano, Italy | Clay | Cristina Torrens Valero | 3–6, 7–5, 3–6 |
| Win | 6. | 29 June 2004 | ITF Orbetello, Italy | Clay | Alona Bondarenko | 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 7. | 24 June 2012 | Open de Montpellier, France | Clay | Séverine Beltrame | 2–6, 6–7$^{(4)}$ |

### Doubles (4–3)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1. | 14 September 1998 | ITF La Paz, Bolivia | Clay | Carolina Mayorga | Laura Bernal Daniela Olivera | 5–7, 7–6$^{(5)}$, 1–6 |
| Win | 1. | 24 January 2011 | ITF Bucaramanga, Colombia | Clay | Viky Núñez Fuentes | Nathália Rossi Zuzana Zlochová | 7–6$^{(3)}$, 6–1 |
| Loss | 2. | 25 July 2011 | ITF Bad Saulgau, Germany | Clay | Mariana Duque Mariño | Maria Abramović Nicole Clerico | 3–6, 7–5, [7–10] |
| Win | 2. | 17 January 2012 | ITF Plantation, United States | Clay | Laura Thorpe | Jessica Pegula Ahsha Rolle | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 3. | 22 October 2012 | Internationaux de Poitiers, France | Hard | Mervana Jugić-Salkić | Stéphanie Foretz Gacon Tatjana Maria | 6–4, 5–7, [10–4] |
| Win | 4. | 29 October 2012 | Open Nantes Atlantique, France | Hard | Mervana Jugić-Salkić | Petra Cetkovská Renata Voráčová | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 3. | 12 May 2013 | Open de Cagnes-sur-Mer, France | Clay | Teliana Pereira | Vania King Arantxa Rus | 6–4, 5–7, [8–10] |

## Performance timelines

Key :
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |

### Singles

| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | SR | W-L |
| Grand Slam tournaments ||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | Q1 | Q2 | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | Q2 | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 2–4 |
| French Open | A | Q2 | 2R | Q1 | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | Q2 | Q1 | A | A | Q1 | 0 / 6 | 4–6 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | Q1 | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | Q1 | A | A | Q1 | 0 / 6 | 0–6 |
| US Open | A | Q1 | 1R | Q1 | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | Q1 | Q1 | Q3 | A | Q3 | Q3 | 0 / 6 | 1–6 |
| Olympic Games ||||||||||||||||||
| Summer Olympics | NH | A | NH | NH | NH | 1R | NH | NH | NH | A | NH | NH | NH | A | NH | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Premier Mandatory ||||||||||||||||||
| Indian Wells | A | A | A | A | A | Q1 | Q1 | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 1–3 |
| Miami | A | A | Q1 | Q1 | A | Q1 | 4R | 1R | 2R | Q1 | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 |
| Beijing | A | A | A | A | A | Q2 | A | 1R | Q3 | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Premier 5 ||||||||||||||||||
| Doha | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | Not Held | Not Held | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Rome | A | A | A | Q1 | A | A | 3R | 2R | 2R | Q2 | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 |
| Cincinnati | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Premier ||||||||||||||||||
| Charleston | A | A | 1R | A | A | 2R | A | QF | A | A | Q2 | 2R | A | Q1 | Q1 | 0 / 4 | 5–4 |
| San Diego | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | NH | NH | Q1 | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| WTA International ||||||||||||||||||
| Brisbane | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | Q2 | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 2–1 |
| Auckland | A | A | A | A | A | Q1 | A | 1R | A | Q1 | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Bogotá | 1R | 2R | QF | SF | QF | QF | QF | QF | A | QF | 1R | 2R | QF | 2R | 1R | 0 / 14 | 19–14 |
| Acapulco | NH | NH | Q2 | A | A | A | QF | 2R | A | Q1 | A | 2R | A | Q3 | 1R | 0 / 4 | 4–4 |
| Budapest | A | A | A | A | A | A | F | QF | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 7–3 |
| Istanbul | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | QF | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 |
| Quebec | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | Q2 | 0 / 2 | 1–2 |
| Barcelona | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | NH | 0 / 2 | 0–2 |
| Seoul | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | SF | 2R | QF | A | A | A | A | Q3 | A | 0 / 4 | 7–4 |
| Luxembourg | A | A | A | A | A | Q2 | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | A | Q1 | A | 0 / 2 | 1–2 |
| WTA 125s ||||||||||||||||||
| Cali | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | F | 0 / 3 | 4–3 |
| Year-end ranking | A | 143 | 122 | 201 | 133 | 110 | 59 | 55 | 115 | 147 | 219 | 183 | 251 | 236 | 196 | 0 / 78 | 64-78 |

### Doubles

| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | SR | W-L |
| Grand Slam tournaments ||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 | 2–2 |
| French Open | A | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | 2R | 0 / 4 | 2–4 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | 3R | A | A | A | A | 1R | 0 / 3 | 2–3 |
| US Open | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 3 | 1–3 |
| Olympic Games ||||||||||||||||
| Summer Olympics | NH | NH | NH | 2R | NH | NH | NH | A | NH | NH | NH | A | NH | 0 / 1 | 1–1 |
| Premier 5 ||||||||||||||||
| Doha | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | NH | NH | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 1–1 |
| Rome | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | 0 / 2 | 2–2 |
| Cincinnati | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| WTA International ||||||||||||||||
| Bogotá | QF | QF | 1R | A | QF | 1R | A | 1R | QF | 1R | A | QF | 1R | 0 / 10 | 5–10 |
| Acapulco | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | F | 0 / 2 | 3–2 |
| Estoril | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 |
| Båstad | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | W | A | 1 / 0 | 4–0 |
| Washington | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | QF | 0 / 1 | 1–1 |
| Quebec | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 0 / 2 | 0–2 |
| WTA 125s ||||||||||||||||
| Cali | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | 1R | QF | W | 1 / 2 | 5–2 |
| Year-end ranking | 316 | 361 | A | 305 | 236 | 144 | 91 | 163 | 280 | 455 | 238 | 96 | 104 | 2 / 33 | 29–33 |

## Head-to-head record

Players who have been ranked world No. 1 are in boldface.
* Martina Navratilova - 0–1
* Nadia Petrova - 0–1
* Serena Williams - 0–1