Marissa Sanchez
Filipino tennis player (1956–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maria Socorro "Marissa" Dizon Sanchez (June 25, 1956 – January 4, 2026) was a Filipino tennis player.
Philippines| Full name | Maria Socorro Dizon Sanchez |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) | Philippines |
| Born | June 27, 1956 |
| Died | January 4, 2026 (aged 69) Angeles City, Philippines |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 2–5 (Federation Cup) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 0–4 (Federation Cup) |
Medal record | |
Early life
Career
Sanchez became the top player in the Philippines for the first time in 1975, when she won both the National Tennis Open and Philta Open.[5]
She was part of the first Philippines squad to compete at the 1977 SEA Games and was runner-up to Indonesia's Yolanda Sumarno in singles, with her silver medal the first of any color attained by a Filipino tennis player at the event.[6]
Sanchez competed at the main draw of the Federation Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup), representing the Philippines in the 1978 edition.[2]
She made another Federation Cup appearance in 1981, before retiring in her early 30s.[4][5]
Later life and death
After retiring, Sanchez went on to become a coach in her home province of Pampanga where she held training camps and mentored the youth.[4] Sanchez died from heart failure on January 4, 2026, at the age of 69 in Angeles City.[1][4]