Elena Vesnina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Elena Vesnina
Елена Веснина

Vesnina with her Olympic gold medal in 2016
Full name	Elena Sergeyevna Vesnina
Country (sports)	Russia
Residence	Sochi, Russia
Born	(1986-08-01) 1 August 1986 (age 39) Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro	2002
Retired	2024
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Eugenia Maniokova
Prize money	US$ 13,052,758
Singles
Career record	419–341 (55.13%)
Career titles	3
Highest ranking	No. 13 (20 March 2017)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (2006, 2013)
French Open	3R (2015, 2017, 2021)
Wimbledon	SF (2016)
US Open	3R (2009, 2014, 2016, 2017)
Other tournaments
Doubles
Career record	437–234 (65.13%)
Career titles	19
Highest ranking	No. 1 (11 June 2018)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (2014, 2018)
French Open	W (2013)
Wimbledon	W (2017)
US Open	W (2014)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2016)
Olympic Games	W (2016)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	W (2016)
French Open	F (2021)
Wimbledon	F (2011, 2012)
US Open	SF (2011)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2007, 2008), record 14–8 (63.64%)
Medal record Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Doubles Silver 2020 Tokyo Mixed doubles Universiade Gold 2013 Kazan Doubles Gold 2013 Kazan Mixed doubles Silver 2013 Kazan Team

Elena Sergeyevna Vesnina (born August 1, 1986) is a Russian former professional tennis player. She was once ranked the world No. 1 in doubles. Elena is a four-time Grand Slam champion. She won three Grand Slam titles in women's doubles with her partner Ekaterina Makarova. These wins were at the 2013 French Open, 2014 US Open, and 2017 Wimbledon Championships. She also won a mixed doubles title at the 2016 Australian Open with Bruno Soares.

Elena Vesnina reached eight more finals in women's doubles and four in mixed doubles. She became world No. 1 in doubles in June 2018. She won 19 doubles titles on the WTA Tour, including the 2016 WTA Finals. She also won eight titles at WTA 1000-level events.

In singles, Elena also had great success. She reached her highest ranking of world No. 13 in March 2017. She won three WTA singles titles, including the 2017 Indian Wells Open. Her best Grand Slam singles result was reaching the semifinals at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships.

Elena represented Russia in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2006. She helped Russia win the competition in 2007 and 2008. She played in the Olympic Games four times. Elena and Ekaterina Makarova won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Elena also won a mixed-doubles silver medal with Aslan Karatsev at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She officially retired from professional tennis on November 21, 2024.

Personal Life and Early Days

Elena Vesnina was born to Sergey and Irina. Her grandfather has Greek family roots. She has a younger brother named Dmitry, who also played tennis as a junior. Elena started playing tennis when she was seven years old. She trained at a sports school in Sochi, Russia.

In November 2015, Elena married a businessman named Pavel Tabuntsov. They have two daughters. Their first daughter, Elizaveta, was born on November 19, 2018. Their second daughter, Anna, was born in 2023.

Tennis Career Highlights

Elena Vesnina began her professional tennis career in 2002. She quickly started to make her mark in smaller tournaments. By 2003, she won her first title on the ITF Circuit.

Rising Through the Ranks

In 2006, Elena played in her first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open. She made it to the fourth round, which was a great start. She continued to improve her ranking over the next few years.

First Grand Slam Doubles Final

In 2009, Elena reached her first Grand Slam final in doubles. This was at the French Open, where she partnered with Victoria Azarenka. Although they lost the final, it was a big step in her career. She also reached her second WTA singles final that year at the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament.

Vesnina at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships

Doubles Success and First Major Title

In 2010, Elena reached her second Grand Slam doubles final at Wimbledon. She partnered with Vera Zvonareva. They had an amazing run, even beating the top-seeded Williams sisters.

In 2012, Elena started playing doubles with Ekaterina Makarova. This partnership became very successful. They reached several finals together.

In 2013, Elena won her first WTA singles title at the Hobart International. Later that year, she and Makarova won their first Grand Slam title together. This was the women's doubles title at the French Open. Elena also won her second WTA singles title at the Eastbourne International.

Vesnina at the 2013 French Open

More Grand Slam Wins and Olympic Gold

In 2014, Elena and Makarova continued their success. They won their second major title at the US Open. They also reached the doubles final at the Australian Open.

Vesnina at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships

The year 2016 was a huge year for Elena. She reached her first Grand Slam singles semifinal at Wimbledon. She also won her first mixed doubles Grand Slam title at the 2016 Australian Open with Bruno Soares. The biggest highlight was winning the gold medal in women's doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics with Ekaterina Makarova. They also won the WTA Finals together.

Vesnina at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships

World No. 1 and Retirement

In 2017, Elena won her third WTA singles title at the Indian Wells Open. She also won her third Grand Slam women's doubles title at Wimbledon with Makarova. This win was very special because they won the final with a score of 6–0, 6–0.

Vesnina at the 2017 Eastbourne International

In June 2018, Elena Vesnina became the world No. 1 ranked player in women's doubles. She then took a break from tennis to have her first child.

Comeback and Olympic Silver

Elena returned to professional tennis in 2021 after her maternity leave. She quickly showed she was still a top player. At the 2021 French Open, she reached the mixed doubles final with Aslan Karatsev.

At Wimbledon, she reached the women's doubles final with Veronika Kudermetova. They had a great run, beating the top-seeded team in the semifinals.

Elena also competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She won a silver medal in mixed doubles with Aslan Karatsev. This was another amazing achievement in her career.

After another break to have her second child, Elena Vesnina made a second comeback in April 2024. She played in a few tournaments, including the Paris Olympics. She officially announced her retirement from professional tennis on November 21, 2024.

Career Statistics

Elena Vesnina had a long and successful career in tennis. She won many titles and reached high rankings in both singles and doubles.

Singles Performance at Grand Slams

Elena played in many Grand Slam singles tournaments. Her best results were:

• Australian Open: Reached the 4th round twice (2006, 2013).
• French Open: Reached the 3rd round three times (2015, 2017, 2021).
• Wimbledon: Reached the semifinals once (2016).
• US Open: Reached the 3rd round four times (2009, 2014, 2016, 2017).

Doubles Performance at Grand Slams

Elena was especially strong in doubles. Her Grand Slam doubles record includes:

• Australian Open: Reached the final twice (2014, 2018).
• French Open: Won the title once (2013) and reached the final twice (2009, 2011, 2016).
• Wimbledon: Won the title once (2017) and reached the final twice (2010, 2015, 2021).
• US Open: Won the title once (2014).

Olympic Games Performance

Elena competed in the Olympics multiple times:

• 2016 Rio Olympics: Won a gold medal in women's doubles.
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Won a silver medal in mixed doubles.

Awards and Recognition

Elena Vesnina has received several awards for her achievements in tennis:

• Merited Master of Sports of Russia (2008)
• The Russian Cup in the nomination Pair of the Year (with Ekaterina Makarova) in 2013, 2014, and 2016.
• WTA Fan Favorite Doubles Team of the Year (2013).
• Honorary Citizen of Sochi (2016).

See also

In Spanish: Yelena Vesniná para niños