Ana Chakvetadze
Ana Chakvetadze is one of the rising stars of Russian women's tennis. Currently ranked at number 13 in the world and only twenty-one years of age, the young Russian will be a player worth watching at the 2009 US Open tennis championships.
Player Biography
Anna Chakvetadze was born in Moscow, Russia in 1987. She was encouraged to take up tennis by her mother. At the age of 14 Anna Chakvetadze joined the ITF junior circuit, winning her first doubles title in 2002. In 2003 Chavetadze progressed to the final of the Wimbledon junior championship before being knocked out by Belgium's Kirsetn Flipkens.
Career
Anna Chakvetadze's first two years in professional tennis were unremarkable in terms of tournament wins, with the youngster failing to take a WTA title. There were, however, encouraging glimpses of talent in her grand slam debut. The Russian teenager advanced to the third round of the 2004 US Open, beating the number 3 ranked Anastasia Myskina in the process.
Grand Slam Record
It was almost a year later that Anna Chakvetadze won her first WTA title, when she won the Guangzhou Open in China. The 2005 season saw Anna Chakvetadze play all four grand slams for the first time, putting in good performances in the French and US Opens, where she matched her 3rd round appearance of the previous year.
Anna Chakvetadze achieved her breakthrough year in 2007 on the back of a 2006 season which had seen her improve on her grand slam appearances of the previous year whilst also nabbing another WTA title in Moscow.
The Russian took four titles in the 2007 and impressed at the grand slams reaching the quarterfinals of the French and Australian Opens before putting in the best performance of her career to reach the semi-final of the 2007 US Open. Chakvetadze was matched against compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-final, winning the first set before Kuznetsova rallied to take the final two sets.
She suffered an early exist from the 2008 US Open in the first round, being defeated by fellow russian new-comer, Ekaterina Makarova.
Playing Style
Anna Chakvetadze is credited with being a good all-round player, with a high level of creativity. The Russian is recognised for her technical proficiency and variety of shots including an excellent forehand. Her two-handed backhand is also a potent weapon, particularly when combined with topspin. Strongest on hard courts, Anna Chakvetadze's biggest weakness is an unremarkable serve.
