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| 2000 | 1999 | 1998 |
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Feb |
Awarded a wildcard into qualifying at Oklahoma, after a recommendation from former World #1 Billie Jean King, but withdrew before the tournament began, having been due to take on #149 Irina Selyutina in the first round of qualifying. |
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Apr |
Awarded a wildcard into qualifying at ITF/Sarasota, losing in the qualifying first round to #300 Karolina Jagieniak 4-6 3-6. |
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May |
Enters the Sanex WTA singles rankings at #946 on 1st May. Improved to #935 on 15th May. After a first round bye, lost in the second round of qualifying at ITF/El Paso event to unranked 14-year-old Shadisha Robinson, but won her first professional set before losing 3-6 6-4 3-6. Won her first professional match 6-0 6-1 against unranked Mandy Stegman in the qualifying at ITF/San Antonio, but fell in the next round. |
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Jun |
As a lucky loser from qualifying defeated top seed #308 Leanne Baker 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the first round of the main draw for her first win over a ranked player, but lost in the second round to unranked qualifier Sarah Riske, who had also beaten her in qualifying. Ranking improved 135 places to #834. |
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Jul |
Took a break from the Tour to play in Billie Jean King's World Team Tennis exhibition event. Had a chance to assess her form against top players, playing in singles against the likes of Serena Williams, Monica Seles and Elena Likhovtseva, and in doubles against the likes of Martina Navratilova and Mary Joe Fernandez. Lost to them all, and finished the event with a 0:7 singles record and 4:11 doubles record. |
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Sep |
After a month off, and fresh from another US Open wildcard refusal, lost in the first round of qualifying at ITF/Hopewell, before reaching her first professional quarterfinal the following week at ITF/Greenville, defeating two ranked players before losing to 3rd-seed #465 Candice De La Torre in straight sets. Ranking improved 74 places to #855. Reached the second round of ITF/Raleigh, losing to 3rd-seed #355 Gabriela Volekova in straight sets. |
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Oct |
Celebrated her 16th birthday by improving her ranking to a new career high of #817 three days later on October 9th, with the belated addition of the points from the previous month's ITF/Raleigh event. |
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Nov |
Finished the year ranked #888. Lost in straight sets to #224 Nana Miyagi at ITF/Tuscon. |
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Jun |
The WTA amended their Age Eligibility Rules to allow 14-year-olds a wildcard into one WTA event after Viele and her parents challenged the WTA rule barring players aged 14 and under from playing professionally and threatened court action. |
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Sep |
Started the month by dumping her management company IMG, who had represented her since 1993, after IMG "dragged its feet" in pressuring the WTA tour to suspend its age-eligibility rules, and signing with Donald Trump's T Management Group. Then, having been refused a main draw wildcard at the US Open, made her Sanex WTA Tour debut aged 14 as a wildcard at Tokyo (Princess Cup) on 22 September 1999, losing 3-6 1-6 to #69 Jane Chi in the first round. |
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Oct |
In her second professional event, as a wildcard entry at 1999 ITF/Alburquerque, lost 2-6 1-6 to #45 top seed Kristina Brandi in the first round. |
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Apr |
Awarded third place at the Gator Bowl at Pointe Vedra Beach, Florida, defeating second seed Myrna Baworen 6-2 6-2 in the third-place play-off. |
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Jul |
Won the Florida Open junior title in Fort Myers, her only junior title, defeating fifth seed Kelly McCain 6-4 6-1 in the final. |