Anna Chakvetadze facts for kids

In this article, the patronymic is Djambuliovna and the family name is Chakvetadze.

Quick facts for kids
Anna Chakvetadze
Анна Чакветадзе
Singles
Chakvetadze in 2007
Country (sports)	Russia
Residence	Moscow, Russia
Born	(1987-03-05) 5 March 1987 (age 38) Moscow, Soviet Union
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Turned pro	2003
Retired	11 September 2013
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$3,909,756
Career record	296–170 (63.52%)
Career titles	8 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 5 (10 September 2007)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2007)
French Open	QF (2007)
Wimbledon	4R (2008)
US Open	SF (2007)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2007)
Doubles
Career record	38–64 (37.25%)
Career titles	1 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 53 (6 August 2007)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2007–2012)
French Open	QF (2006)
Wimbledon	2R (2007, 2009)
US Open	3R (2006)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2007, 2008), Record 7–3

Anna Djambuliovna Chakvetadze (Анна Джамбулиевна Чакветадзе; born 5 March 1987) is a former professional tennis player from Russia. She was known for her strong skills on the court.

During her career, Anna won eight big singles titles on the WTA Tour. She reached her highest singles ranking of world No. 5 in September 2007. This happened after she made it to the semifinals of the US Open. In the same year, she also reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and French Open. Anna announced her retirement on 11 September 2013, because of a back injury that kept bothering her. Today, she works as a commentator for the Eurosport channel, sharing her tennis knowledge.

Anna's Tennis Journey
How Anna Played Tennis
Anna's Life Off the Court
- A Difficult Time at Home
- In Politics
Images for kids
See also

Anna's Tennis Journey

Anna Chakvetadze started playing tennis when she was eight years old. Her mother introduced her to the sport. She reached her best ranking, world No. 5, in 2007. This was a fantastic year for her.

Junior Tennis Years

In 2003, Anna played in the final of the Junior Championships at Wimbledon. She lost a close match to Kirsten Flipkens. That same year, she won the International Bavarian Junior Challenge. She beat Marta Domachowska in the final. As a junior player, her record was 67 wins and 19 losses in singles. Her highest junior world ranking was No. 22 in December 2003.

Starting Her Professional Career (2001–2006)

Anna first played on the ITF Women's Circuit in November 2001. In July 2002, she won her first doubles title in Istanbul. She teamed up with another Russian player, Irina Kotkina.

At the 2004 US Open, Anna played in her first major Grand Slam tournament. She won three qualifying matches to get into the main competition. In the second round, she surprised everyone by beating world No. 3, Anastasia Myskina. This made her one of the fastest players to beat a top-ten player in WTA history. She entered the top 100 rankings in September 2004. By June 2005, she was ranked world No. 44.

On 25 September 2006, Anna won her first WTA Tour singles title in Guangzhou, China. She defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues in the final. Two weeks later, she won her second WTA title at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. She was not expected to win, but she beat strong players like Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova. These wins helped her ranking climb to world No. 16.

Her Best Year: 2007

Chakvetadze at the 2007 San Diego Open

Anna started 2007 by winning a title in Hobart, Australia. This was her third career title. She beat fellow Russian Vasilisa Bardina in the final. At the Australian Open, she was seeded 12th. She defeated Patty Schnyder in the fourth round. She then lost in the quarterfinals to the top-seeded Maria Sharapova.

In February, Anna reached the quarterfinals in Paris and the semifinals in Antwerp. On February 19, she entered the top ten rankings for the first time, at world No. 10. She also reached the semifinals of the Miami Open in Key Biscayne. There, she was defeated by world No. 1, Justine Henin.

Anna played on red clay courts in Europe. At the French Open, she again lost to Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.

She won her second title of the year on grass courts in 's-Hertogenbosch. She beat Daniela Hantuchová and Jelena Janković. However, at Wimbledon, she lost in the third round.

Anna then played five tournaments in North America. She won the Cincinnati Open and the Bank of the West Classic in Palo Alto. These wins made her ranking rise to world No. 6. Her 12-match winning streak ended in San Diego when she lost to Maria Sharapova. At the US Open, she was the sixth seed. She reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. She lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova in a tough match. This great result pushed her ranking to a career high of world No. 5.

Anna also qualified for the year-end Tour Championships. She reached the semifinals there, beating Serena Williams and Jelena Janković.

Continuing Success in 2008

Anna started 2008 at the Sydney International. She lost in the first round. At the Australian Open, she was defeated in the third round.

Anna helped Russia win their Fed Cup match against Israel. As the top seed at the Open Gaz de France, Anna won the title. She defeated Ágnes Szávay in the final. She had to retire from a match in Dubai due to a left thigh injury.

Challenges and Injuries (2009-2012)

Chakvetadze at the 2009 Italian Open

The year 2009 was tougher for Anna. She lost in the first or second rounds of many tournaments. She played in the Fed Cup for Russia. By the end of 2009, her ranking dropped to 70.

In 2010, Anna faced more injuries and illnesses. She had to retire from a match in Indian Wells due to an ankle injury. She also had a viral illness later in the year. Despite these challenges, she won her eighth WTA Tour title at the Slovenia Open. She also won the Bronx Open, her second title of the year.

The year 2011 was very difficult for Anna due to ongoing illness and injuries. In Dubai, she collapsed during a match due to a gastrointestinal disease. This caused her to miss several tournaments, including the French Open and the US Open. Her ranking dropped significantly to 230 by the end of the year.

In 2012, Anna continued to struggle with injuries. She took a break from tennis for several months. She tried to come back but often lost in the early rounds of tournaments. She reached the final of the Bronx Open but lost there. She ended 2012 ranked 222.

Retirement and Beyond (2013-Present)

On 11 September 2013, Anna Chakvetadze announced her retirement from professional tennis. This was because of ongoing back problems that made it too hard to play. Since retiring, she has become a tennis commentator for Eurosport.

In 2023, Anna played one doubles match in a series of smaller tournaments. This might have been a sign that she was thinking about returning to the sport.

How Anna Played Tennis

Chakvetadze hitting a backhand

Anna Chakvetadze was a baseline player. This means she liked to hit the ball from the back of the court. Her game was strong because of her excellent defensive skills. She was very fast and covered the court well. She also chose her shots wisely and had great footwork.

Both her forehand and backhand shots were hit flat and deep. She could also hit her backhand with a slice when needed. She was great at hitting the ball back strongly, waiting for a chance to hit a winning shot. Her best shots were her forehand and backhand hit down the line. Her first serve was fast, and her second serve was reliable, so she didn't make many double faults. She was also good at the net because of her doubles experience. People often compared her careful and smart playing style to Martina Hingis.

Anna's Life Off the Court

A Difficult Time at Home

In December 2007, Anna's home was broken into, which was a very upsetting experience for her and her family.

In Politics

In December 2011, Anna tried to get elected to the Russian State Duma, which is like a parliament. She ran with the Right Cause political party, but she was not elected.