Mary Joe Fernandez

Tennis

Mary Joe Fernandez likes tennis as a team sport, particularly when her team is in the Olympics.

“This is so different from everything else,” said Fernandez, who will compete in singles and doubles for the United States when play begins Tuesday. “We’re usually out there competing for ourselves, so whenever I get an opportunity to play in a team event, I really enjoy it. I feel it means more to do well for somebody else.”

The 24-year-old Fernandez never felt better than in 1992, when she won the bronze in singles and teamed with Gigi Fernandez (no relation) to win the gold in doubles. Another victory to savor came a month ago, when she made the U.S. team by winning an appeal to the International Olympic Committee.

The rules limited the U.S. women to four players, and Lindsay Davenport beat Fernandez for the final slot.

Monica Seles and other team members lobbied on behalf of Fernandez, as did the U.S. Tennis Association. And last month, the IOC granted an exception to allow the United States a fifth player.

As a result, the Fernandez-Fernandez duo is again entered in doubles, and Mary Joe will compete in singles as a late replacement for Chanda Rubin, who withdrew Saturday because of a wrist injury.