Corina Morariu
An American tennis champion who staged a miraculous comeback from leukemia to win a Wimbledon doubles title and inspire beyond the sport.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American tennis player·Birthday: January 26·Generation X
Biography
Corina Morariu's story transcends tennis rankings and trophies, though she earned plenty. The daughter of Romanian immigrants, she rose through the junior ranks with a potent all-court game, specializing in doubles. Her peak came in 1999 when she won the Wimbledon women's doubles title with Lindsay Davenport, reaching world No. 1 in doubles that same year. Then, in 2001, at just 23, she was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Her battle was public and grueling, but she returned to the professional tour a mere 18 months later, a feat doctors called extraordinary. While she never recaptured her previous heights, her return was its own victory. Morariu retired in 2007 and became a broadcaster, using her platform to advocate for cancer awareness. Her legacy is a dual one: of athletic excellence and of profound human resilience.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Corina was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Corina Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Corina's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Wimbledon women's doubles championship in 1999 with partner Lindsay Davenport.
- Achieved the world No. 1 ranking in women's doubles in 1999.
- Successfully returned to professional tennis after being treated for acute leukemia in 2001-2002.
- Won five WTA Tour doubles titles and one singles title during her career.
Did You Know?
She is of Romanian descent; her father was a professional soccer player in Romania.
She co-authored a memoir titled 'Living Through the Racket' about her battle with cancer.
She worked as a tennis analyst for the Tennis Channel and BBC after retiring.
She won the Wimbledon girls' doubles title in 1995.
“The ball doesn't know your story; you just have to hit it back.”
