Anne Keothavong Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Anne Keothavong
MBE
Singles
Keothavong, 2013 in Fed Cup
Country (sports)	United Kingdom
Residence	London, England
Born	(1983-09-16) 16 September 1983 (age 41) Hackney, London
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro	2001
Retired	2013
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$1,303,091
Career record	418–314 (57.1%)
Career titles	20 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 48 (23 February 2009)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	2R (2011)
French Open	1R (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Wimbledon	2R (2004, 2008, 2011, 2012)
US Open	3R (2008)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	106–159 (40%)
Career titles	8 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 94 (18 April 2011)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2009)
French Open	1R (2009)
Wimbledon	2R (2008)
US Open	1R (2008)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	2R (2008)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	22–22

Anne Viensouk Keothavong (born 16 September 1983) is a British former tennis player. She won 28 titles on the ITF Women's Circuit, which is a series of professional tennis tournaments. Anne reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 48 in February 2009.

She was the top-ranked British female tennis player. In 2009, she became the first British player to reach the top 50 in the WTA rankings since 1993. At 17, she was the youngest player to play for the British Fed Cup team until 2016. She shares the record for most Fed Cup ties played for Great Britain with 39.

Anne Keothavong announced her retirement from playing tennis on 24 July 2013. After retiring, she joined BT Sport's tennis team as a commentator. In 2017, she became the captain for the Great Britain Fed Cup team. She led the team to win all their matches in the 2017 Europe/Africa Zone Group I. She continued as captain in 2018 and 2019, helping the team get promoted to World Group II for the first time in 26 years.

Early Life and Family
Tennis Career Highlights
Playing Style
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Family

Anne Keothavong was born in Hackney, London. Her parents came to the UK from Laos in the 1970s. Her father, Somsak, encouraged her to play tennis from a young age. Her mother's name is Vathana. Anne has two brothers, James and Mark, and a sister, Lena. James is a tennis umpire.

Anne went to Kingsland Secondary School in Hackney. She started playing tennis at age seven at Hackney Downs and Highbury Fields. She preferred playing on hardcourt surfaces. Anne married Andrew Bretherton in 2015. They have a son and a daughter.

Tennis Career Highlights

Anne Keothavong started her junior tennis career in 1996 when she was 12. She won one singles title and one doubles title as a junior player. She often partnered with fellow British player Elena Baltacha.

She played her first professional match in 1998 at age 14. By the end of 2001, her ranking was No. 268. In 2002, she won three ITF titles. She continued to improve her ranking, reaching No. 177 in 2003.

In 2004, Anne won her sixth ITF title. She also won her first match at Wimbledon, beating a top-ranked player. This was a big step for her. She had to stop playing later that year due to a serious knee injury.

After recovering from her injury, Anne returned to tennis in 2005. She won two more ITF titles that year. In 2007, she reached her first ever WTA Tour semifinal in Kolkata, India.

Breaking into the Top 100

The year 2008 was a very successful one for Anne. She won two more ITF titles, including one in Lebanon despite local unrest. These wins helped her enter the top 100 players in the world for the first time. This meant she earned a spot in the main draw of Wimbledon without needing a special invitation. She reached the second round at Wimbledon and the third round at the US Open. She finished 2008 ranked No. 61.

Reaching the Top 50

In 2009, Anne started strong by reaching the semifinals of a WTA event in Auckland. She then reached another WTA semifinal in Memphis. These results helped her climb to world No. 48, making her the first British woman in the top 50 since 1993. She also reached the semifinals of the Warsaw Open on clay, a rare achievement for a British woman. However, her year ended early when she suffered another serious knee injury at the Stanford Classic.

Return from Injury and Retirement

Anne returned to play in 2010 after six months recovering from her knee injury. She reached the semifinals of the Cellular South Cup. She continued to play on the tour, working hard to regain her form.

Anne at the 2011 Open de Cagnes-sur-Mer

In 2011, Anne reached the second round of the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She also had success in Europe, reaching the semifinals of the Luxembourg Open. Towards the end of 2011, she won two ITF titles back-to-back, one in Barnstaple and another in Ismaning. She also won the doubles titles at both events.

Anne Keothavong during a Fed Cup match in 2012

In 2012, Anne continued to represent Great Britain in the Fed Cup. She helped the team secure a spot in the World Group II play-off. She also competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, playing both singles and doubles.

Anne played her final professional match at the Wimbledon Championships in 2013. She announced her retirement on 24 July 2013.

Playing Style

Anne Keothavong was known for her powerful forehand shot. She used it to control the game from the back of the court. She would add a lot of topspin to her shots to make them harder for opponents to return. Her first serve was also a strength, often winning her easy points. She usually served many aces in her matches. For example, she served seven aces in one match at the 2008 US Open.